PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eliott Leighton (ranked 1639 p4p, 240 weight class) and DJ Giannis (ranked 2757 p4p, 371 weight class). Leighton comes to the cage accompanied by Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood. DJ Giannis has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Leighton
vs
Giannis

191 cm
21
212 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

194 cm
20
213 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eliott Leighton!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, DJ Giannis!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leighton misses with a hook
and Giannis counters with a nice uppercut.
Leighton uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Giannis.
Giannis cracks Leighton with an open hand slap.
Giannis has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Leighton misses with a lunging right hand
and Giannis connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Leighton misses with a body kick.
A cross from Giannis lands.
Leighton tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Giannis fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Leighton manages to avoid it.
Giannis misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Giannis takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Leighton misses with a series of wild punches.
Giannis throws a body shot but no joy.
Giannis throws a body shot but no joy.
Giannis throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leighton takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Giannis pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Leighton tries to clinch but Giannis moves out of range.
A good leg kick by Leighton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannis lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Giannis throws the left hand but Leighton avoids the punch easily.
Leighton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Giannis.
Giannis walks into a left hand.
Giannis misses with an uppercut. Leighton saw that one coming.
Giannis throws a head kick that misses.
Giannis fails to land with a series of punches.
A combination from Giannis does no damage.
Giannis attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Giannis lands a nice leg kick that just misses Leighton's sensitive parts.
Leighton throws a front kick aimed at Giannis's knee but Giannis avoids it well.
A lazy left from Giannis finds it's target.
The fighters circling - Leighton throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Giannis looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Giannis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Leighton.
Leighton drops down looking for a counter takedown but Giannis sprawls and moves away.
Giannis lands a head kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Giannis misses with a jab, cross combination.
Giannis swings for the body but Leighton moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leighton moves out of range of the strikes.
Leighton was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Giannis scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Leighton tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Giannis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Leighton misses with a straight right.
Giannis lands a right hook to the body.
Leighton throws a head kick that misses.
DJ Giannis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Leighton with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Giannis uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Leighton has time to react.
Giannis uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Leighton.
Giannis throws a nice outside leg kick.
Leighton moves out of range as Giannis throws a body kick.
Leighton throws a head kick that misses.
Leighton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Giannis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Leighton lands with a good body shot.
Giannis lands a right hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Giannis.
Leighton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Giannis.
Leighton swinging wildly here.
Giannis takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Giannis misses with an uppercut.
Giannis connects with a looping right hand.
A head kick misses from Giannis.
Leighton swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A big right from Leighton misses.
Leighton throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Giannis misses with an uppercut.
Nice shot by Giannis.
Leighton darts in trying to clinch
and Giannis counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leighton throws a sloppy body shot
and Giannis counters with a left to the body.
Giannis throws a body punch but Leighton moves out of range.
Leighton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giannis swats away the attempt to clinch by Leighton.
Leighton showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Giannis.
Leighton feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Giannis lands with an uppercut that bounces Leighton off the cage and back into range.
Giannis misses with a looping right.
Leighton misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Giannis is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Leighton had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Giannis blocks a head kick by Leighton.
Giannis throws a body shot but no joy.
Leighton throws a solid leg kick but Giannis takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Leighton.
Giannis fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Leighton checks it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DJ Giannis dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Leighton throws a head kick but Giannis moves out of range.

Leighton gets a clinch.
Giannis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Giannis blocks an uppercut.

Giannis manages to break the clinch.
Giannis takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Leighton uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Giannis.
Leighton throws a series of punches but Giannis avoids them all with ease.
Giannis scores with a one two! Leighton had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Leighton feints and then cracks Giannis's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Giannis down.
Giannis displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Leighton throws out the jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Leighton.
Leighton looks to land a body kick but Giannis moved away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Leighton lands a jab.
Giannis tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Leighton was well out of range. Poor timing from Giannis.
Giannis has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Giannis tries to keep at a distance but Leighton has taken the fight into the clinch.
Giannis lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannis scores with a shot to the side of Leighton's head.
Giannis slowing the pace effectively.
Still in the clinch, Giannis scores with a nice short uppercut.
Giannis working aggressively here.
Giannis tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Leighton scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Leighton has Giannis pushed against the cage.
Giannis lands with a light punch inside.
Giannis on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Leighton misses with a short punch on the inside.
Giannis misses with a hook from the clinch.
Leighton digs a right hand into Giannis's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Giannis's gas tank.
Leighton makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Giannis takes a shot to the head.
Leighton lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Giannis misses with some punches.
Leighton throws a punch but it's blocked by Giannis.
Leighton goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Giannis misses with a punch on the inside.

Giannis breaks from the clinch.
Giannis waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Leighton.
Leighton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Giannis flicks out a counter leg kick but Leighton steps away.
Leighton throws a head kick that misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Giannis.
Leighton has his takedown stuffed
enabling Giannis to counter with a crisp jab.
Leighton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Giannis avoids the head kick by Leighton.
A jab from Giannis misses.
Giannis throws a right and a left that both miss.
Leighton shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Leighton with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giannis stuns Leighton with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Giannis scores with a decent looking hook.
Giannis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Giannis thows a left - swing and a miss!
A head kick misses from Leighton.
Leighton loads up on a big right hand but Giannis slips the punch.
Leighton lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A cross from Leighton lands.
Leighton throws a head kick but Giannis moves out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Giannis.
Giannis throws a shot to the body.
Leighton fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Leighton looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Leighton has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Leighton there as he acknowledges the shot.
Giannis throws a shot from downtown. Leighton moves away and avoids it.
Giannis throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Leighton misses the jab.
Giannis misses with a wild body shot.
Leighton half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Leighton throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Giannis's head.
Giannis lands with a right hand.
Leighton connects with a right hand. Giannis shakes it off.
Giannis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Leighton moves away.
A telegraphed right hand from Giannis misses the target.
Giannis keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Leighton.
Giannis bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Leighton sizes up Giannis with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Leighton throws a jab but it's blocked by Giannis.
Leighton slips a jab from Giannis.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Leighton misses with a low kick.
Leighton ducks under a wild hook from Giannis.
Giannis loads up on a big right hand but Leighton slips the punch.
Leighton throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
It seemed like Giannis was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Eliott Leighton will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Leighton misses with a body shot.
Giannis pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Giannis moves out of range of the strikes.
Leighton scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The fighters circling - Leighton throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Giannis swats away the attempt to clinch by Leighton.
Leighton with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Giannis to score with a decent uppercut.
Leighton cracks Giannis with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Leighton moves out of range as Giannis strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leighton gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Giannis.
Giannis lunges at Leighton with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Leighton's hand.
Leighton lands with a kick to the temple. Giannis shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Leighton throws a wild hook but Giannis just manages to duck under it and - ooooh! Leighton gets nailed by a brutal uppercut which crumples him back against the cage! The referee jumps in - Giannis raises his hands in celebration and walks away!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). DJ Giannis!
DJ Giannis is the new light heavyweight champion!
A victorious DJ Giannis thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
In defeat, Eliott Leighton stepped up to the mic, saying 'Dis tool Hope, Wasted opportunity. Until we meet in the cage again, I am sure I will see this tool around and we will share some stories and. Wait! I am not done...'.