PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Henry Jr (ranked 2543 p4p, 4430 weight class) and Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Henry Jr
vs
Velasquez

182 cm
29
180
4 - 3 - 0

175 cm
26
173
2 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrew Henry Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Igor Prikhodko and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Henry Jr as Velasquez shoots in.
Henry Jr lands with a hook. Velasquez tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Henry Jr swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Velasquez.
Velasquez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Henry Jr takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Velasquez looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Henry Jr throws a right and a left that both miss.
Velasquez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Henry Jr.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Henry Jr closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Henry Jr tightens his grip and picks Velasquez up, before dumping him to the ground. Velasquez manages to land in guard.
Henry Jr has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Henry Jr is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Velasquez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry Jr wants to get up but he can't break Velasquez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Henry Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Velasquez is retaining full guard.
Henry Jr has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Velasquez is proving hard to escape from.
Henry Jr stays in close to Velasquez's body and controls the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Velasquez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Henry Jr postures up.
Velasquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Henry Jr is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Velasquez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Henry Jr sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Velasquez's guard.
Henry Jr keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Velasquez is trying to maintain the position but Henry Jr is very close to passing his half guard.
Henry Jr uses his free foot to push down on Velasquez's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Velasquez.
Velasquez is trying desperately to improve position.
Henry Jr takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Velasquez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Henry Jr controlling the pace for now.
Henry Jr wants to get back to his feet but Velasquez is holding on tight.
Velasquez is looking to improve his position but Henry Jr isn't that keen on the idea.
Henry Jr content just to control the position here.
Henry Jr tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.

Henry Jr stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Henry Jr scores with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henry Jr closes the distance and pushes Velasquez back into the cage.

Henry Jr is trying to trip Velasquez. He has hold of a leg but Velasquez is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Henry Jr persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Henry Jr tries to stand but Velasquez is controlling from the bottom.
Henry Jr showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Henry Jr advances position into side control!
Henry Jr tries to stand but Velasquez is controlling his head.
Velasquez is letting Henry Jr control him for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry Jr has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Velasquez is looking for a sweep.
Velasquez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The fighters are battling for position here. Henry Jr manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Henry Jr preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henry Jr bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Velasquez's guard.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henry Jr slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Velasquez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Henry Jr wants to stand but Velasquez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Henry Jr's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Velasquez pulls Henry Jr in close to prevent any damage.
Henry Jr tries to stand but Velasquez is controlling from the bottom.
Henry Jr is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Henry Jr dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Velasquez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henry Jr is fending him off so far but Velasquez persists. Nope, Henry Jr circles away and we're back to standing.

Velasquez tries to keep at a distance but Henry Jr has taken the fight into the clinch.

Henry Jr gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Velasquez regains guard.
Velasquez looking to control.
Henry Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Velasquez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Velasquez looking for a sweep. Not yet Velasquez, not yet.
Henry Jr trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Henry Jr postures up.
Velasquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry Jr showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Henry Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Velasquez.
Henry Jr passes Velasquez's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Henry Jr stalling.
Henry Jr wants to free his trapped foot but Velasquez is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry Jr performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Henry Jr tries to stand and escape but Velasquez is controlling the position.
Henry Jr content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Velasquez wants to get back to full guard.
Henry Jr is controlling the pace.
Velasquez tries to roll over but Henry Jr keeps him under control.
Henry Jr is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Velasquez can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Henry Jr is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Henry Jr is taking a breather. Velasquez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Henry Jr is looking to advance position but Velasquez won't allow it.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Henry Jr in particular looking to stall.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Henry Jr.
Velasquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Velasquez won't allow Henry Jr to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry Jr with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Henry Jr wants to pass to mount but Velasquez is defending the position.
Henry Jr trying to control the pace.
Henry Jr works his foot free and advances to mount.
Velasquez has given up his back. Will we see Henry Jr going for some submissions?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez tries to break free.
Velasquez is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Henry Jr off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Velasquez trying to control the hands but Henry Jr breaks the grip.
Henry Jr has the hooks in. Velasquez is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Henry Jr controlling from the back.
Henry Jr's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Velasquez wants to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Henry Jr dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Henry Jr scores with a nice head shot.
Henry Jr throws a right and a left that Velasquez avoids nicely.
Henry Jr throws a one two combo.

Henry Jr darts in and clinches Velasquez up against the cage.

Henry Jr works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Henry Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Velasquez is retaining full guard.
Henry Jr postures up.
Velasquez has control of Henry Jr's left arm, preventing Henry Jr from doing any damage.
Velasquez wants to sweep here but Henry Jr controlling him for the moment.
Henry Jr looking to pass the guard.
Henry Jr is stalling in the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry Jr won't allow Velasquez to sweep him here.
Henry Jr trying to stand up but can't free himself from Velasquez's guard.
Henry Jr engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Velasquez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Henry Jr is one step ahead there.
Henry Jr is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Henry Jr scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Velasquez doesn't seem bothered though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Henry Jr moves into range and clinches up with Velasquez.
Velasquez is working for takedown but Henry Jr is calmly controlling the position for now.
Velasquez jumps guard but Henry Jr turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Henry Jr has hold of one of Velasquez's legs. Velasquez is fighting the takedown attempt but Henry Jr gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Henry Jr sitting in guard here, content to control.
Andrew Henry Jr overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Velasquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Henry Jr is stalling in the full guard.
Henry Jr passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry Jr takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Henry Jr tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Velasquez.

Henry Jr decides to stand and escape the position.
Velasquez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henry Jr is fending him off so far but Velasquez persists. Nope, Henry Jr circles away and we're back to standing.
Andrew Henry Jr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Henry Jr tries to bum rush Velasquez with a series of wild strikes but Velasquez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A left and a right from Henry Jr both land. Nice combination.

Henry Jr fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Velasquez, pushing him back against the cage.

Henry Jr has clasped his hands together around Velasquez's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Henry Jr tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Henry Jr decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Andrew Henry Jr is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Velasquez darts in looking for a takedown but Henry Jr gets double underhooks and turns Velasquez into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry Jr closes the distance and lands a one-two.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Henry Jr closes the distance and clinches.

Henry Jr has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Velasquez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Velasquez trying to control the action but Henry Jr just sinks the hooks in.
Cain Velasquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Henry Jr biding his time, controlling Velasquez.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Henry Jr showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Henry Jr has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:26
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrew Henry Jr!
Andrew Henry Jr decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.