PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Meng Huo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Huo
vs
Howell

191 cm
23
265 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

200 cm
21
255 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Meng Huo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Howell.

Huo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Huo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Howell pushes Huo off looking to stand but Huo dives back in and keeps control.
Howell regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Huo.

Howell is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Howell breaks the clinch.
Howell takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Howell gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Huo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell trying to hold on to Huo's head to control him but Huo postures up.
Huo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Howell defending well though.
Huo misses with a head shot. Howell uses the momentum to regain guard.
Huo throwing strikes from guard but Howell blocks nicely.
Howell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Huo is one step ahead there.
Huo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Huo throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Huo thows a big elbow that misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Huo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Howell gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Huo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Howell looks gassed!
Huo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Huo tries to stand but Howell is controlling from the bottom.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Huo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell trying to control the position.
Huo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Huo throws a strike but Howell rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Howell trying to control the position from guard on top but Huo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Huo fails with the takedown
and Howell makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Huo could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Howell has his takedown stuffed

and Huo counters with a single leg into guard. Howell didn't expect that.
Meng Huo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Howell.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Huo postures up in Howell's guard and throws a big left but Howell blocks it.
Howell has momentary wrist control but Huo slips an elbow through the middle.
Huo preventing the sweep.
Huo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Huo wants to stand but Howell is controlling his posture from full guard.
Huo connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Huo tries to stand but Howell is controlling from the bottom.
Huo throws and elbow that misses. Howell uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Huo's guard. Nice move by Howell!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meng Huo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nice uppercut lands for Huo. That snapped Howell's head back.
Josh Howell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Howell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Howell falls off balance throwing a combination
and Huo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell tries for a takedown but Huo circles away easily

and Huo counters with a takedown into side control.
Howell is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huo cracks Howell with a big elbow.
Huo throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Huo with the ground and pound but Howell regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Huo misses with a head shot. Howell uses the momentum to regain guard.
Huo throws a strike but Howell rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Meng Huo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Howell with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Huo throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Huo 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.
Huo trying to strike off his back.
Huo striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Howell stands up out of Huo's guard for a moment - Huo manages to land a nice upkick.
Huo is striking off his back. Howell thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Huo is looking to get back to full guard here but Howell has managed to pass to side control instead.
Huo wants to get back to his feet.
Howell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Huo is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huo is desperately trying to improve his position but Howell has a good base and remains in mount.
Howell wants to control the pace but Huo is squirming around nicely.
Huo throwing hammer fists to the chest of Howell. What's that going to do exactly?
Huo is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Huo is looking to get to half guard.
Huo throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Huo swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Huo wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Huo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Huo swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Huo is squirming around, avoiding Howell's attempts to control the action.
Huo wants to get back to his feet.
Huo is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Huo flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Huo swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meng Huo dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Huo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Huo takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Meng Huo has been cut.
Huo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Howell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Huo scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Huo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Howell takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huo misses with a looping right.
Howell is looking to clinch.
Howell throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Huo counter with a right hand.
Huo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Howell counters with a big head kick but Huo shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Huo scores with a takedown into Howell's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Huo chips away with some ground and pound.

Howell has his feet on Huo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The fight stays on the outside here - Howell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Huo misses with a takedown
and Howell counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Meng Huo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Huo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Howell to the mat! Howell manages to get full guard.
Huo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Huo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Huo throws a strike but Howell rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Huo throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Huo throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell prevents Huo from getting back to his feet.
Huo is wriggling around but Howell manages to pass to half guard.

Howell postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Huo to stand up.
An inside leg kick lands from Howell.
Howell moves in looking to clinch but Huo pushes him off.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Huo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Howell tries to avoid it but Huo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Howell to the ground. Howell escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Josh Howell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meng Huo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Howell throws a head kick but Huo moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Howell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Huo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Meng Huo!