PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Howard (ranked 665 p4p, 2068 weight class) and Murilo Ninja (ranked 86 p4p, 254 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Howard
vs
Ninja

185 cm
36
192
22 - 16 - 0

176 cm
44
187
32 - 30 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
30th Century Beer Store

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dean Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 30 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Murilo Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paulsen Ambrosius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Howard closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ninja quickly recovers to half guard.
Ninja is looking to improve his position.
Ninja wants to get back to his feet.
Howard is just content to waste time from the top position. Ninja takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Ninja looking to hit a scissor sweep but Howard is one step ahead there.
Ninja is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ninja wants to stand and escape but Howard is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja keeping full guard, as Howard tries to pass.
Howard trying to control but Ninja is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howard throws a strike but Ninja rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja with a nice head shot there.
Ninja scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ninja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howard's head.
Ninja throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ninja is working Howard over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ninja working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ninja throws a big elbow that misses.
Howard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ninja manages to get himself to full guard.

Ninja is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ninja wants to get back to his feet but Howard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Ninja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howard pushing down on Ninja's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ninja trying to control the position here.
Howard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ninja swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ninja is looking to stand up but Howard isn't so interested in that idea.
Ninja wants to sweep here but Howard controlling him for the moment.
Ninja keeping full guard, as Howard tries to pass.
Howard won't allow Ninja to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to pass the guard but Ninja is keeping the position.
Howard is working hard here to advance position.
Ninja wants to sweep but no luck.
Howard looking to sit in guard and control but Ninja gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Howard working a defensive guard here.
Ninja wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Ninja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Howard keeping moving, preventing Ninja from controlling successfully.
Ninja is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ninja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howard's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard controls Ninja momentarily but Ninja frees himself.
Ninja landing with the ground and pound.
Ninja postures up and lands a big shot to Howard's brow.
Ninja works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ninja drops an elbow to the side of Howard's head.
Ninja working the head and body with strikes.
Ninja lands with a punch from half guard.
Howard has hold of Ninja's hands but Ninja slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Howard gets back to full guard.
Ninja throwing strikes from guard but Howard blocks nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Howard's guard.
Ninja trying to control the action but Howard is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Ninja dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ninja tries to clinch but Howard moves out of range.

Howard shoots in and bounces Ninja off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Howard is pushing down on Ninja's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ninja is fighting to maintain full guard but Howard has managed to sneak the leg through.
Murilo Ninja has got the better of the ground game so far.
Howard wants to pass to mount but Ninja is defending the position.
Ninja is pressing down on Howard's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Howard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Howard prevents Ninja from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ninja swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ninja has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard throws an elbow that misses. Ninja uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Howard's guard. Nice move by Ninja!

Ninja won't allow Howard to sweep him here.
Ninja slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ninja's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ninja distracts Howard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ninja postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ninja has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ninja preventing the sweep.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ninja stands up over Howard, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja postures up and lands a big shot to Howard's brow.
Ninja working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Howard 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.
Ninja working some strikes from top position.
Ninja is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ninja preventing the sweep.
Ninja trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.
Ninja stopping the sweep attempt from Howard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Howard is on top in guard.

Ninja tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Howard advances to half guard.
Ninja trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ninja tries to kick Howard off but Howard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Howard is looking to advance position but Ninja won't allow it.
Ninja looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ninja wants to improve his position but Howard is controlling well.
Howard wants to pass the guard but Ninja is defending well.
Ninja wants to control but Howard is keeping busy.
Ninja tries to kick Howard off but Howard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Howard wants to advance to full mount but Ninja doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Howard tries to free his leg and advance position but Ninja is retaining full guard.
Howard won't allow Ninja to get back to his feet.
Howard slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ninja is looking for a sweep.
Howard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Howard trying to control the action but Ninja is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Who's going to make the next move?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dean Howard will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A big right from Ninja misses.
Howard tries to counter with a takedown but Ninja is quick to defend against it.
Ninja feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Howards jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Ninja misses with a straight right.
Howard slaps away a takedown attempt from Ninja, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Howard moves out of range of the strikes.
Howard changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Howard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ninja.
Howard tries to counter with a takedown but Ninja is quick to defend against it.
Howard swings for the body but Ninja moves out of range.
Ninja jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Howard shoots in and gets a takedown into Ninja's guard.
Ninja tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ninja is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Howard is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard stands and throws Ninja's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Ninja's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ninja is looking to regain half guard here but Howard keeps moving and retains side control.
Howard trying to control the action but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Howard cracks Ninja with a big elbow.

Howard swings around for an armbar but Ninja sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Howard's guard.
Howard 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is working Howard over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Howard wants to sweep here but Ninja controlling him for the moment.

Howard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ninja lands a couple of elbows.
Howard controls Ninja momentarily but Ninja frees himself.
Ninja is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Howard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ninja's guard.

Ninja looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Howard advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Ninja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howard pushing down on Ninja's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Howard is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Ninja!
Ninja is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Howard looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Howard lands a big shot there that rocks Ninja but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Howard can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ninja is looking to escape.
Howard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ninja hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja working to try and regain half guard.
Howard won't let Ninja get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Howard looking to control but Ninja is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Howard with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Howard avoids the attempt from Ninja to control.
Ninja is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Howard looking to control but Ninja is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Howard showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Howard 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dean Howard!
An out of breath Dean Howard thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.