PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Henning (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marquinhos Cunha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Henning might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to In For the Count ( Perfect Twist). On his way into the cage it seems that Joe Henning has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Joe Henning seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Henning
vs
Cunha

191 cm
22
224 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

211 cm
22
260 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite 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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Henning!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marquinhos Cunha!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cunha doesn't manage to clinch there - Henning circles away.

Cunha gets a clinch.
Cunha keeps control of Henning as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cunha prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cunha scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Joe Henning has been cut.
Cunha misses with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Cunha.
Cunha tries to land a knee to the head but Henning blocks with his arms.
Cunha tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cunha landing knees to the head.
Cunha looking to throw knees to the head but Henning is blocking nicely.
Henning jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Cunha walks away with a smile on his face. Henning gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Henning fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cunha sprawls well initially but Henning persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cunha can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cunha looks like he's trying to stand up.
Henning tries to stand and escape but Cunha is controlling the position.
Cunha pushes Henning off looking to stand but Henning dives back in and keeps control.
Henning is keen to just control but Cunha is a slippery customer.
Henning thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Henning has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Henning seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cunha does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Henning is breathing heavily.
Henning prevents Cunha from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cunha tries to clinch up.
Cunha avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cunha clinches with his opponent.
Henning is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cunha lands a knee to the head.
Henning blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cunha misses with a knee strike.
Henning stalling the fight.
Henning looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Henning. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henning has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cunha avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Henning manages to pull guard.
Cunha would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Henning looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Henning lands a good elbow from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henning tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Henning throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Cunha tries to stand but Henning is controlling from the bottom.
Cunha really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Henning. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Henning looking for a sweep. Not yet Henning, not yet.
Henning is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Henning with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Henning stops Cunha from getting back to his feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henning wants to take a breather but Cunha is having none of it.
Cunha wants to get back to his feet.
Cunha is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henning stalling.
Cunha wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cunha tries to clinch up

and Henning counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Henning trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cunha's guard.
Henning thows a big elbow that misses.
Cunha is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Henning trying to control the position from guard on top but Cunha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henning prevents Cunha from getting back to his feet.
Henning controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Henning dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Henning's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cunha tries to clinch but Henning moves away

and Henning counters with a single leg into guard. Cunha didn't expect that.
Cunha is looking to stand up but Henning isn't so interested in that idea.

Henning drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Henning jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Henning pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cunha is keeping the position for now.
Cunha wants to stand up but Henning is controlling him.
Henning pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cunha is keeping the position for now.
Henning won't allow Cunha to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henning might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Cunha is working an open guard so Henning takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henning clinches up against the cage.

Henning pulls guard.
Henning looking for a sweep. Not yet Henning, not yet.

Henning has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Cunha can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Henning is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cunha trying to stand up but can't free himself from Henning's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Henning is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Henning is controlling him.
Henning wants to control from the top but Cunha keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henning stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cunha swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cunha wants to stand but Henning is controlling the position.
Henning controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henning trying to control but Cunha is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cunha darts in trying to clinch

and Henning counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cunha!

Henning is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Cunha to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Cunha shrugs it off.

Henning is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Cunha to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Cunha shrugs it off.
Cunha is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Henning looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Henning won't let Cunha get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henning controlling his opponent.
Henning tries to control but Cunha wriggling away.
Cunha is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Henning raining down shots from the mount!
Cunha's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Cunha has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
I would not like to be Cunha right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Henning dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joe Henning's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Henning tries a head kick but it misses.

Henning changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Cunha looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Cunha prevents Henning from moving into mount.
Cunha tries to escape but Henning is in control.
Henning landing strikes.
Cunha wants to get back to his feet.
Henning in side control, throwing shots but Cunha defends.
Cunha is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Henning has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Henning decides to stand back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Henning darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Henning is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha is trying to stand.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Henning shoots in looking for a takedown. Cunha tries to sprawl out of it but Henning keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cunha manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cunha clinches but Henning breaks the clinch
and Henning cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

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.
Cunha wants to clinch but Henning slips to the side

and Henning counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cunha wants to stand but Henning is controlling the position.

Henning drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Henning jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Henning trying to control but Cunha is working from the bottom.
Cunha is looking to stand up but Henning isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquinhos Cunha has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Henning throws a head kick that misses.
Cunha closes the distance looking to clinch

and Henning counters with a takedown into side control.
Henning throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Henning tries to move to mount but Cunha blocks the move with his legs.

Henning wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cunha, who protects the arm well.
Cunha is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henning working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cunha wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Henning moves into full mount!
Cunha wants to get back to his feet.
Cunha is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Henning has taken his back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Henning showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Henning, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:25
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Henning!