PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and August Spies (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spies is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Great Cop by Fugazi. August Spies has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Henderson
vs
Spies

185 cm
26
210 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

185 cm
22
219 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

[JMFC] 160!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dan Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, August Spies!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spies is looking to clinch.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Spies wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.

Spies clinches.
Spies lands an elbow inside.
Henderson avoiding damage as Spies throws knees to the body.
Spies manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Spies.
A right handed body shot lands from Spies.
Spies dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Spies continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson can't break the clinch.
Spies is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Henderson is defending well for now.
Spies dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Spies misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Henderson.

Henderson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Henderson misses with a straight left.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Spies slips under a jab from Henderson.
Spies goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
August Spies seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Spies wants to clinch.
Spies wants to clinch.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Spies wants to clinch.
Spies tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Spies doesn't manage to clinch there - Henderson circles away.
Spies wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spies looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Spies does no damage.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Henderson throws a leg kick but Spies checks it.
Spies tries to clinch up.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Spies keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Spies tries to clinch there but Henderson circles away.
Spies throws a nice outside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spies looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Spies moves in looking to clinch but Henderson pushes him off.

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.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up but Henderson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Spies thuds his shin into the meat of Henderson's side.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Spies throws a leg kick which misses Henderson's front leg but catches the back leg as Henderson tries to avoid it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spies scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Spies lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Spies clinches up against the cage.
Spies looks to throw an elbow but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

August Spies dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Henderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Spies rushes Henderson and presses him up against the cage.
Henderson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Spies pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Spies working Henderson over with knees to the body.

Henderson breaks from the clinch.
Spies tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Henderson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Spies has Henderson up against the cage in a clinch.
Henderson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Spies misses with a knee strike.
Spies scores with a shoulder strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Spies.
Spies cracks Henderson with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spies scores with a knee to the head.
Spies scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Spies lands a nice knee to the body.
Henderson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Spies lands a right hand that snaps the head of Henderson backwards.
Spies lands a nice knee to the body.
Spies is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Henderson being controlled against the cage.
The crowd are getting on Spies's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Spies utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Come on Spies - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spies landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henderson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Spies gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Henderson.
Spies lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Henderson.
Spies landing knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Spies.
Spies scores a nice knee to the body.
Spies landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Spies lands a nice elbow.
A right hand to the body from Spies.
Henderson takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spies is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Spies with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Spies lands a left hand that snaps the head of Henderson backwards.
Spies lands an elbow inside.
Spies lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Dan Henderson has been cut.
A nice left hand lands by Spies.
The referee is keeping an eye on Spies - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Spies lands an elbow inside.
Spies lands an elbow that stopped Henderson in his tracks for a moment.
Spies stalling against the cage.
Spies landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Spies stalls.
Henderson managing to block the knees to the body from Spies.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spies putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Henderson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Henderson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Spies lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Henderson or not.
Spies lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Henderson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Spies using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Spies lands an elbow just above Henderson 's eye.
Spies putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Henderson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Spies lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
August Spies seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Spies lands a nice elbow.

Spies breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Spies moves in looking to clinch but Henderson pushes him off.
Spies is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

August Spies showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dan Henderson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Henderson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Henderson scores with a crisp jab that stopped Spies in his tracks.
Henderson throws the left hand but Spies avoids the punch easily.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies tries to clinch there but Henderson circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spies wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spies scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Henderson swats away the attempt to clinch by Spies.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Spies misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Spies slips under a jab from Henderson.
Spies misses with a head kick.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
August Spies is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spies pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Spies moves in looking to clinch but Henderson pushes him off.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch up but Henderson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spies blocks a jab.
Spies fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spies is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Spies fails with an attempt to clinch.
Spies cracks Henderson with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Henderson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Spies sees it coming and avoids it easily.
That kick from Spies tenderised Henderson's leg. Henderson is trying to keep his angry face on.
Spies connects with a high kick.
Spies is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Spies moves in looking to clinch but Henderson pushes him off.
Spies tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Henderson throws a right hand that Spies ducks under and follows up with a left that Spies also avoids with ease.
Spies fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Henderson has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Spies has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spies is looking to clinch but Henderson is avoiding it.
That kick from Spies tenderised Henderson's leg. Henderson is trying to keep his angry face on.
Spies scores with a nice body kick.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henderson is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Spies lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Henderson circles away quickly and effectively.
Henderson looks to land a left hand but Spies moved out of range nicely.
Henderson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Spies.
Henderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Spies tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Spies wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.
Spies fails with an attempt to clinch.
Spies wants to clinch.
August Spies is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spies looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dan Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Spies doesn't manage to clinch there - Henderson circles away.
Spies throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Henderson.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henderson misses with an uppercut.
Spies doesn't manage to clinch there - Henderson circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spies tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spies tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Spies is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
August Spies comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Spies has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 26:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... August Spies!