PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Howlett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Weiland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jay Weiland has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Howlett
vs
Weiland

165 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
181 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, James Howlett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jay Weiland!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Howlett.
Howlett tries to clinch but Weiland moves out of range.

Howlett drives through and clinches with Weiland against the cage.
Weiland is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Howlett pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Howlett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Weiland throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Howlett's waist but Howlett gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Weiland off to one side.

Howlett fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Weiland, pushing him back against the cage.

Weiland ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Weiland no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Howlett postures up in Weiland's guard and throws a big left but Weiland blocks it.
Weiland is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Weiland has momentary wrist control but Howlett slips an elbow through the middle.

Howlett stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Howlett tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Weiland swivels and escapes.
Howlett misses with a wild combination.
Howlett has a takedown stuffed.
Howlett looks for a takedown but Weiland sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Howlett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Weiland swats away the attempt to clinch by Howlett.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weiland throws a sloppy head kick and Howlett moves out of range easily.
Howlett throws a right and a left that Weiland avoids nicely.
Weiland swinging wilding here.
Howlett tries to close the distance and clinch but Weiland swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Howlett with a lazy takedown attempt

and Weiland counters with a series of strikes that sends Howlett to the canvas! Weiland follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Howlett is rocked!
Howlett is breathing heavily.

Weiland stands and steps away. Howlett gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Oh Howlett is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Weiland fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Howlett sprawls well initially but Weiland persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Weiland controlling the action here.
Howlett tries to get to full guard but Weiland has control of the leg.
Weiland tries to pass the half guard into mount. Howlett knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Weiland stands up and beckons Howlett to join him on the feet.
Howlett seems to have got his legs back now.
Howlett looks for the body kick but Weiland saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weiland tries to close the distance and clinch but Howlett swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Weiland feints and as Howlett raises his hands in defense, Weiland changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Weiland missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Howlett keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.

Howlett looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Howlett manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Weiland manages to get himself to full guard.

Howlett stands up from Weiland's guard - Howlett perhaps looking for a knockout.
Howlett throws a series of strikes that have Weiland backpedaling.

Howlett forces Weiland back against the cage and clinches.
Weiland wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Howlett has him pressed against the cage.

Howlett breaks from the clinch.

Howlett drives through with a takedown into guard.

Howlett stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Howlett closes the distance and clinches.
Howlett lands an elbow just above Weiland 's eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howlett breaks from the clinch.

Howlett shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Howlett showed some decent athleticism there.
Howlett is trying to control the action in half guard but Weiland is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howlett lands with a punch from half guard.
Howlett is tying to control. Weiland wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Weiland is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Howlett thows a huge punch but Weiland dodges it nicely.
Still in half guard, Howlett seems content to control.
Weiland keeping hold of Howlett's head, controlling as best he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Howlett fails with a takedown attempt.
Weiland closes the distance and clinches up with Howlett, looking for a takedown. Weiland pushes Howlett against the cage but Howlett circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Howlett scores with a takedown into Weiland's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Howlett's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Howlett trying to control the position from guard on top but Weiland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howlett slips nicely into half guard.

Howlett decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Howlett closes the distance and clinches.

Howlett breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Howlett fails with an attempt to clinch.
Howlett misses with a takedown attempt

and Weiland counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howlett wants to sweep here but Weiland controlling him for the moment.
Howlett throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howlett wants to stand and escape but Weiland is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Weiland trying to control but Howlett is working from the bottom.
Weiland throwing strikes from guard but Howlett blocks nicely.
Weiland trying to control the position from guard on top but Howlett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Howlett will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Howlett closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Weiland is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Howlett is pressing down on Weiland's thigh, looking to free his foot. Weiland is holding on for now.
Howlett is trying to control the action in half guard but Weiland is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Howlett stands up out of the half guard.
Weiland tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Weiland shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Howlett's guard.
Weiland wants to control from the top but Howlett keeps moving.
Weiland stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howlett swivels though and keeps the full guard.
James Howlett overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Howlett keeping moving, preventing Weiland from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Howlett has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Weiland off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Howlett takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Weiland darts in trying to clinch
and Howlett counters with a left and a right that stings Weiland.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weiland throws a combination. Howlett tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Weiland tries to clinch up but Howlett circles away and keeps his distance.
Howlett throws a left and a right that both miss
and Weiland counters with a series of strikes. Howlett will be more careful next time no doubt.

Howlett has taken the fight to the clinch.
Weiland is pressed up against the cage. Howlett has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Weiland down to the mat. Weiland avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Howlett throws a combination that misses
and Weiland connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Weiland tries to clinch up

and Howlett counters by moving into the clinch.
Howlett lands an uppercut.
Weiland wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Howlett leaning against his opponent.

Howlett breaks from the clinch.
Howlett thuds his shin into the meat of Weiland's side.

Howlett closes the distance and clinches.

Howlett breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Howlett throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Weiland's waist but Weiland gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Howlett off to one side.
Howlett drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weiland scores with a jab.
Weiland misses with a jab, cross combination.
James Howlett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Weiland is looking to clinch.

Weiland fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Howlett sprawls well initially but Weiland persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howlett is not content to let Weiland control the position.
Howlett slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Weiland stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Weiland throws a series of strikes that have Howlett backpedaling.
Howlett connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Weiland keeps the fight on the outside.
James Howlett is winning the standup battle so far.
Howlett tries to clinch but Weiland is having none of it.
Howlett tries to clinch up but Weiland circles away and keeps his distance.
Weiland doesn't manage to clinch there - Howlett circles away.
James Howlett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Weiland will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Howlett tries to close the distance and clinch up but Weiland swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horrible takedown by Weiland or perhaps it was just good defense by Howlett which made him look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howlett decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Weiland is trying to get back to full guard.
Howlett wants to control but Weiland is keeping him busy.
Weiland has hold of Howlett's hands but Howlett slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Howlett working over Weiland with some ground and pound. Weiland looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Howlett winds up and cracks Weiland with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Howlett decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Howlett drives through and clinches with Weiland against the cage.

Howlett jumps guard and drags Weiland to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Weiland must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Weiland wants to pass the guard but Howlett is keeping the position.

Howlett manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Weiland shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Howlett but Howlett pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Howlett looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Howlett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Weiland tries to clinch but Howlett is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howlett falls off balance throwing a combination
and Weiland counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Weiland dances in with a quick combination. Howlett is being worked over with jabs and crosses. Oooh, a right straight from Weiland snaps Howlett's head back. Howlett stumbles backwards against the cage. Weiland steps forward and delivers a right cross that connects with Howlett's jaw, simultaneously knocking him out and sending his mouthpiece into the crowd! There's a worthy souvenir for the fans. This one is over folks. Howlett just didn't come prepared.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:14 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Jay Weiland!