PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lester Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Negreanu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Negreanu has chosen Ari Gold - Let's Hug It Out, BITCH as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Howell
vs
Negreanu

180 cm
25
217 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

184 cm
26
215 lbs
16 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lester Howell!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Negreanu!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Kavanagh and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howell lands a jab to the head.
Negreanu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Negreanu throws a leg kick that is checked
and Howell counters with a low kick, right behind Negreanu 's knee.
Howell doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Negreanu counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell throws a predictable looking body shot
and Negreanu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Howell feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Howell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Howell engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Howell throwing strikes but missing.
Howell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Negreanu keeping moving, preventing Howell from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell won't allow Negreanu to get back to his feet.
Negreanu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Howell wants to control from the top but Negreanu keeps moving.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Howell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Howell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Howell controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Lester Howell just wasn't active enough.
Howell shoots and misses
and Negreanu counters with a nice low kick that buckles Howell's knee momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu throws a leg kick
and Howell counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice takedown defense from Howell. No joy for Negreanu on that attempt.
Howell with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Negreanu thumps Howell with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu fails with the takedown
and Howell counters with an outside leg kick.
Lester Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Negreanu.

Negreanu is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Howell's half guard.
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 Lester Howell will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Negreanu fails with the takedown
and Howell counters with a solid body kick.
Negreanu tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Howell decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Negreanu's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Negreanu pulls Howell in to control the position.
Howell loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Howell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Negreanu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Howell is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Negreanu looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Daniel Negreanu.
Negreanu wants to clinch up but Howell keeps it at a distance.
A low kick from Negreanu is predictable there
and Howell counters with a thumping low kick.

Howell scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Howell missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Howell is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Negreanu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Howell trying to control but Negreanu is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell throwing strikes from guard but Negreanu blocks nicely.
Howell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Negreanu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Negreanu wants to sweep here but Howell controlling him for the moment.
Howell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Negreanu wants to stand up but Howell is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Howell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Howell dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Negreanu shoots and misses

and Howell counters with a single leg into guard. Negreanu didn't expect that.
Howell wants to pass the guard but Negreanu is keeping the position.
Negreanu wants to sweep but no luck.
Negreanu wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Howell manages to pass to side control.
Howell prevents Negreanu from improving his position.
Howell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell misses with a head shot. Negreanu uses the momentum to regain guard.
Howell is working Negreanu over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Howell throwing strikes but missing.
Howell is looking to work some ground and pound but Negreanu has wrist control.
Howell prevents Negreanu from getting back to his feet.
Howell trying to control the position from guard on top but Negreanu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Negreanu controlling the position.
Howell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Howell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Negreanu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Howell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Howell stops Negreanu from standing up.
Negreanu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Negreanu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Howell is controlling him.
Howell thows a big elbow that misses.
Howell wants to control from the top but Negreanu keeps moving.
Negreanu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howell manages to get himself to full guard.
Negreanu preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howell has an active guard here but Negreanu has managed to pass into half guard.
Howell wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Negreanu is trying to control. Howell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Howell trying to control from the bottom.
Negreanu trying to control the action but Howell is working from the bottom.
Negreanu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

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.
Howell is trying to get back to full guard.
Negreanu is thwarting Howell's attempts to control the position.
Negreanu working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howell is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Negreanu's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Negreanu's back!
Negreanu breaks Howell's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Negreanu with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Howell clearly takes that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Negreanu scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Negreanu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Howell is looking for a sweep. Negreanu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Howell regains full guard. Nicely done.

Negreanu postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Howell is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Negreanu, into his guard.
Negreanu trying to keep a closed guard but Howell is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell throwing strikes from guard but Negreanu blocks nicely.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Negreanu is on top in guard.
Negreanu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Negreanu trying to control but Howell is working from the bottom.
Negreanu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two 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.

Howell is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Negreanu stopping the sweep attempt from Howell.
Howell keeping moving, preventing Negreanu from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Howell looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Negreanu puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Lester Howell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Howell is refusing to be controlled, as Negreanu sits in half guard.
Negreanu might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Howell kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Negreanu thows a huge punch but Howell dodges it nicely.
Howell regains full guard. Nicely done.
Howell is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Howell keeping moving, preventing Negreanu from controlling successfully.

Howell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Negreanu passes into side control.
Negreanu trying to control the action but Howell is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Negreanu just content to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Negreanu dominated that fourth round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Howell lands with a kick to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Negreanu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Negreanu wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell misses with a takedown
and Negreanu counters with a body kick that stops Howell in his tracks momentarily.
Negreanu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Howell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu throws a leg kick but Howell moved away.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Negreanu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

It looks like Lester Howell has been cut.
Negreanu throws a low kick but it's checked well by Howell.
Lester Howell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Howell counters with a straight right hand.
Negreanu misses the body punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Daniel Negreanu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Negreanu connects with a solid leg kick.
Howell misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Negreanu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Negreanu thows a leg kick but Howell checks it
and Howell counters with a slapping leg kick.
Negreanu swings for the body but Howell moves out of range.
Howell tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Negreanu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Howell has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 48:47
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 48:48
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Lester Howell!
Lester Howell is the new light heavyweight champion!