PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Stoned (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henry has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Mark Henry is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Stoned
vs
Henry

198 cm
19
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Stoned!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mark Henry!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stoned closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henry circles away.
Henry looks to land a right hand but Stoned moved out of range.
Stoned tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henry paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Henry should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stoned looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Henry looks gassed!
A nice combination there by Stoned.

It looks like Mark Henry has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Henry. Stoned does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stoned tries to clinch up but Henry circles away and keeps his distance.
Stoned has his takedown stuffed
and Henry counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stoned shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Henry defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Stoned. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stoned tries to clinch there but Henry circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry leaves Stoned with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Stoned misses with a takedown attempt
and Henry counters with a straight right hand.

Stoned rushes Henry and presses him up against the cage.
Henry gets underhooks to prevent Stoned's takedown attempt.
Stoned can't break the clinch.
Henry tries to pull guard but Stoned holds him up against the cage and eventually Henry drops back down to his feet.

Stoned successfully pulls guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Stoned is trying to keep Henry in close.
Henry trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry is looking to work some ground and pound but Stoned has wrist control.
Henry is working Stoned over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Stoned is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Henry is stalling in the full guard.
Henry stands up over Stoned, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Henry cracks Stoned with a solid left hand.
Henry really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stoned. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry passes into half guard.
Henry working over Stoned with some ground and pound. Stoned looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stoned tries to get to full guard but Henry has control of the leg.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Henry connects with a nice short shot to Stoned's temple.
Stoned has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henry is working away from the top position though.
Henry working Stoned over with strikes.
Henry winds up and cracks Stoned with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Henry looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Stoned with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Henry connects with a nice short shot to Stoned's temple.
Henry seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Stoned wants to get back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Henry there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoned tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henry scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Henry lands with a punch from half guard.
Henry controlling the action here.
Henry stops Stoned from getting back to his feet.
Stoned has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henry is working away from the top position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stoned has hold of Henry's hands but Henry slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Henry controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Henry will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mark Henry's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Henry lands a nice shot to the body.
A swing and a miss from Henry.
Stoned shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Henry defends it nicely.
Stoned misses with a takedown attempt
and Henry counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
John Stoned is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Henry keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Stoned. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stoned connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Stoned dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Henry. That did some damage!
John Stoned seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stoned swings for the body but Henry moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stoned looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A big right from Henry misses.
Henry thows a body shot but no joy.
Stoned closes the distance and clinches up with Henry, looking for a takedown. Stoned pushes Henry against the cage but Henry circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for Henry. That snapped Stoned's head back.
Stoned closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henry circles away.
Henry loads up on a big right hand but Stoned slips the punch.
Henry misses with a hook. Stoned ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stoned throws a series of punches but Henry avoids them all with ease.
Henry swings for the body but Stoned moves out of range.
Stoned misses with a takedown
and Henry counters with a nice body shot.
Mark Henry is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Henry throws a hook but Stoned avoids it easily.
Henry misses with a looping left.
Stoned shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Henry counters with a one-two to the body.
Stoned displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Henry's jab looks to have found its range, popping Stoned under the eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stoned tries to clinch up.
A slow jab from Henry misses its intended target.
Henry keeps the fight on the outside.
Stoned keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Henry.
The fighters circle momentarily. Henry darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Stoned tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Henry counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stoned tries to close the distance and clinch but Henry swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stoned tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henry paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stoned gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Henry cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoned slips under a jab.
Henry misses with a two punch combination.
Crunch! Stoned slams his shin into Henry's torso.
John Stoned is winning the standup battle so far.
Henry misses with an uppercut.
Stoned fails with the takedown
enabling Henry to counter with a crisp jab.
Stoned ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Henry misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stoned.
Henry misses the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mark Henry will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Mark Henry's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Stoned looks for a takedown but Henry sprawls well.
Good standup being displayed there by Henry as he connects with a hook.
Stoned goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Stoned shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Henry defends it nicely.
Stoned keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Henry.
Stoned moves out of range as Henry strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Stoned is defended easily by Henry.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Stoned. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry throws a poor cross that misses
and Stoned counters with a head kick.
Stoned defending well as Henry loads up on a big left hand.
Stoned lands with an overhand left.
Stoned shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Henry as he jumps to the side.
Stoned connects with a high kick.
Stoned tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Henry manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Henry swings widly with a right hand
and Stoned counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Henry thinking.
Stoned tries to clinch there but Henry circles away.
Henry waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stoned.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stoned moves out of range of the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stoned looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stoned misses with a takedown attempt - Henry sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stoned.
Henry misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stoned misses with a takedown attempt - Henry sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Henry avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry digs a good body shot into Stoned's ribs.
Stoned takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Henry circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stoned throws a nice looking combination but Henry bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stoned uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Stoned moves away from the strike by Henry.
Stoned tries to clinch but Henry is having none of it.
Henry throws a hook but Stoned blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoned uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Stoned moves in looking to clinch but Henry pushes him off.
Henry takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Stoned throws a sloppy head kick and Henry moves out of range easily.
Stoned with a lazy takedown attempt
and Henry counters with a nice uppercut.
Henry rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Stoned moves into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Stoned looking for a takedown.
Henry wants to get back to striking at distance but Stoned won't allow it.
John Stoned has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stoned misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to John Stoned.
I think Henry has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Henry!