PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Luke Holder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Holder
vs
Henry

185 cm
26
196 lbs
15 - 5 - 1

183 cm
30
188 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Vandal Fight Boutique (prices $8 - $30)

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 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Luke Holder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leon Henry!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Vladimir Khabensky and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holder forces Henry back against the cage and clinches.
Holder stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Holder trying to stall but Henry improves his position.
Henry working hard to break the clinch.
Holder has Henry pressed against the cage, preventing Henry from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A short right from Holder on the inside.
Henry drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Holder gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Henry changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Holder fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Holder goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Holder comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Henry misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Holder counters with a nice low kick that buckles Henry's knee momentarily.
The fighters circling - Henry throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry is looking to clinch.
Holder lands with an uppercut that bounces Henry off the cage and back into range.
Holder swings for the body but Henry moves out of range.
Holder throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Leon Henry has been cut.
Holder clobbers Henry with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Holder throws a head kick but Henry moves out of range.
Holder throws a nice head kick!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holder doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Holder looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Henry fails with the takedown.
Luke Holder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Henry.
Henry on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Holder fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Henry manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry throws a body punch but Holder moves out of range.
Henry steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Holder. That one must have hurt.
Henry takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Good standup being displayed there by Henry as he connects with a hook.
Henry throws a combination. Holder tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Henry with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Henry wants to clinch.
Holder goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Henry throws a jab but it's blocked by Holder.
Henry tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Holder was well out of range. Poor timing from Henry.
Holder lands a slapping body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holder throws a head kick but Henry moves out of range.
Henry is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Holder rather than just go for the knockout.
Holder throws a body punch but Henry moves out of range.
Holder takes a swing at Henry's ribcage but misses.
Luke Holder is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Holder misses with a body kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Holder lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Henry has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Henry and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
A nice leg kick lands there from Holder.
Holder lands a head kick!
Holder is looking to clinch.
Holder cracks Henry with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Henry swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Holder. No joy for Henry on that attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Henry. Holder does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Holder.
Holder looks for the body kick but Henry saw that one coming.
Henry avoids the head kick by Holder.
Holder throws a body kick that misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Holder.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Henry blocks the body kick.

Henry changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Holder looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Henry creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Holder tries to buck Henry off but Henry is having none of it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Holder defending against the ground and pound.
Henry throwing shots but missing, from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Holder dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leon Henry's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Holder misses with an attempted mid kick.
Henry lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Henry waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Holder.
Holder throws a wild body kick that Henry sees coming a mile off.
Henry scores with a decent looking hook.
Holder feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Henrys jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Holder throws a head kick that misses.
Holder lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Henry misses with an uppercut.
Henry scores with a jab.
Holder moves out of range of the strikes.
Henry throws a right hand that Holder ducks under and follows up with a left that Holder also avoids with ease.
Henry misses with a looping right.
Luke Holder is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holder throws a half hearted mid kick.
Holder clobbers Henry with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Holder throws a low kick, looking for Henry's leg but Henry calmly moves out of range.
Holder throws a front kick that sends Henry stumbling back into the cage.
Holder pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Henry checks a leg kick.
Henry lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Holder circles away quickly and effectively.
Holder lands a leg kick that knocks Henry off balance momentarily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Holder.
Henry has a takedown stuffed.
A solid leg kick lands there for Holder.
Holder missing with a left hand there. Henry was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Holder uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Henry.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Holder, right into the meat.
Luke Holder seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Holder lands with a shot to the body.
A punch combination from Henry misses.
Henry shoots in and drives through. Holder sprawls well.
Luke Holder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leon Henry.
Henry is breathing heavily.
Holder throws the kick towards the body but Henry avoids it.
Henry throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A solid leg kick lands there for Holder.
Henry throws a lazy uppercut
and Holder counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Henry is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Henry's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Henry swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Henry misses with a lunging right hand
and Holder counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Henry shoots in looking for a takedown but Holder manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Henry's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Holder.
A chopping leg kick lands by Holder.
Henry takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
That kick from Holder tenderised Henry's leg. Henry is trying to keep his angry face on.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Holder tries to clinch up.
Holder throws a push kick but Henry slaps the foot to one side.
Henry circles away from the clinch attempt.

Holder takes the fight into the clinch.
Henry takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holder trying to land knees to the body.
Holder keeps control of Henry as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Henry takes an elbow to the temple.
Henry tries to circle away but Holder has him pinned against the cage.
Henry is trying to break free.
Holder is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Holder seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Henry wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Henry tries for a takedown but Holder manages to get underhooks.

Henry breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Holder dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Leon Henry's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A thudding body kick lands there by Holder!
Henry misses with a body shot.
Holder ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Henry moves away.
Henry takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Holder lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Holder throws the kick towards the body but Henry avoids it.
Henry throws a series of punches but Holder moves out of range.
Henry swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Holder dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Henry. That did some damage!
Holder lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Holder tries to close the distance and clinch but Henry swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holder lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holder swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Henry takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Henry loads up on a big right hand but Holder slips the punch.
Holder lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Holder misses with a straight right.
Henry stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Holder.
Holder looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Holder is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Henry can do to turn this around?
Holder throws a sloppy body shot
and Henry counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Holder digs a good hook to Henry's body.
Holder bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Henry's head backwards.
Henry misses with a combination
and Holder counters with a straight right hand.
Holder lands with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holder feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Henry's calf.
Holder throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Henry walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Holder dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Henry. That did some damage!
Leon Henry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holder lands a right hook to the body.
Holder thuds his shin into the meat of Henry's side.
Henry takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Henry has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Holder.
Holder dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Holder closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Holder slows down the pace here.
Henry is trying to break the clinch but Holder has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holder lands an elbow that stopped Henry in his tracks for a moment.
Henry being controlled against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Holder.
Holder crunches a lovely knee into Henry's ribcage.
Nice elbow from Holder.
Henry is trying to push Holder away but Holder has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Holder tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Henry has a couple of punches blocked by Holder.
Holder lands a damaging elbow.

That has opened up Leon Henry's cut even more.
Henry wants to break free but Holder has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holder lands with a short shot to the head.
Holder misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Henry.
Holder missing with knees to the body.
Holder lands a nice elbow.
Holder gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Henry.
Henry working hard to break the clinch.
Luke Holder is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Henry goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Holder lands a nice knee to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Henry has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Henry tries for a takedown. No joy.
Holder lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Holder works on Henry's body with a couple of short punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Holder showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Holder, 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Holder!
A very excited looking Luke Holder made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.