PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Cael Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Grant Fletcher was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Henderson
vs
Fletcher

175 cm
20
159 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
20
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cael Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Grant Fletcher!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Skip Squint and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fletcher gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Henderson looking to pass the guard.
Henderson cracks Fletcher with a solid left hand.
Henderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Fletcher has wrist control.
Henderson lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Fletcher had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Henderson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Fletcher Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Henderson's back instead.
Can Henderson hold on?! Fletcher is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Henderson is keeping busy.
Henderson trying to control the action but Fletcher just sinks the hooks in.
Henderson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Fletcher wants to control but Henderson is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher wants to get back to his feet.
Henderson punching from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fletcher has his takedown stuffed

and Henderson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fletcher taking some punishment here, with Henderson in his half guard.
Henderson is controlling the pace.
Fletcher has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henderson is working away from the top position though.
Henderson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is looking to advance position but Fletcher won't allow it.

Henderson decides to stand and escape the position.

Henderson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Henderson lands in his opponent's guard.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Fletcher keeps moving.
Fletcher is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Henderson is controlling him.
Henderson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Henderson gets to his feet. Fletcher looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Fletcher looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henderson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fletcher's guard.
Henderson throws a big right hand that misses.
Henderson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Henderson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Fletcher's head.
Henderson throwing strikes but missing.
Henderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Fletcher has wrist control.
Henderson landing some decent shots from guard.
Henderson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Fletcher is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Henderson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Henderson landing some decent shots from guard.
Henderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fletcher is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Henderson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Henderson throws the kick towards the body but Fletcher avoids it.

Henderson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fletcher is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fletcher gets caught flat footed, as Henderson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Fletcher is trying to keep Henderson in close.

Fletcher is working an open guard so Henderson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Fletcher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Henderson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Henderson wants to break free but Fletcher has control.
Henderson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fletcher gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Henderson missing with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Fletcher.
Fletcher gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Henderson.
Henderson prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fletcher gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Henderson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cael Henderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fletcher missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson looking for a takedown.
Henderson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fletcher gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Henderson can't break the clinch.

Fletcher breaks from the clinch.

Henderson has Fletcher up against the cage in a clinch.
Fletcher keeps control of Henderson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fletcher prevents the takedown attempt.
Fletcher with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Henderson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Fletcher clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Henderson tries to get the hooks in deep but Fletcher pushed the leg off.
Henderson cracks Fletcher with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Fletcher from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Henderson scores with punches from the back.
Henderson landing with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson cracks Fletcher with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Fletcher from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Henderson is punishing Fletcher with strikes - can he finish him?!

Henderson is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Fletcher defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Henderson has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Fletcher's body.
Henderson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Henderson lands strikes to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson controlling from the back.
Henderson lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Henderson lands strikes to the head.
Cael Henderson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Henderson.
Henderson loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Fletcher hold on?
Henderson punishes Fletcher with strikes from the back mount.
Henderson biding his time, looking for the opening.
Henderson throwing damaging strikes from the back! Fletcher could be in trouble here!
Henderson scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Henderson is working the ground and pound. Can Fletcher escape?
Henderson scores with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher is in bad spot here.
Fletcher trying to control the action but Henderson just sinks the hooks in.
Fletcher is trying to break free.
Fletcher trying to control the action but Henderson just sinks the hooks in.
Henderson trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henderson lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Fletcher.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cael Henderson dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Henderson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Henderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fletcher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Fletcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson is stalling in the full guard.
Henderson looking to pass the guard.
Fletcher looking to control.

Henderson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Fletcher is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Fletcher has escaped and now he's on top!
Henderson wants to sweep here but Fletcher controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher trying to control but Henderson is working from the bottom.
Henderson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Henderson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Fletcher has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Henderson is working away from the top position though.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Fletcher is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fletcher slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

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.

Fletcher working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Henderson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Henderson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Henderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fletcher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Fletcher throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Henderson chips away with some ground and pound.

Henderson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Henderson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fletcher's guard.
Henderson won't allow Fletcher to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Henderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Henderson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fletcher wants to sweep but no luck.

Henderson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Nice takedown defense from Henderson. No joy for Fletcher on that attempt.
Henderson steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Fletcher. That one must have hurt.
Fletcher doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Henderson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Henderson is pushing down on Fletcher's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fletcher is fighting to maintain full guard but Henderson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Henderson winds up and cracks Fletcher with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson controlling the action here.

Henderson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Henderson is thwarting Fletcher's attempts to control the position.
Henderson moves into full mount! Fletcher won't be happy about that!
Henderson breaks from Fletcher's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Henderson dominating with strikes here.
Grant Fletcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fletcher sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cael Henderson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Henderson, 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:26
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:26
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cael Henderson!