PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shaun Russell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dwayne Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russell comes to the cage accompanied by LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out. Howard comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Immortality by Pearl Jam kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Shaun Russell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Russell
vs
Howard

187 cm
22
219 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

189 cm
31
215 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shaun Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dwayne Howard!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Jonathan Paton and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard shoots in for a takedown but Russell shows good takedown defense.

Howard closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Russell is controlling Howard's trapped leg to prevent Howard from advancing to side control.
Howard drops an elbow to the side of Russell's head.
Howard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Russell defending well though.
Howard working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Russell wants to control but Howard is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Russell is controlling Howard's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard wants to pass to mount but Russell is defending the position.
Russell keeping hold of Howard's head, controlling as best he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Shaun Russell wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Russell wants to clinch up but Howard keeps it at a distance.

Howard fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Russell to the ground. Howard is now in Russell's guard.
Howard wants to stand but Russell has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Russell pulls Howard in close to prevent any damage.
Howard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Russell is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Howard looks like he's trying to stand up.
Russell tries to stand but can't do so whilst Howard controls his leg.

Howard pushes Russell off and gets back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
No luck for Howard with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell wants to clinch but Howard slips to the side
and Howard counters with a nice uppercut.
Russell is looking to clinch but Howard is avoiding it.
Shaun Russell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Russell tries to clinch but Howard is having none of it.
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt

and Howard counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Russell trying to control but Howard postures up.
Howard not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howard trying to control from Russell's half guard. Russell has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Russell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard looking to sit in guard and control but Russell gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Howard is looking to stand up but Russell isn't so interested in that idea.

Russell stands up and waves to Howard to follow him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Howard paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwayne Howard dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Howard looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Russell is in trouble now - Howard has advanced to mount!
Howard looking to control but Russell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Russell is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard wants to control the pace but Russell is squirming around nicely.
Howard throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Russell because Howard loaded up on that one.
Russell can't escape the position.
Poor strikes thrown by Howard there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Russell tries to lock up and control but Howard gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Howard unloads with some shots from mount but Russell bucks and avoids them well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russell holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Howard tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Howard thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Russell is looking to get to half guard.
Howard throws some wild stikes that Russell manages to avoid easily.
Howard wants to control the pace but Russell is squirming around nicely.
Russell tries to hold on but Howard postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard throws some wild stikes that Russell manages to avoid easily.
Howard unloads with some shots from mount but Russell bucks and avoids them well.
Dwayne Howard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Howard postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Russell looks a forlorn figure.
Howard has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Russell's face.
Howard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Russell hang on?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Russell tries to hold on but Howard pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russell wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Howard.
Howard controlling from mount.
Howard sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Howard wants to control the pace but Russell is squirming around nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russell regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwayne Howard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Russell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Howard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Russell shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Russell doesn't manage to clinch there - Howard circles away.

Russell clinches.
Russell doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Russell.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Russell.
Howard wants to get back to striking at distance but Russell won't allow it.
Russell lands with a left to the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Howard as Russell tries to tie him up.
Howard wants to break the clinch but can't.
Russell lands a body punch.
Russell lands an uppercut.
Russell misses with a punch on the inside.
Russell misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard blocking some punches.

Howard manages to break the clinch.
Russell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Howard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Russell closes the distance looking to clinch

and Howard counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Russell looking for a sweep. Not yet Russell, not yet.
Russell is pulling down on Howard's head. It's preventing any offense from Howard, at least for the moment.
Howard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Russell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard wanted to stand there but Russell had control of the position.
Russell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shaun Russell wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Russell moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Russell misses with a hook from the clinch.
Howard wants to get back to striking at distance but Russell won't allow it.
Howard wants to get back to striking at distance but Russell won't allow it.
Russell swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Howard wants to break the clinch but can't.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Russell.
Russell prevents Howard from breaking the clinch.
Howard is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Russell lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Russell creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Russell.
Shaun Russell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Russell misses with a punch on the inside.
Russell working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Howard is trying to break the clinch but Russell has him pressed against the cage.
Howard wants to break free but Russell has control.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Russell.
Russell tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Howard's elbow.
Russell lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Russell struggles to land a body shot inside as Howard controls his hands.
Russell keeps control of Howard as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Russell prevents Howard from breaking the clinch.
Russell lands a right hand that snaps the head of Howard backwards.
Howard is trying to break the clinch but Russell is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Howard is trying to force a seperation but Russell has the dominant position.
A frustrated look appears on Howard's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Howard wants to break the clinch but can't.
Russell tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Russell looking to slow down the pace here.
A short uppercut from Russell.

Howard is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Howard is trying to force a seperation but Russell has the dominant position.
Howard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Howard blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Howard is looking to break free of the clinch but Russell has double underhooks.
Russell trying to stall but Howard improves his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Russell scores with a shoulder strike.
Howard is still on wobbly legs! Can Russell finish him?
Russell lands a body punch in the clinch.
Howard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Russell scores with a hook to the body.
Russell works on Howard's body with a couple of short punches.
Dwayne Howard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Howard takes a shot to the head.
Russell lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Howard to his knees! Russell keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Shaun Russell!
A pretty intense looking Shaun Russell took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.