PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dwight Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Millar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Howard might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Superman. Millar has chosen Never Say Die as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Dwight Howard could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Michael Millar's chin.

Howard
vs
Millar

201 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Global Empire MMA Gear

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dwight Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Millar!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Michael Millar has been cut.

Howard shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Millar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Howard throwing strikes but missing.
Millar throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Howard really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Millar has his hands on Howard's head, controlling the position.
Howard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Millar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Millar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Howard not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Howard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millar is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Millar avoids the head kick by Howard.
Millar throws a right and a left that Howard avoids nicely.
Millar stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Millar wants it to stay on the feet.

Howard has Millar up against the cage in a clinch.

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Howard shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Howard showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Millar is looking to control Howard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Millar avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Millar is not content to let Howard control the position.
Howard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Millar is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Howard 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.
Millar is trying to stand.
Millar trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Howard manages to pass to mount!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howard controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard throws some wild stikes that Millar manages to avoid easily.

Millar somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Millar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Millar throws out a leg kick but Howard moves out of range and Millar only half commits.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Millar leaves Howard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dwight Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Howard has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millar is looking to break free of the clinch but Howard has double underhooks.
Howard is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Millar looks gassed!

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Howard closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Millar to the mat! Millar manages to get full guard.
Howard won't allow Millar to get back to his feet.
Millar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Millar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Millar being controlled here, momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howard won't allow Millar to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwight Howard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Millar's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Howard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Howard enables Millar to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Howard manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Millar is looking to stand up but Howard won't let him.
Howard wants to sweep but no luck.
Howard trying to keep a closed guard but Millar is proving a slippery customer.
Millar chips away with some ground and pound.
Millar is looking to work some ground and pound but Howard has wrist control.
Millar postures up in Howard's guard and throws a big left but Howard blocks it.
Howard tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Millar wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard is trying to keep Millar in close.

Millar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Howard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Millar has managed to get both his arms back between Howard's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Howard keeping moving, preventing Millar from controlling successfully.
Howard has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Howard striking off his back but it's not causing Millar any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to get back to his feet but Millar is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Millar controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Michael Millar.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Millar.
Howard gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Millar counters with a nice double leg into side control. Howard won't be happy with that.

Millar is trying to get an arm triangle but Howard is defending well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
You can see the frustration on Howard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Millar decides to stand back up. Millar steps back and let's Howard get back to his feet.
Howard fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Millar avoids it really well and circles away.
Howard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Millar.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Millar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard misses with a takedown attempt

and Millar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Millar.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dwight Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard is trying to force a seperation but Millar has the dominant position.
Millar wants to stall.
Millar on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Millar is trying to pull guard but Howard has him pressed against the cage.
Millar tries to pull guard but Howard holds him up against the cage and eventually Millar drops back down to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Howard pulls Millar into guard.
Howard is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Millar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Michael Millar's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Millar is trying hard to land a takedown here. Howard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Howard is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Millar's half guard.
Howard is trying to control the action in half guard but Millar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Howard is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Millar reverses the position - he's now on top in Howard's guard.
Millar not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howard is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millar is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Millar wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Michael Millar was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Millar tries to clinch but Howard moves out of range.

Howard gets the takedown into side control.

Howard decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Millar defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Howard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Millar gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Millar is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Howard to keep the fight standing.

Howard is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Millar can't fight it off and eventually Howard manages to take the fight to the floor. Millar looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Millar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Howard is one step ahead there.
Howard wants to control from the top but Millar keeps moving.
Millar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howard manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howard is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Millar tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Dwight Howard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Millar.
Howard tries to score a body lock takedown but Millar shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Howard content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Millar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Howard tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Millar swivels and escapes.
Millar digs a good hook to Howard's body.
Millar tries to clinch up but Howard circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millar tries to clinch there but Howard circles away.
Millar slaps away a takedown attempt from Howard, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dwight Howard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Millar scores with a takedown into Howard's guard.
Howard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howard looking for a sweep. Not yet Howard, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dwight Howard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Howard 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dwight Howard!
During a confident post fight interview, Dwight Howard thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.