PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Henry Irons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabio Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Almeida is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Hero. Fabio Almeida will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Henry Irons
vs
Almeida

189 cm
20
210 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
217 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Syndicate Drugs
Aloha Clothing Company

Team S.W.A.T.

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Henry Irons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Fabio Almeida!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Irons shoots in for a takedown but Almeida shows good takedown defense.
Irons takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Irons will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Irons shoots for a double leg takedown but Almeida sprawls well. He's pushed Irons's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Henry Irons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Irons fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Irons on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Almeida. Almeida obviously looking to wear him down.
Almeida buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Almeida swings for the body but Irons moves out of range.
Irons moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Almeida 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.
Almeida throws a head kick that misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Almeida.
Irons is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A chopping leg kick lands by Almeida.
Irons keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Irons closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Almeida creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Almeida moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Irons is rocked!
Almeida throws a low kick, looking for Irons's leg but Irons calmly moves out of range.
Irons misses with a takedown attempt - Almeida sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Irons changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Almeida looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Irons thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Irons tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Almeida tries to bench press Irons off him but Irons keeps the position.
Almeida manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Almeida is staying active underneath Irons, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Almeida is looking to control Irons's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Almeida avoid being mounted?
Almeida is staying active underneath Irons, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Irons is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Almeida!
Irons tries to control but Almeida wriggling away.

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.
Irons takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Almeida really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Almeida tries to lock up and control but Irons gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Irons looking to control but Almeida is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Almeida is working to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irons is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Almeida is in real trouble.
Irons somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Almeida controlling Irons 's hands.
Even with his hooks in, Irons manages to miss with strikes from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Almeida manages to reverse the position and now he's in Irons's guard. Nice work there by Almeida.
Almeida controlling from the top position.
Irons trying to control the position.

Irons looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Almeida has gone for a leg lock! Irons slips out almost immediately though and dives into Almeida's guard.
Almeida wants to sweep here but Irons controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Irons accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Almeida can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Irons controls the pace.

Almeida throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Irons forces his way into half guard.
Almeida blocking the ground and pound attempt from Irons.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Almeida tries to roll over but Irons keeps him under control.

Irons is working for a submission of some sort.
Irons missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fabio Almeida dominated that 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.

Almeida throws a front kick aimed at Irons's knee but Irons avoids it well.
Almeida wants to clinch but Irons slips to the side

and Irons counters with a nice double leg into side control. Almeida won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Almeida's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Irons in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Irons working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Almeida tries to improve position but can't.

Irons thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Irons is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Almeida has escaped the position, nice work there.

Irons tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Irons has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida wants to control but Irons postures up.
Almeida is looking for a sweep.

Irons wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Almeida, who protects the arm well.
Almeida is trying to control Irons's posture but Irons avoids it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Almeida throws a right and a left that both miss.
Almeida is looking to slow Irons down with leg kicks.
Fabio Almeida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Irons closes the distance and clinches.
Irons pushes off an throws an elbow but Almeida leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Almeida throws a knee to the head but misses.
Almeida tries a knee to the head but Irons blocks it.

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.
Almeida tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
With the fighters up against the cage, Irons throws an elbow but misses.

Irons successfully pulls guard.
Irons lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Almeida!
Irons avoids the attempt from Almeida to control.
Irons controlling the pace for now.
Almeida is bucking up trying to escape but Irons cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Almeida reaches up to try and control the position but Irons seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Almeida rolls and tries to escape and now Irons has his back!
Irons struggling to keep hold of the position.

Irons is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Irons is looking for the choke from the back position but Almeida is controlling his hands well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida trying to control but not successfully.
Almeida is taking damage to the body and head.
Irons controls the position.
Almeida trying to control the position but Irons manages to sink in the hooks.

Almeida is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Irons gets his way!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Almeida is trying to get back to his feet but Irons has full control of the position and if anything, Almeida has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Almeida defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Irons doesn't have the hooks in and Almeida manages to turn into his guard.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Irons is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Irons looking to hit a scissor sweep but Almeida is one step ahead there.

Irons throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Almeida advances position into side control!
Almeida wants to control but Irons is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Irons's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Henry Irons dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Irons fails with an attempt to clinch.
Almeida tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Irons counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Almeida trying to keep a closed guard but Irons is proving a slippery customer.
Irons trying to control the position from guard on top but Almeida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Almeida utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
John Henry Irons overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Almeida is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Almeida is trying to keep Irons in close.
Almeida takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Irons pushes down on Almeida's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Irons trying to control from half guard but Almeida is working away.
Almeida is trying to control but can't.
Irons wants to pass the guard but Almeida is defending well.
Irons is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Almeida!
Irons content just to control the position here.
Almeida has given up his back. Will we see Irons going for some submissions?
Irons controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Irons misses with punches from the back.
Almeida looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Irons punches the canvas rather than the man.

Irons looking for the RNC.
Irons is not going to allow Almeida to sit and survive in this position.
Irons lands a shot to the head.

Irons is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Irons has Almeida flattened out and is raining down punches.
Almeida trying to control the position but Irons manages to sink in the hooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Irons looking for the choke from the back.
Almeida rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Almeida wants to control but Irons is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Almeida manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Almeida not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Irons is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Almeida is trying to keep Irons in close.

Almeida has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Irons can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Irons controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida keeping full guard, as Irons tries to pass.
Almeida utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Irons is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Irons checks the leg kick nicely there.
A nice leg kick lands there from Almeida.
Irons stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Almeida.
A low kick from Almeida misses

and Irons counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Almeida!
Irons throws some wild stikes that Almeida manages to avoid easily.
Almeida tries to improve his position but instead Irons has taken his back!
Almeida turns into Irons and is now in his guard.
Irons looking to hit a scissor sweep but Almeida is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Henry Irons showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Irons has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

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