PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dwight Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Barnett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howard's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Superman. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Howard
vs
Barnett

201 cm
23
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

195 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dwight Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryan Barnett!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Howard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Howard's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Howard drops down looking for an ankle pick but Barnett pulls his leg out and moves away.
Howard misses with a takedown

and Barnett counters by clinching up.

Howard jumps guard and drags Barnett to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Howard is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Barnett wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Howard knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Barnett on the ground.
Barnett wanted to stand there but Howard had control of the position.
Howard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Barnett is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Barnett trying to control from the bottom.
Barnett is refusing to be controlled, as Howard sits in half guard.
Howard prevents Barnett from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Barnett is controlling Howard's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Howard has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dwight Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Howard was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Barnett tries to hold on but Howard pushes him away.
Howard raining down shots from the mount!
Barnett wants to control but Howard is having none of it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barnett really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Barnett hang on?
Howard controlling the position easily from mount.
Barnett tries to hold on but Howard pushes him away.

Howard working for a submission but Barnett is keeping him at bay.
Barnett is in all sorts of trouble here.
Barnett tries to hold on but Howard postures up.
Howard looking to control but Barnett is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is trying to stand.
Howard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Barnett hang on?
Howard looking to control and managing it successfully.
Barnett really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Howard get's back to his feet.

Howard shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Howard showed some decent athleticism there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwight Howard dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Barnett takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Barnett slaps away a takedown attempt from Howard, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Howard gets a double leg takedown into Barnett's guard.
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.
Howard wants to stand and escape but instead Barnett has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Howard looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Howard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard looking to control.
Howard striking off his back but it's not causing Barnett any problems.
Barnett trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryan Barnett wasn't active enough on the ground.
Howard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barnett manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Howard fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard closes the distance and clinches up with Barnett, looking for a takedown. Howard pushes Barnett against the cage but Barnett circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Howard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dwight Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Howard shoots in looking for a takedown. Barnett tries to sprawl out of it but Howard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Barnett manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Howard fails to land the takedown.
Howard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howard wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnett defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Howard.
Howard tries to clinch up but Barnett circles away and keeps his distance.
Howard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howard wants it to stay on the feet.

Barnett shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Barnett looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Barnett moves into full mount! Howard won't be happy about that!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to reverse the position but Barnett maintains control.
Howard holds of for dear life.
Barnett wants to control the pace but Howard is squirming around nicely.
Barnett working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Howard is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnett landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dwight Howard will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Barnett shoots in looking for a takedown. Howard tries to sprawl out of it but Barnett keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Howard manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Barnett changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Howard tries to avoid it but Barnett manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Howard to the ground. Howard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Howard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Howard sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Howard working some strikes from top position.
Barnett keeping moving, preventing Howard from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barnett looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Howard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Barnett has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Howard has managed to get both his arms back between Barnett's legs - danger averted.
Barnett takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Howard seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Barnett looking for a sweep. Not yet Barnett, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Howard working some strikes from top position.
Howard distracts Barnett with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Barnett trying to control the position.

Barnett working for a triangle but Howard defends it easily.
Howard is working Barnett over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Howard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Barnett, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard closes the distance and clinches up with Barnett, looking for a takedown. Howard pushes Barnett against the cage but Barnett circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Howard looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Barnett is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Howard pulls his head out easily.
Howard performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Howard has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Dwight Howard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howard is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barnett sees it coming and defends easily.
Barnett is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Howard tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barnett knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Howard prevents Barnett from improving his position.

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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dwight Howard!
Dwight Howard thanked the fans post fight for their support.