PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Filipo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Howard
vs
Filipo

170 cm
18
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jimmy Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sam Filipo!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard throws a head kick but Filipo moves out of range.
Filipo moves in looking to clinch but Howard pushes him off.
Both fighters circling a little - Howard finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Howard lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Filipo circles away quickly and effectively.
Filipo dives in and grabs Howard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Howard pushes down on Filipo's head and hops out.

Filipo moves into the clinch successfully.
Howard cracks Filipo with a nice body shot.
Howard lands a hook to the side of the head.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Filipo throws a right hand that Howard ducks under and follows up with a left that Howard also avoids with ease.
Howard misses with a wild combination.
Howard slaps away a takedown attempt from Filipo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Filipo throws a head kick that misses.
Howard tests Filipo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Filipo keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jimmy Howard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Filipo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Howard moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Howard avoids a punch combination nicely.

Howard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Howard breaks the clinch.
Filipo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Filipo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Howard wants to clinch up but Filipo keeps it at a distance.
Howard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Filipo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Howard misses with a wild combination.
Filipo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Howard pinned against the cage. Howard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jimmy Howard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Filipo.
Filipo looks winded!
Filipo connects with a high kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Howard.
Filipo stuffs the takedown.
Filipo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Howard tries to avoid it but Filipo 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 is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Howard wants to clinch up but Filipo keeps it at a distance.
Filipo shoots in looking for a takedown but Howard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Filipo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A head kick misses from Howard.
Filipo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Howard.
Howard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Howard has managed to clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Filipo misses with a combination
and Howard counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howard has Filipo up against the cage in a clinch.

Howard jumps guard and drags Filipo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Howard wriggles free and stands up.
Howard throws a head kick but Filipo moves out of range.
A combination from Filipo does no damage.

Howard clinches.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Filipo throws a right hand that Howard ducks under and follows up with a left that Howard also avoids with ease.
Howard displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Howard moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard throws a nice looking combination but Filipo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A head kick misses from Filipo.
Filipo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Filipo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Howard is looking to clinch.
Donk. Howard catches Filipo right on the button with a cross.
Filipo lets loose with a powerful body kick. Howard will feel that in the morning.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Howard has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Filipo uses from the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Filipo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy 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.

Filipo throws a head kick that misses.
Howard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Filipo throws out a loose jab but Howard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Filipo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Howard shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Filipo is trying to defend but Howard finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Howard not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Howard is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Howard connects with a nice short shot to Filipo's temple.

Howard stands up out of the half guard.
Filipo is breathing heavily.
Howard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jimmy Howard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipo throws a series of strikes that have Howard backpedaling.

Howard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Filipo, pushing him back against the cage.
Filipo is looking for a takedown.

Filipo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Filipo tries to clinch up but Howard circles away and keeps his distance.
Filipo fails with the takedown.
Jimmy Howard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Filipo.
Howard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Howard throws a head kick but Filipo moves out of range.
Howard swinging wildly here.
Some wild striking there from Howard.
Howard changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Filipo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Howard tries to get to full guard but Filipo has control of the leg.
Howard wants to control but Filipo is keeping busy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howard keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipo content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jimmy Howard wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Howard clinches with his opponent.

Howard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Howard avoids a punch combination nicely.
Howard tries to clinch up but Filipo circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filipo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Howard avoids it really well and circles away.
Howard throws a body punch but Filipo moves out of range.
Filipo swinging wildly here.
Howard misses with a double jab.
Howard shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Filipo pinned against the cage. Filipo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Howard thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Filipo closes the distance but Howard moves to the side
and Howard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Howard looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Howard dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Howard gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Filipo to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Filipo trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howard looking for a sweep. Not yet Howard, not yet.
Filipo prevents Howard from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Filipo throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipo controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sam Filipo.
Filipo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Howard sprawls well. Howard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Filipo gets slowly back to his feet.
Filipo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Howard.
Filipo connects with a jab.
Howard leaves Filipo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Filipo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to clinch up.
Filipo throws a hook but Howard blocks it.
Howard misses with a two punch combination.
Nice takedown defense from Filipo. No joy for Howard on that attempt.
Jimmy Howard is winning the standup battle so far.
Filipo is looking to clinch but Howard is avoiding it.
Filipo scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Howard misses with the combination.
Filipo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Howard sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Filipo somewhat.
Jimmy Howard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Filipo.

Howard shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Filipo manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Filipo wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to stand but Filipo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Howard has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Howard throws a big elbow that misses.
Filipo has control of Howard's left arm, preventing Howard from doing any damage.
Filipo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Howard is in close to Filipo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Filipo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howard with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Filipo scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Howard swinging wildly here.
Filipo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Howard but Howard pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nice cross by Howard.

Filipo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Filipo showed some decent athleticism there.
Howard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Filipo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Howard!