PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maynard Keenan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henry Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keenan comes into the arena with Rusty Cage by SOUNDGARDEN blaring out of the sound system. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Keenan
vs
Henderson

188 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

189 cm
23
212 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Maynard Keenan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Henry Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Henderson moves in looking to clinch but Keenan pushes him off.
Henderson loads up on a big right hand but Keenan slips the punch.
Keenan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Henderson circles away.
Henderson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Henderson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Keenan lands with a nice body kick.
Henderson doesn't manage to clinch there - Keenan circles away.
Henry Henderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henderson tries to clinch up.
Nice takedown defense from Henderson. No joy for Keenan on that attempt.
Keenan thows a body kick. Henderson tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Henderson looks gassed!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Henderson tries to clinch there but Keenan circles away.
Horrible takedown by Keenan or perhaps it was just good defense by Henderson which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maynard Keenan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keenan keeps the fight on the outside.

Keenan feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Keenan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Henderson's guard.
Henderson is refusing to be controlled, as Keenan sits in half guard.

Keenan seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Keenan wants to take a breather but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson is trying to get back to full guard.
Keenan wants to get back to his feet.

Henderson is defending against the submission attempts here by Keenan.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Henderson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Henry Henderson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Henderson clinches up with Keenan and pushes him back against the cage.
Henderson trying to stall but Keenan improves his position.
Keenan tries to pull guard but Henderson holds him up against the cage and eventually Keenan drops back down to his feet.
Keenan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Henderson pulls his leg out and moves away.
A big right from Henderson misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henderson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Henderson is looking to clinch.
A big left from Henderson misses.
Henderson is looking to clinch but Keenan is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan swats away the attempt to clinch by Henderson.
Henderson tries to close the distance and clinch but Keenan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Henderson gets a clinch.
Henderson looking to stall.
Keenan tries to stall but Henderson uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Keenan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Henderson smiles and moves away.
Keenan throws a nice head kick!
Keenan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Henderson doesn't manage to clinch there - Keenan circles away.
Henderson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Henderson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Keenan swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Henderson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Henderson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Henderson is looking to clinch.
Henderson waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Keenan.
Henderson tries to clinch there but Keenan circles away.
Henderson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henderson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henderson tries to clinch up.
Henderson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henderson tries to clinch but Keenan moves out of range.
Henderson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice takedown defense from Henderson. No joy for Keenan on that attempt.
Henderson throws a lazy right hand but Keenan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Henderson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Henderson tries to clinch up but Keenan circles away and keeps his distance.

Henderson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keenan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maynard Keenan dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Keenan swats away the attempt to clinch by Henderson.
Henderson misses with a two punch combination.

Keenan pushes Henderson up against the cage in a clinch.
Keenan keeps control of Henderson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Keenan jumps guard but Henderson stands there with Keenan around his waist. Keenan gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Keenan stalling in the clinch.
Keenan has Henderson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Henderson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keenan tries to score a body lock takedown but Henderson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maynard Keenan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henderson is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henderson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Henderson is trying to maintain a safe position but Keenan gets an underhook and turns Henderson into the cage.
Keenan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Keenan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Henderson smiles and moves away.
Henderson misses the shot to the body.
Henderson closes the distance but Keenan moves to the side
and Keenan counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Henderson is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Good shot there by Keenan.
Henderson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Keenan counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wants to clinch
and Keenan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Keenan circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henderson misses with a hook. Keenan ducked under it nicely.
Henderson tries to clinch but Keenan moves away
and Keenan counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Keenan clinches.
Henderson can't break the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Keenan wants to get back to striking at distance but Henderson won't allow it.
Henderson is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Keenan.
Keenan is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Keenan is looking to control Henderson's arms but Henderson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Keenan has his back to the cage.
Henderson digs a right hand into Keenan's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Keenan's gas tank.
Keenan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Henderson is trying to break free.
Keenan managing to block the knees to the body from Henderson.
Keenan fails to pull guard.
Henderson looking to stall.
Keenan drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four 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.
Henderson prevents the takedown attempt.
Henderson stalling in the clinch but Keenan improves position.
Keenan missing with knees to the body.
Keenan tries for a takedown. No joy.
Henderson is looking to control Keenan's arms but Keenan gets an underhook and turns him. Now Henderson has his back to the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Keenan wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maynard Keenan dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Henderson tries to clinch
and Keenan counters with a low kick, right behind Henderson 's knee.
Maynard Keenan is winning the standup battle so far.
Keenan swats away the attempt to clinch by Henderson.
Henderson closes the distance but Keenan moves to the side
and Keenan makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Henderson really felt that one!

Keenan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Henderson managing to block the knees to the body from Keenan.

Keenan has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Henderson is trying to keep an underhook but Keenan manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Henderson desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Henderson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Keenan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Keenan's back!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henderson has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Keenan has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Henderson controlling the position well here. Keenan rolled but Henderson kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

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.

Henderson tightening his grip on Keenan, looking for the choke.
Henderson wants to control but Keenan is keeping busy.

Despite being in the dominant position, Henry Henderson just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fighters circling - Henderson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Keenan tries to close the distance and clinch but Henderson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Keenan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Henderson won't be happy with that.
Keenan wants to control but Henderson is keeping him busy.
Henderson tries to improve position but can't.
Keenan trying to control the action but Henderson is working from the bottom.
Henderson wants to control but Keenan postures up.
Keenan wants to control but Henderson is keeping him busy.
Henderson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Henderson is doing well to control the position and prevent Keenan from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Henderson has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Henderson looking for submissions off his back.
Keenan is thwarting Henderson's attempts to control the position.

Henderson actively working from the bottom here.

Keenan is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maynard Keenan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Keenan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maynard Keenan!