PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tristan Alighieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dwight Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alighieri comes to the cage accompanied by Mosquito Song by Queens Of The Stone Age. This should be fireworks!

Alighieri
vs
Howard

185 cm
28
245 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

211 cm
25
265 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tristan Alighieri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dwight Howard!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Howard lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Howard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Howard throws a nice head kick!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howard throws a leg kick that misses.
Alighieri takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Howard throws a predictable looking body shot

and Alighieri counters with a takedown into side control.
Howard wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
We've been hearing that Alighieri has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Alighieri lands a nice forearm strike.
Howard pushes Alighieri away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Alighieri gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alighieri tries to advance to mount but can't.
Howard is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Alighieri asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Howard explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Howard misses with a shot to the body

and Alighieri counters with a series of strikes that sends Howard to the canvas! Alighieri follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howard is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alighieri tries to free his leg and advance position but Howard is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to stand but Alighieri is controlling the position.
Howard thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Alighieri won't allow Howard to get back to his feet.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Alighieri's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Howard wants to stand but Alighieri is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri lands a couple of elbows.
Howard is trying to control the position but Alighieri postures up.

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.
Alighieri doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Alighieri makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Alighieri misses with a punch to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Alighieri.
Alighieri lands with a right to the head.
Howard blocks a body shot from Alighieri.
Howard lands a hook that snaps the head of Alighieri backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howard tries to land knees in the clinch but Alighieri avoids the damage to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Alighieri as Howard tries to tie him up.
Howard lands a left hand.
Howard blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Alighieri.
Howard looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Howard blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Alighieri takes a shot to the head.
Howard blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dwight Howard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Howard throws a jab when Alighieri was well out of range.
Howard thows a body shot but no joy.
Alighieri takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Howard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alighieri manages to avoid it.
Howard looks for the body kick but Alighieri saw that one coming.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howard misses with a leg kick.
Howard misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tristan Alighieri will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Howard throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Dwight Howard seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Howard throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Alighieri on the side of the head.
Howard buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Howard tries to work over Alighieri's front leg with a kick but Alighieri checks it.
Howard is looking to score with low kicks.
Howard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Howard chopping away at his opponent's legs.
An inside leg kick lands from Howard.
A punch combination from Howard misses.
Howard lands with a kick to the temple. Alighieri shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice takedown defense from Howard. No joy for Alighieri on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard throws a body punch but Alighieri moves out of range.
Dwight Howard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Howard throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Howard lets loose with a powerful body kick. Alighieri will feel that in the morning.
Howard connects with a body shot.
Howard lands with a kick to the ribs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howard pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Howard swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Howard tries a head kick but it misses.
Howard misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Howard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howard wants it to stay on the feet.
Howard with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Alighieri walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Howard is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Alighieri rather than just go for the knockout.
Alighieri uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howard.
Howard plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Howard fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Alighieri has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Howard getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Howard tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard scores with a kick to the body.
Howard connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Howard throws a nice head kick!
Howard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jab from Howard.
Howard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Howard has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Howard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Howard is breathing heavily.
Alighieri avoids the body shot from Howard.

Howard darts in and clinches Alighieri up against the cage.
Alighieri misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alighieri throws a punch but it's blocked by Howard.
Howard with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Alighieri misses with a punch on the inside.
Alighieri wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tristan Alighieri. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard blocks an uppercut.
Howard looking to slow down the pace here.
Alighieri throws a head punch that misses.
Howard scores with a shot to the side of Alighieri's head.
A short left from Alighieri.
Howard blocking some punches.
Howard is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Alighieri misses with some punches.
Howard throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Alighieris head.
Howard tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alighieri avoids it.
Alighieri misses with a hook to the ribs.
Alighieri doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwight Howard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Howard throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick from Howard lands but Alighieri takes it in his stride.
Howard punishes Alighieri's body with a nice straight punch.
Howard misses with a body kick.
Howard looks to throw the jab but Alighieri is out of range.
Howard lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Howard throws a sloppy head kick

and Alighieri counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howard pushes Alighieri off looking to stand but Alighieri dives back in and keeps control.
Howard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alighieri lands with a punch from half guard.

Alighieri is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Howard defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alighieri slips a nice elbow through Howard's hands, connecting with Howard's forehead.
Alighieri looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Howard makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Alighieri ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Howard moves away.
Howard throws a leg kick but Alighieri checks it.
Howard connects with a high kick.
Howard throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alighieri sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howard loads up on a big right hand but Alighieri slips the punch.
Tristan Alighieri has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Alighieri.
Howard lands a leg kick that knocks Alighieri off balance momentarily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Howard, as that shot connected.
Alighieri avoids the head kick by Howard.
Howard listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Howard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Howard throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Alighieri's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard throws a looping overhand right but Alighieri ducks down to avoid it.
Howard smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Sloppy strikes from Howard. Those never looked like landing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howard. Alighieri does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick from Howard lands but Alighieri takes it in his stride.
Howard swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A lazy body kick from Howard
and Alighieri counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Howard checks a leg kick.
Alighieri avoids the head kick by Howard.
The fighters circling - Howard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri blocks a head kick by Howard.
Alighieri walks into a left hand.
Alighieri uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Howard.
Alighieri scores with a nice head shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A chopping leg kick lands by Howard.
Howard takes a swing at Alighieri's ribcage but misses.
Howard looks to score with a jab to the body but Alighieri is just out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howard tries to clinch
and Alighieri counters with a thumping low kick.
Dwight Howard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Howard misses with a low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dwight Howard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Howard has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 for Dwight Howard!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Dwight Howard!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Dwight Howard!

Dwight Howard wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Dwight Howard thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.