PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vaughn Howe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Don Diego (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.

Howe
vs
Diego

191 cm
19
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vaughn Howe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Don Diego!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Diego.

It looks like Vaughn Howe has been cut.

Diego looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Howe!

Diego decides to stand up, so the ref orders Howe to his feet.
Howe wants to clinch up but Diego keeps it at a distance.
Howe connects with a good right hand that stumbles Diego. Diego circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diego throws a head kick that misses.

Howe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Howe is controlling Diego's posture.

Howe working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Diego doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Diego manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Howe looking for a sweep. Not yet Howe, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diego trying to control but Howe is working from the bottom.
Howe pulls Diego in to control the position.
Diego is looking to stand up but Howe won't let him.
Howe pulls Diego in close to prevent any damage.
Diego pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Howe is keeping the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Don Diego was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Howe lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Diego looking to score a takedown here. Howe is defending well but Diego drives through and ends up in Howe's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howe trying to control the position here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Diego trying to control but Howe is working from the bottom.

Diego postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Howe is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Diego, into his guard.
Howe works over Diego with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howe won't allow Diego to sweep him here.
Howe throws a big elbow that misses.
Howe postures up.
Howe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Howe throwing strikes but missing.
Diego working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Howe.

Diego isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Howe stacks Diego on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Howe!

Howe tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Howe has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howe goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Diego rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Howe's guard! Nice work there by Diego!
Howe controlling the position.
Howe looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diego wants to control from the top but Howe keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diego sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Howe's guard.
Diego prevents Howe from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Don Diego will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vaughn Howe's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Howe gets caught flat footed, as Diego shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Howe trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Diego got a little sloppy there for a moment and Howe has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Diego has managed to get both his arms back between Howe's legs - danger averted.
Howe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diego postures up.
Diego wants to control from the top but Howe keeps moving.
Howe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Diego wants to control from the top but Howe keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Don Diego hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Diego rushes Howe and presses him up against the cage.
Diego trying to stall but Howe improves his position.
Howe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Howe has Diego pressed against the cage.

Diego pulls Howe into guard.
Diego trying to control the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Howe's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Diego looking for a guillotine here but Howe defends easily.
Howe content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howe has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Diego is proving hard to escape from.
Diego has momentary wrist control but Howe slips an elbow through the middle.
Diego is looking to stand up but Howe isn't so interested in that idea.
Howe is looking to work some ground and pound but Diego has wrist control.
Diego is adopting a defensive guard.
Howe landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diego preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Howe postures up in Diego's guard and throws a big left but Diego blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Howe accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Diego is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howe scoring with punches to the head and body.
Howe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Howe stands up over Diego, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Howe gets to his feet. Diego looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Diego is breathing heavily.
Diego tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diego closes the distance and clinches.
Howe fails to pull guard.
Howe drops down looking for an ankle pick but Diego pulls his leg out and moves away.

Diego throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Howe was covering up waiting for the punch and Diego finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diego wants to pass the guard but Howe is keeping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howe looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
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 Vaughn Howe will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vaughn Howe's cut.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Diego avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vaughn Howe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Howe closes the distance and clinches.

Diego lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Diego trying to control from Howe's half guard. Howe has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Howe trying to keep a closed guard but Diego is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howe looking for a sweep. Not yet Howe, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Vaughn Howe.

Diego throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Howe tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Diego is in Howe's guard.
Howe wants to sweep but no luck.
Howe pulls Diego in close to prevent any damage.
Diego looking to sit in guard and control but Howe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howe stands up and waves to Diego to follow him.
Howe could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Howe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Diego pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Howe swinging wildly here.

Diego shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Howe is trying to defend but Diego finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howe wants to get back to full guard.
Diego throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Howe is trying to control but can't.
Diego wants to stand up but Howe is controlling the position.
Howe trying to hold on to Diego's head to control him but Diego postures up.
Howe is not content to let Diego control the position.
Howe tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howe wants to get back to full guard.
It looks like Diego is going to stand back up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Howe is refusing to be controlled, as Diego sits in half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Don Diego wasn't active enough on the ground.
Diego throws a sloppy head kick
and Howe counters with a good low kick that Diego was not able to check.

Diego scores with a takedown into Howe's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howe throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Diego looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Diego comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diego has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Don Diego!