PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manny Holt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Holt
vs
Henderson

185 cm
36
270 lbs
26 - 26 - 0

186 cm
26
215 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
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 26 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Manny Holt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Frank Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holt looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Henderson is refusing to be controlled, as Holt sits in half guard.
Holt has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Henderson is defending against the submission attempts here by Holt.
Holt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Holt trying to mount his opponent but Henderson defends it.
Holt not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Holt throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holt throwing shots but Henderson is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holt with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Holt thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Henderson's head.
Henderson taking some punishment here, with Holt in his half guard.
Henderson is trying to stand.
Holt moves nicely into side control.
Henderson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Holt sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Henderson is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holt fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Henderson is trying to improve his position.
Holt misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Henderson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Holt's best efforts.
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!

Holt is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Henderson sees it coming and defends easily.
Holt sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Henderson defending well though.
Holt throwing shots but Henderson is blocking nicely.
Holt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Henderson is looking for a sweep. Holt is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is trying to stand back up but Holt is controlling him
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Holt is thwarting Henderson's attempts to control the position.
Henderson is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Holt is staying active.
Holt thows a huge punch but Henderson dodges it nicely.
Holt not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Holt missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Holt is trying to control the action in half guard but Henderson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Henderson gets back to full guard.
Holt trying to control but Henderson is working from the bottom.
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.
Holt stops Henderson from standing up.
Holt with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holt has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Holt wants to pass the guard but Henderson is keeping the position.
Henderson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Holt wants to control from the top but Henderson keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holt throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Henderson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Holt moves into range and clinches up with Henderson.
Holt tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Holt is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Henderson is keeping busy.
Holt struggles to land a body shot inside as Henderson controls his hands.
Henderson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Holt pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Holt prevents a takedown attempt there.
Holt wants to take the fight to the mat but Henderson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Henderson wants a takedown.
Manny Holt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Henderson.
Holt wants to take the fight to the mat but Henderson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Henderson lands a body punch in the clinch.

Holt breaks from the clinch.
Henderson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Henderson moves into the clinch successfully.
Henderson is trying to maintain a safe position but Holt gets an underhook and turns Henderson into the cage.
Henderson is trying to drag Holt to the mat but Holt just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Holt tries a body shot but Henderson blocks it.
Holt is stalling here.

Holt gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Henderson wants to control but Holt is keeping busy.
Holt trying to control from half guard but Henderson is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Holt.
Henderson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Holt thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Henderson trying to control here.
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. Holt connects with a nice short shot to Henderson's temple.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holt misses with a head shot. Henderson uses the momentum to regain guard.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Holt is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt advances to half guard.
Holt thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Henderson's head.
Holt throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Holt is looking for a kimura but Henderson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Holt to get the leverage.
Holt sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Henderson defending well though.
Holt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Holt tries to pass to full mount but Henderson defends it.
Henderson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Holt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holt is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Holt working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Henderson tries to kick Holt off but Holt keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Henderson regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Holt.
Manny Holt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Holt is looking to work some ground and pound but Henderson has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Holt is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Henderson trying to strike off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Holt dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Holt.
Frank Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holt uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henderson.
Holt misses with a looping left.
Manny Holt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henderson wants to clinch.
A combination from Holt does no damage.
Henderson dives in and grabs Holt's left leg, looking for a takedown. Holt pushes down on Henderson's head and hops out.
Holt misses with a shot to the body

and Henderson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Henderson.
Henderson trying to control but Holt is working from the bottom.
Henderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Holt has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holt keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Henderson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Holt is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Holt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Holt content to control rather than advance.
Holt with the ground and pound but Henderson uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holt postures up in Henderson's guard and throws a big left but Henderson blocks it.
Henderson working a defensive guard here.
Holt throwing strikes from guard but Henderson blocks nicely.
Henderson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Holt is looking to advance position but Henderson has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Henderson scoring with strikes but Holt is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holt in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Manny Holt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Henderson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Holt is looking to escape.
Henderson looking to ground and pound but Holt is blocking nicely.
Holt can't escape the position.
Henderson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Holt is looking to improve his position but Henderson isn't that keen on the idea.
Henderson avoids the attempt from Holt to control.
Holt holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Henderson tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holt wants to control but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holt sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Holt blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henderson.
Frank Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Henderson is nestled in close to Holt, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Holt is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Henderson is working for a kimura but Holt is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Holt 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Holt!
A very excited looking Manny Holt made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.