PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Balan Syed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Syed's entrance music is Undead. A fine choice. Balan Syed could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to John Henry's chin.

Syed
vs
Henry

184 cm
28
185 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

175 cm
30
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Balan Syed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Henry!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Steve Smith and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henry is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Syed circles away.
Henry staying out of range there.
Syed bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Henry slips a straight right by Syed.

Henry drives through and clinches with Syed against the cage.

Henry lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Henry trying to pass the guard but Syed defending well.
Syed throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry throwing shots but Syed is blocking nicely.
Syed wants to get back to full guard.
Henry trying to control from half guard but Syed is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry thows a huge punch but Syed dodges it nicely.
Henry thows a huge punch but Syed dodges it nicely.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Henry missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Henry looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Syed with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Syed keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Henry is looking to stall here but Syed recovers full guard.
Henry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Henry throws a big elbow that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Henry throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Syed looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Henry holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
It looks like Syed is going to stand back up.
Syed thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Syed is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Henry is just riding it out for now. Syed eventually gives up the hold.
Henry gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry is trying to keep Syed in close.

Syed decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Henry shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Syed makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Syed tries to bum rush Henry with a series of wild strikes but Henry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Henry bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Henry scoring well with a low kick there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syed keeps the fight on the outside.
Syed looks to land a combination but Henry avoids it well.
Syed throws a head kick that misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Henry.
Syed scores with a hook to the body. Henry takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Henry is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Henry tries for a takedown but Syed circles away easily

and Syed counters by clinching up.
Balan Syed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Henry.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Syed misses with a body punch.

Syed manages to break the clinch.
Syed keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Balan Syed dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Henry moves in looking to clinch but Syed pushes him off.
Henry stuffs the takedown.
Henry shoots in looking for a takedown but Syed manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Henry's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Henry tries for a takedown but Syed sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Syed stuffs the takedown.
Balan Syed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Henry.
Henry takes a swing at Syed's ribcage but misses.
And Syed counters with a quick kick to the body but Henry blocks it.

Henry gets a clinch.
Henry has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Syed after a bit of a struggle.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Syed misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Syed breaks from the clinch.
Syed rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Henry moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Henry takes a kick to the side of the head.
Henry shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Syed fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Syed is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Henry can do to turn this around?
Syed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Henry looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Syed is fending him off so far but Henry persists. Nope, Syed circles away and we're back to standing.
Henry is trying hard to land a takedown here. Syed sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Henry has a takedown stuffed.

Henry gets a takedown into half guard.
Syed is refusing to be controlled, as Henry sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Syed is trying to get back to full guard.
Henry missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Henry throwing shots but Syed is blocking nicely.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Henry throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Henry fails with a takedown attempt.
Syed throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And Henry tries to counter it with a takedown but Syed pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Henry takes a kick to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry dives in for a single leg takedown but Syed sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Syed stuffs the takedown attempt from Henry. Henry gets slowly back to his feet.
No joy there for Syed, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Syed shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Henry but Henry pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Syed swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry.
Henry with a poor takedown
and Syed counters with a head kick.
Syed stalks Henry and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Henry's face. Henry staggers backwards, shaken.

Henry is rocked!
A good leg kick by Syed.
Henry is still on wobbly legs! Can Syed finish him?
Henry closes this distance looking for a takedown but Syed circles away.
Syed misses with a takedown attempt - Henry sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Henry seems to have recovered his senses.
Henry fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Henry pushes Syed up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Syed presses Henry against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Syed has had enough of the clinch but Henry keeps him there for the moment.
Syed is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Syed is trying to force a seperation but Henry has the dominant position.
Syed working aggressively here.
Henry wants to take the fight to the mat but Syed manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Syed wants to break free but Henry has control.

Syed breaks from the clinch.
Balan Syed is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Syed swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Syed.
Henry changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Henry closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Syed to the mat! Syed manages to get full guard.
Syed keeping moving, preventing Henry from controlling successfully.
Henry is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Henry tries to free his leg and advance position but Syed is retaining full guard.
Henry throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry prevents Syed from getting back to his feet.
Henry wants to control from the top but Syed keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Henry stands up and waves to Syed to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry shoots for a double leg takedown but Syed sprawls well. He's pushed Henry's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Henry changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Syed looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Syed struggling a bit here.
Syed is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henry trying to control the position but Syed is working away.
Syed can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Henry in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Henry scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Syed to see if he's OK.

Henry wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Syed, who protects the arm well.
Syed is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Henry's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Henry is trying to work for a kimura but Syed is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry prevents Syed from improving his position.

Henry looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Syed is looking to improve his position.
Balan Syed is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Syed misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Syed.

Syed tries to keep at a distance but Henry has taken the fight into the clinch.

Syed's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
John Henry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Syed throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Henry's head.
Henry defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Syed.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Henry comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Syed has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Balan Syed!
Balan Syed decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.