PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dustin Sweeney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rock Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rock Howard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sweeney
vs
Howard

160 cm
20
161 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dustin Sweeney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rock Howard!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Elvis Blanc and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sweeney forces Howard back against the cage and clinches.
Sweeney could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sweeney connects with a nasty looking knee right to Howard's face.
Howard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sweeney just stands there and leans against the cage.

Sweeney breaks from the clinch.

Sweeney closes the distance and pushes Howard back into the cage.
Howard tries for a takedown but Sweeney manages to get underhooks.
Howard has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sweeney is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dustin Sweeney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rock Howard.

Sweeney jumps into guard, dragging Howard to the mat.
Howard would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sweeney looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sweeney keeping moving, preventing Howard from controlling successfully.
Howard wants to stand and escape but instead Sweeney has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Sweeney pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Howard is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sweeney drops back, looking for a kneebar! Howard looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Howard looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Howard!

Sweeney might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Sweeney bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Howard gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sweeney will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Howard up against the cage.
Howard is looking to control Sweeney's arms but Sweeney gets an underhook and turns him. Now Howard has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sweeney has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Sweeney gets control of Howard's arms and successfully pulls guard. Sweeney will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sweeney looking for a sweep. Not yet Sweeney, not yet.
Sweeney pulls Howard in to control the position.
Howard wants to control from the top but Sweeney keeps moving.
Howard won't allow Sweeney to get back to his feet.
Sweeney pulls Howard in to control the position.
Sweeney looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Howard puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sweeney trying to control but Howard postures up.
Howard tries to stand and escape but Sweeney is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sweeney kicks off Howard and gets to his feet.
Howard shoots and misses

and Sweeney moves into the clinch.
Howard has Sweeney pressed against the cage, preventing Sweeney from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sweeney effectively controlling the action here.
Howard is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sweeney to keep the fight standing.
Sweeney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sweeney is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Howard is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Sweeney to keep the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sweeney manages to break the clinch.

Sweeney shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Howard's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sweeney is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Howard is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Howard has escaped and now he's on top!

Sweeney looking to hit a scissor sweep but Howard is one step ahead there.
Howard is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sweeney is breathing heavily.
Sweeney is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Howard throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sweeney's waist but Sweeney gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Howard off to one side.

Sweeney closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Howard being controlled against the cage.

Sweeney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Howard moves into range and clinches up with Sweeney.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard fails to pull guard.

Sweeney manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Sweeney manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Howard gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sweeney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dustin Sweeney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rock Howard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sweeney breaks the clinch.

Howard moves into the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Sweeney.

Sweeney breaks the clinch.

Sweeney takes the fight into the clinch.

Sweeney jumps into guard, dragging Howard to the mat.
Sweeney wants to get back to his feet but Howard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Sweeney has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Howard off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard shoots in for a takedown but Sweeney shows good takedown defense.
Howard is breathing heavily.

Sweeney clinches up against the cage.
Sweeney stalling against the cage.
Howard is trying to pull guard but Sweeney turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Howard tries to stall but Sweeney uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Sweeney breaks the clinch.

Sweeney changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Howard looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Sweeney in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sweeney throws an elbow but Howard slips to the side and avoids it well.

Sweeney looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dustin Sweeney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Sweeney is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Howard has escaped the position, nice work there.
Howard tries to control but Sweeney manages to take his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sweeney controlling from the back.
Howard rolls, trying to escape but Sweeney keeps control of the position.
Sweeney just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sweeney is not going to allow Howard to sit and survive in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sweeney clinches up with Howard and pushes him back against the cage.

Sweeney manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sweeney looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Howard puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Sweeney wants to control but Howard is keeping busy.
Howard prevents Sweeney from standing back up.
Howard thows a huge punch but Sweeney dodges it nicely.

Howard is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sweeney is trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sweeney is working to get back to half guard.
Sweeney tries to lock up and control but Howard gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Howard landing shots from mount.
Howard throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Sweeney really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sweeney is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Howard can do to turn this around?
Howard throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Sweeney because Howard loaded up on that one.
Sweeney is wriggling around trying to escape.

Howard is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Sweeney is surviving well by controlling Howard's body position as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Howard thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Sweeney is desperately trying to improve his position but Howard has a good base and remains in mount.
Howard misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Sweeney is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Howard unloads with some shots from mount but Sweeney bucks and avoids them well.

Howard is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Sweeney is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Sweeney flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Howard anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Sweeney and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Howard slips an arm under Sweeney chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Howard has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Howard is squeezing on Sweeney like an anaconda would it's prey. Sweeney fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rock Howard!