PBP Commentary

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

Slater
vs
Howard

218 cm
21
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Orval Slater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jon Howard!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Illya Tyunina and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Slater really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Howard tries to land a front kick but Slater steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Howard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Slater will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Howard tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Slater looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Howard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Howard clinches up with Slater and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater is trying to push Howard away but Howard has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Slater gets underhooks to prevent Howard's takedown attempt.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Howard gets a clinch.

Slater breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Howard moves into the clinch.
Howard gets underhooks to prevent Slater's takedown attempt.
Howard is trying to pull guard but Slater turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Orval Slater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Howard.
Slater is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Howard goes for a takedown attempt but Slater pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Howard wants to slow Slater down by chopping away at his legs.

Howard looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Slater wants to improve his position but instead Howard has moved into half guard.
Slater regains full guard. Nicely done.

Slater is looking for a triangle but Howard pushes his legs off easily.

Slater has his foot on Howard's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Howard works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slater keeping moving, preventing Howard from controlling successfully.
Howard is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Slater is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Howard is aware though and is defending well.
Slater looking to hit a scissor sweep but Howard is one step ahead there.

Slater looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Howard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Slater is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slater avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Slater looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Howard is looking to stand up but Slater won't let him.
Slater looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Howard trying to control but Slater is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Howard tries to free his leg and advance position but Slater is retaining full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Nice uppercut lands for Slater. That snapped Howard's head back.
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Slater swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Slater lands with a kick to the temple. Howard shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slater slaps away a takedown attempt from Howard, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Howard fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Slater blocks a head kick by Howard.
Howard darts in looking for a takedown but Slater gets double underhooks and turns Howard into the cage.
Howard looks winded!

Slater has closed the distance and engaged Howard in a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howard fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Howard is looking to break free of the clinch but Slater has double underhooks.
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 Orval Slater will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Howard tries to sprawl but Slater drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Slater controlling the action here.
Howard trying to hold on to Slater's head to control him but Slater postures up.
Slater will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Slater performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Slater seems content to control.

Howard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Slater pulls his head out easily.
Slater takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Slater is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Howard can do to turn this around?
Howard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Howard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Howard tries to clinch but Slater moves out of range.
Slater stuffs the takedown attempt from Howard. Howard gets slowly back to his feet.
Howard is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Nice sprawl there from Howard as Slater shoots in.
Howard misses with a takedown
and Slater counters with a two punch combo.
Orval Slater has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jon Howard.
Slater fails with a takedown attempt.
Howard tries to counter with a clinch but Slater shakes him off and moves away.

Howard scores with a takedown into Slater's guard.
Howard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Slater throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Slater is looking for a triangle but Howard pushes his legs off easily.

Howard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Howard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Slater has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Howard has managed to get both his arms back between Slater's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Slater is on top in guard.

Slater trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.
Howard pulls Slater in to control the position.
Slater trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Howard has control of Slater's left arm, preventing Slater from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Howard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Slater wants to get back to striking at distance but Howard won't allow it.

Howard is fighting off a takedown attempt but Slater is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Howard to the mat. Howard regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Howard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Slater defends well.
Slater not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Slater trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard is trying to control the position but Slater postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Howard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Slater slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Howard tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.
Howard scores with a body shot.

Slater has closed the distance and engaged Howard in a clinch.
Slater has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Slater misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Howard.
Howard wants to break free but Slater has control.

Howard pulls guard.
Howard seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Howard tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Howard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Slater landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slater is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Howard throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Slater shoots in for a double leg but Howard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Howard decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Howard tries to pass to full mount but Slater defends it.
Slater gets back to full guard.
Slater tries to strike from the bottom.
Howard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Slater is proving hard to escape from.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Slater bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Howard's guard.

Jon Howard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Orval Slater is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Howard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Slater is aware though and is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jon Howard.
I think Slater 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Orval Slater!
The defeated Jon Howard had this to say: 'Do again,do good'.