PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raphael Bowie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daniel Speed is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Speed
vs
Bowie

200 cm
39
241 lbs
41 - 22 - 0

195 cm
39
210 lbs
24 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
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 41 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daniel Speed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Raphael Bowie!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Speed scores with a hook to the body. Bowie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Speed shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bowie's guard.
Bowie wants to stand and escape but Speed is having none of it.
Speed wanted to stand there but Bowie had control of the position.
Bowie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Speed is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Speed stops Bowie from standing up.
Bowie is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bowie takes one to the side of the head.
Bowie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowie lands an overhand right.
Bowie throws a body punch but Speed moves out of range.
Bowie throws a right and a left that Speed avoids nicely.
Speed tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bowie only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Bowie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bowie looks to land a combination but Speed avoids it well.
Bowie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bowie cracks Speed with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Bowie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bowie finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Bowie attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Speed checks a leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Speed or perhaps it was just good defense by Bowie, which made it look bad.

Speed is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bowie's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Speed thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Speed lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Speed throwing shots but Bowie is blocking nicely.

Speed is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bowie defends it well.
Speed throwing shots but Bowie is blocking nicely.
Bowie pushes Speed off looking to stand but Speed dives back in and keeps control.
Speed scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bowie has hold of Speed's hands but Speed slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bowie is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed lands with a punch from half guard.
Speed throwing shots but Bowie is blocking nicely.
Speed looks to land a strike but Bowie avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Speed loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Speed has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Speed connects with a couple of short punches.
Speed won't allow Bowie to get back to his feet.
Speed throws a big right hand that misses.
Speed lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Speed trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bowie wants to get back to his feet but Speed is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Speed with a flurry of punches that miss.
Speed trying to move into half guard but instead Bowie has managed to sweep!

Bowie wants to stand and escape but instead Speed has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Speed is looking to work some ground and pound but Bowie has wrist control.
Bowie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Speed.
Speed looking to pass the guard.
Speed works over Bowie with some ground and pound from guard.
Speed is looking to work some ground and pound but Bowie has wrist control.
Speed trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.
Bowie is looking to stand back up but Speed counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bowie.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Speed dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Speed scores with the left hand. Bowie knows he should have avoided that one.
Speed scores with a jab.
Bowie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Speed momentarily.
Bowie works the jab nicely.
Bowie misses with a leg kick.

Speed feints and as Bowie raises his hands in defense, Speed changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bowie is looking to stand back up but Speed counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Bowie.
Daniel Speed overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Speed wants to work for an arm triangle but Bowie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bowie is trying to stand up here but Speed is controlling him well.
Speed working the head and body with strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Speed thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Speed thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Speed throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Speed wants to work for an arm triangle but Bowie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bowie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Speed scores with a couple of nice shots.
Speed looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Speed thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowie's head.
Bowie looks like he's trying to stand up.
Speed missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Speed is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bowie can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Speed is looking for a kimura here.
Speed sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bowie defending well though.
Bowie is trying to stand up here but Speed is controlling him well.
Speed thows a huge punch but Bowie dodges it nicely.
Bowie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Speed with the ground and pound but Bowie uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Speed trying to control but Bowie is working from the bottom.

Speed stands and steps away. Bowie gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bowie.
Speed tries a head kick but it misses.
Speed keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Speed fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bowie to the ground. Speed is now in Bowie's guard.
Bowie keeping moving, preventing Speed from controlling successfully.
Speed throws a strike but Bowie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Bowie wants to stand but Speed has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Bowie wants to stand and escape but instead Speed has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Bowie wants to stand and escape but Speed is having none of it.
Speed trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Speed's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Speed scoring with some ground and pound.
Speed is looking to work some ground and pound but Bowie has wrist control.
Bowie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Speed working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Speed with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bowie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
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!
Speed postures up in Bowie's guard and throws a big left but Bowie blocks it.
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.
Speed lands a couple of digs.
Bowie wants to get back to his feet but Speed is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Speed dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Speed scores with a head kick. Bowie tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Speed throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bowie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Speed checks a low kick from Bowie.
Bowie lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bowie avoids the head kick by Speed.
Bowie takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Bowie blocks a head kick by Speed.
Bowie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Speed moves away.
Speed scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Speed checks the leg kick.
Bowie feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Speed's calf.
Speed defending well as Bowie loads up on a big left hand.
Bowie uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Speed has time to react.
Bowie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Raphael Bowie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bowie lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Speed lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Bowie is rocked!

Speed fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bowie to the ground. Speed is now in Bowie's guard.
Bowie is still in real trouble! Can Speed finish him?
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Speed.
Speed throwing strikes from guard but Bowie blocks nicely.
Bowie seems to have recovered his senses.
Speed throws an elbow that misses. Bowie uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Speed's guard. Nice move by Bowie!

Bowie wants to stand but Speed is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bowie wants to stand and escape but instead Speed has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Speed throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bowie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Speed scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowie wants to stand up but Speed is controlling him.
Bowie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Speed pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bowie is keeping the position for now.
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.
Speed stands up over Bowie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Speed wants to control from the top but Bowie keeps moving.
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Speed pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bowie is keeping the position for now.
Speed loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bowie is looking to stand up but Speed isn't so interested in that idea.
Speed throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bowie jabs Speed right on the nose. Speed blinks but takes it well.
Speed throws a wild body kick that Bowie sees coming a mile off.
Bowie appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
The fighters circling - Bowie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Speed shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bowie pinned against the cage. Bowie gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bowie throws out a counter right but Speed avoids it with no problem.
Bowie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Speed was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowie defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Speed.
Bowie feints a counter leg kick.
Bowie throws a head kick that half lands.
Bowie attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Bowie misses with a hook.
Speed looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Raphael Bowie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Speed slips under a jab.
Speed checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Speed throwing a counter right hand but Bowie manages to avoid it.
Speed ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Bowie misses with a body shot.
Speed looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Speed lands a head shot.
Bowie throws a sloppy head kick and Speed moves out of range easily.
Bowie just misses with a punch to the body.
Bowie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Speed. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bowie throws the left hand but Speed avoids the punch easily.
Bowie looks to land a right hand but Speed moved out of range.
Speed fires out a quick counter leg kick but Bowie just manages to avoid it.
Bowie fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Speed is out of range.
Bowie with a jab.
Speed lands a slapping body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Daniel Speed.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Speed, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Speed!
A relieved looking Daniel Speed thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.