PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lyman Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivaylo Tonev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ivaylo Tonev was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Howell
vs
Tonev

183 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lyman Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivaylo Tonev!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Daniel Franklin and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to the liver by Tonev. Beautiful body shot.

Tonev gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tonev tries to break the clinch but Howell is controlling the position.
Tonev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tonev tries to break the clinch but Howell is controlling the position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tonev.

Howell gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Tonev regains guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Howell is looking to work some ground and pound but Tonev has wrist control.
Howell is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Howell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonev wants to stand and escape but Howell is having none of it.
Howell looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Howell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Howell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Howell keeps control of Tonev as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Howell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Howell really is a fat lump.
Howell throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tonev tries to close the distance and clinch but Howell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tonev throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tonev stalks Howell and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Howell's face. Howell staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Lyman Howell has been cut.

Tonev moves into the clinch.
Tonev scores with a shot to the side of Howell's head.
Tonev is trying to push Howell away but Howell has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Howell slowing the pace effectively.
Tonev controlling the action here for a moment.
A frustrated look appears on Tonev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tonev swings wildly with an uppercut but Howell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Howell is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tonev pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Howell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tonev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tonev wants to get back to striking at distance but Howell won't allow it.
Tonev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Tonev is looking to break free of the clinch but Howell has double underhooks.
Tonev looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tonev wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Howell has him pressed against the cage.
Tonev pushes Howell back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonev dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Tonev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tonev tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tonev lands a left hand that snaps the head of Howell backwards.
Tonev lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tonev has had enough of the clinch but Howell keeps him there for the moment.
Howell keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tonev's efforts to push away.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Howell.
Howell is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tonev pulls him back up using the underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivaylo Tonev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lyman Howell's cut.
That's time! Howell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tonev tries to keep at a distance but Howell has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tonev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tonev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tonev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tonev lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Howell backwards.
Tonev avoiding damage.
Tonev gets through Howell's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Howell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tonev misses with a double jab.
Howell went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Tonev batters Howell with a massive right followed by a huge left! Howell is out on his feet looking like a zombie as Tonev lands a final crushing right hand to drop Howell to the mat with a gruesome thud! Tonev is running around like a mad man after that fight and for good reason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Ivaylo Tonev!
After winning the bout, Ivaylo Tonev thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.