PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jarred Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Howell
vs
Rose

210 cm
37
223 lbs
20 - 9 - 0

185 cm
41
220 lbs
21 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 19 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jarred Rose!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rose shoots in for a takedown but Howell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A shot to the liver by Howell. Beautiful body shot.
Rose tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rose gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Howell.
Howell throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rose stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling Howell to counter with a crisp jab.

Rose shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Howell's guard.
Howell wants to sweep here but Rose controlling him for the moment.
Rose trying to control the position from guard on top but Howell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rose looking to pass the guard.
Rose postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose works over Howell with some ground and pound from guard.
Rose postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rose accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rose trying to control the position from guard on top but Howell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rose prevents Howell from getting back to his feet.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rose postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rose lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rose postures up in Howell's guard and throws a big left but Howell blocks it.
Rose trying to control but Howell is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rose throwing strikes from guard but Howell blocks nicely.
Rose stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Howell has momentary wrist control but Rose slips an elbow through the middle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rose accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rose stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howell swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rose wants to control from the top but Howell keeps moving.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Rose drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rose throws a big right hand that misses.
Howell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rose passes Howell's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rose working over Howell with some ground and pound. Howell looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rose not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Howell is trying to control but can't.
Rose is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rose throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Howell is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rose not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rose working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Howell is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rose scores with a couple of nice shots.
Howell trying to hold on to Rose's head to control him but Rose postures up.
Rose missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rose thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rose thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Howell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Howell tries to get out of the position.
Rose is nestled in close to Howell, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rose not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rose trying to control from half guard but Howell is working away.
Rose missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jarred Rose dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rose shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Howell as he avoids it easily.

Rose gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Howell tries to pull guard but Rose holds him up against the cage and eventually Howell drops back down to his feet.
Howell changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rose fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rose tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Howell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Howell swats away the attempt to clinch by Rose.
Howell scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Rose.
Howell thuds his right hand into Rose's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rose shoots for a double leg takedown but Howell sprawls well. He's pushed Rose's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A swing and a miss from Howell.
Rose misses with a takedown attempt
letting Howell counter with a right hand.
Josh Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jarred Rose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose tries to score a power double leg takedown but Howell sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rose somewhat.
Rose takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Howell misses with a hook.

Rose shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Howell napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The strikes coming from Rose are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
You can see the frustration on Howell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rose is trying to ground and pound but Howell uses the momentary lack of control by Rose to regain half guard.
Rose wants to lay and pray for a moment but Howell keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rose is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Howell has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rose missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Howell has hold of Rose's hands but Rose slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Rose is looking for a kimura here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rose in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rose seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rose seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Howell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rose in particular looking to stall.
Howell is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rose thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Rose 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.

That's four 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.
Howell controlling the position for now.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Howell lands a jab to the head.
Rose tries to clinch up.
Rose takes one to the side of the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rose sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rose keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Howell.

Rose closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Howell dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rose tries for a takedown but Howell circles away easily
and Howell counters with a right hand to the body.
Howell cracks Rose with a good jab.
Rose fails with a takedown attempt.
Rose slips under a jab from Howell.
Rose shoots in for a takedown but Howell shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Josh Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jarred Rose.
Howell scores with a punch to the head.
Rose ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jarred Rose is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Howell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Rose clinches up with Howell and pushes him back against the cage.

Howell has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rose uses from the top position.
Howell wants to stand but Rose is controlling the position.
Rose trying to control the position from guard on top but Howell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rose looking to pass the guard.
Rose working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Howell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rose with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Howell has Rose pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rose throws a hook but Howell avoids it easily.

Rose is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Howell's half guard.
Rose takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell taking some punishment here, with Rose in his half guard.
Rose has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rose looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Howell with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rose lands a nice short elbow.
Rose thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rose wants to lay and pray for a moment but Howell keeps working.
Howell moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rose throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rose sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rose lands a couple of elbows.
Rose is looking to work some ground and pound but Howell has wrist control.
Rose throws a big elbow that misses.
Rose with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rose working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rose working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A jab from Howell does it's job there.
Howell looks to score with a jab to the body but Rose is just out of range.
Rose changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Rose fails with a takedown attempt.
Howell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Howell connects with a body shot that sends Rose's belly button to the back.
Josh Howell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Howell is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rose with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Howell to score with a decent uppercut.
Rose is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Howell is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Howell throws a looping overhand right but Rose ducks down to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Howell showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Howell 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Howell!
A very excited looking Josh Howell made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.