PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Numbers Holman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Henney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Holman
vs
Henney

170 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

171 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Numbers Holman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Liam Henney!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Daniel Bishop and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holman shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Henney as he jumps to the side.
Henney tries to clinch but Holman moves away
and Holman counters with a head kick. That will keep Henney thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Sloppy strikes from Henney. Those never looked like landing.
Henney fails with a takedown attempt.
Henney throws a leg kick
and Holman finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henney misses with a two punch combination.
Henney throws a leg kick that is checked

and Holman counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Henney throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Henney looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henney had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Holman defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Henney looking for a guillotine here but Holman defends easily.
Henney seems keen to control Holman's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Holman throws a big right hand that misses.

Henney working for a triangle but Holman defends it easily.
Henney trying to keep a closed guard but Holman is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A low kick from Henney misses

and Holman counters with a takedown into side control.
Holman landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Holman working the strikes but Henney uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henney punching from the bottom.
Henney wants to get back to his feet.

Henney has one foot on Holman's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Liam Henney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henney looks to land a combination. Holman sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like Numbers Holman has been cut.
Holman has a takedown stuffed.
Henney tries to clinch up but Holman circles away and keeps his distance.
Henney shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Holman pinned against the cage. Holman gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henney shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Holman drops down looking for a counter takedown but Henney sprawls and moves away.
Numbers Holman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Henney.
Henney misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Henney looks winded!
Holman throws a sloppy head kick and Henney moves out of range easily.
Holman fails with a takedown attempt.
Henney dives in and grabs Holman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Holman pushes down on Henney's head and hops out.
Holman is looking to counter the offense by Henney and move into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Good work by Holman as he checks the leg kick.
Holman looks for a takedown but Henney sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Liam Henney will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Numbers Holman's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Henney misses with a wild combination.
Holman half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Henney looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Holman is fending him off so far but Henney persists. Nope, Holman circles away and we're back to standing.
Henney tries to close the distance and clinch but Holman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Henney tries to get set, Holman tries to push him back and clinch up but Henney manages to avoid the attempt.
Holman tries a head kick but it misses.
Henney shoots for a double leg takedown but Holman sprawls well. He's pushed Henney's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Liam Henney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holman misses with a takedown attempt - Henney sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holman tries to score a power double leg takedown but Henney sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Holman somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holman slips a jab and a cross from Henney.
Henney tries to clinch but Holman is having none of it.
Henney tries a head kick but it misses.
Henney looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Holman is fending him off so far but Henney persists. Nope, Holman circles away and we're back to standing.
Numbers Holman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Henney.
Henney is breathing heavily.
Holman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Henney but Henney pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Holman walks into a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henney shoots for a double leg takedown but Holman sprawls well. He's pushed Henney's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Henney shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Holman but Holman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Holman feinted with a counter takedown.

Holman looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Henney tries to kick Holman off in order to stand up. Holman Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

Holman stands up and beckons Henney to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Holman looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Holman moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromHenney.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holman defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Henney.
Holman misses with a takedown attempt - Henney sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Holman fails with a takedown attempt.
Henney feints the counter takedown.
Henney attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Henney fails with a takedown attempt.
Holman tries to counter by clinching up but Henney breaks away and moves out of range.

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.
Henney feints a jab promting Holman to slip. Henney then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Holman slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Henney slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Holman stuffs the takedown.
Henney misses with a leg kick

and Holman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Holman.
Holman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holman is standing up over Henney. Henney looks to escape but Holman dives into side control.
Holman trying to control the position but Henney is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Liam Henney will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Numbers Holman's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Holman looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Henney stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Henney wants it to stay on the feet.
Henney is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Henney dives in for a single leg takedown but Holman sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Henney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Holman appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Holman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henney shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Holman defends it nicely.
Holman is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Henney.
Numbers Holman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Henney.
Henney takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holman shoots for a takedown but Henney saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Holman shoots in looking for a takedown. Henney tries to sprawl out of it but Holman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Henney manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Henney moves in looking to clinch but Holman pushes him off.
Henney throws a head kick that misses.
Holman takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Holman blocks a head kick by Henney.
Holman drops down looking for a counter takedown but Henney sprawls and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henney scores with a one two! Holman had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Holman lands a jab to Henney's midsection.

Holman shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Henney pushes Holman off and gets back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Henney clinches with his opponent.
A bit of stalling here from Henney.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henney drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Holman gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Holman manages to break the clinch.
Henney doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Holman counters with a head kick.
Holman misses with a takedown attempt

and Henney moves into the clinch.
Henney has had enough of the clinch but Holman keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holman has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Henney uses from the top position.
Holman looking to hit a scissor sweep but Henney is one step ahead there.
Henney looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Henney stands up and waves to Holman to follow him.
Henney gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Holman counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Numbers Holman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Liam Henney is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Holman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Liam Henney comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henney winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Liam Henney!