PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between El Misterioso Damballah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonthan Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henry has chosen hit em up as his entrance music. Jonthan Henry has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Misterioso Damballah
vs
Henry

179 cm
25
180 lbs
9 - 12 - 0

185 cm
32
180 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, El Misterioso Damballah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jonthan Henry !
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damballah will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Henry is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Henry on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Henry has managed to clinch.
Henry is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Henry tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Henry lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Damballah pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Henry slips a jab and a cross from Damballah.
Henry tries to clinch but Damballah moves out of range.
Damballah looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Henry tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Henry has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Damballah scores with a jab. Henry acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Henry tries to clinch but Damballah is having none of it.

Damballah tries to keep at a distance but Henry has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Damballah is trying to trip Henry . He has hold of a leg but Henry is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Damballah persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Henry pulls Damballah in close to prevent any damage.
Damballah with a flurry of punches that miss.
Damballah throwing strikes from guard but Henry blocks nicely.
Henry looking to hit a scissor sweep but Damballah is one step ahead there.
Damballah has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Henry wants to sweep here but Damballah controlling him for the moment.
Damballah postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Henry lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Henry won't allow Damballah to get back to his feet.
Henry chips away with some ground and pound.

Damballah manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Damballah has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Henry is trying to keep an underhook but Damballah manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Henry blocking the ground and pound attempt from Damballah.
Henry keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Damballah 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.
Damballah sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Henry defending well though.
Henry on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Henry is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Damballah working Henry over with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Henry gets back to full guard.
Henry seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Damballah in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Henry looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Damballah postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damballah wants to control from the top but Henry keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Damballah thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Damballah thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Henry wants to sweep but no luck.

Damballah drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Damballah jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Damballah throwing strikes from guard but Henry blocks nicely.
Damballah throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Henry has his hands on Damballah's head, controlling the position.
Henry manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Damballah manages to get himself to full guard.

Damballah avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Damballah wants to stand and escape but Henry is having none of it.
Damballah trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damballah utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Damballah wants to stand up but Henry is controlling him.
Henry throwing strikes from guard but Damballah blocks nicely.
Damballah is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Henry is controlling him.
Henry throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Damballah works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henry works over Damballah with some ground and pound from guard.
Damballah wants to stand but Henry is controlling the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Henry 's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Henry scoring with punches to the head and body.
Henry pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Damballah is keeping the position for now.
Henry throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Damballah works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Damballah being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Henry connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah dominated that round.
That's time! Damballah's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Henry wants to clinch.
El Misterioso Damballah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henry looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Henry drives through and clinches with Damballah against the cage.

Damballah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Henry wants to clinch.
Damballah lands with an overhand left.
Henry moves in looking to clinch but Damballah pushes him off.
Henry tries to clinch up but Damballah circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Damballah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Damballah scores with a three punch combo!
Damballah works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Damballah circles away.
Damballah throws a right hand that Henry ducks under and follows up with a left that Henry also avoids with ease.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Henry shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sloppy strikes from Damballah. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A punch combination from Damballah misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henry looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It looked like Damballah wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Damballah digs a good body shot into Henry 's ribs.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .
Damballah misses with a wild body shot.

Henry has managed to clinch.
Henry tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Damballah's elbow.
I was talking to Damballah's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Henry is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Damballah is defending well for now.
Damballah is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Damballah blocks an uppercut.
Damballah is trying to break the clinch but Henry has him pressed against the cage.
Damballah lands a hook that snaps the head of Henry backwards.
Damballah is looking to take this one to the mat.
Henry is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Damballah gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Henry scores with a shot to the side of Damballah's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Damballah breaks from the clinch.
Henry moves in looking to clinch but Damballah pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Henry 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Henry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damballah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Damballah was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Henry takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Henry rushes Damballah and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Damballah has a couple of punches blocked by Henry .
Henry looking for a takedown.
El Misterioso Damballah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonthan Henry .
Henry tries to land knees in the clinch but Damballah avoids the damage to the body.
Henry gets underhooks to prevent Damballah's takedown attempt.
Damballah blocking some punches.
Damballah is looking to take this one to the mat.
Henry tries for a takedown but Damballah manages to get underhooks.
Henry landing knees to the head.
Damballah scores with a shot to the side of Henry 's head.
Henry wants to take the fight to the mat but Damballah manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Henry is breathing heavily.
Henry is pressed up against the cage. Damballah has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Henry down to the mat. Henry avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Damballah fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Henry looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Damballah connects with a jab.
Damballah fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Henry walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Damballah's corner calls for a 1-2. Damballah obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damballah lunges at Henry with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Henry 's hand.
Damballah tests Henry 's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Damballah throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Henry on the side of the head.
Henry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damballah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Damballah lands a jab-cross combination.
Damballah scores with a jab to the jaw.
Henry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damballah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Henry showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Damballah.
Henry tries to clinch up but Damballah circles away and keeps his distance.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .
Henry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damballah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Damballah was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Henry has taken the fight to the clinch.
Henry pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry gets underhooks to prevent Damballah's takedown attempt.
Damballah working hard to break the clinch.

Damballah breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Damballah paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Henry tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
El Misterioso Damballah is winning the standup battle so far.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Damballah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Damballah avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Damballah fails to land with a series of punches.
Damballah fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Damballah bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Henry 's head backwards.
Henry tries to clinch but Damballah moves out of range.
Damballah throws a combination. Henry tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Damballah lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Damballah connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Henry momentarily.

Damballah gets tackled into the cage by Henry . Henry maintains the clinch.
Henry misses with a short punch on the inside.
Damballah drops down looking for an ankle pick but Henry pulls his leg out and moves away.
Henry tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Damballah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Damballah paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Henry moves into the clinch successfully.
Henry wants to take the fight to the mat but Damballah manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Henry lands a shoulder strike.
Henry goes for a takedown in the clinch but Damballah prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

El Misterioso Damballah 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!

Henry tries to clinch but Damballah moves out of range.
Damballah throws a series of punches but Henry avoids them all with ease.
Henry tries to clinch but Damballah is having none of it.
Damballah listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Damballah is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
A punch combination from Damballah misses.

Henry moves into range and clinches up with Damballah.
Henry tries to land knees in the clinch but Damballah avoids the damage to the body.
Henry looking for a takedown.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Damballah.
Damballah lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A frustrated look appears on Damballah's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Henry changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Damballah fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Henry takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Henry takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Damballah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Henry can do to turn this around?
Henry is looking to clinch but Damballah is avoiding it.
Damballah getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
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!
Damballah lands a head shot.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henry fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Damballah, pushing him back against the cage.
A hook to the body from Henry .
Henry lands a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Damballah wants to break the clinch but can't.
Henry scores a nice knee to the body.
Damballah on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Henry tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Damballah's elbow.
Still in the clinch, Damballah scores with a nice short uppercut.
Damballah lands a shoulder strike.
Henry goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nice elbow from Henry .
Henry goes for a takedown attempt but Damballah pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
El Misterioso Damballah has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonthan Henry .
Henry avoids a punch combination nicely.
Damballah fails to land with a series of punches.
Damballah misses with a hook. Henry ducked under it nicely.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .

Henry moves into range and clinches up with Damballah.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry looking to throw knees to the head but Damballah is blocking nicely.
Henry has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Henry throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Damballah blocks a body shot from Henry .
Henry lands a nice shot to the body.
Damballah goes for a takedown attempt but Henry pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Damballah swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Henry .
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Damballah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .
Henry is looking to clinch.
Damballah lands a nice shot to the body.
Damballah cracks Henry with a right hand to the side of the head.
Damballah wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Henry tries to clinch there but Damballah circles away.

Henry pushes Damballah up against the cage in a clinch.
Damballah scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry scores with a nice hook to the head.

Damballah pulls guard effortlessly.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Henry accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Henry chips away with some ground and pound.
Damballah utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Henry stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Damballah swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Henry has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Damballah scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Damballah digs a good body shot into Henry 's ribs.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Damballah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Damballah circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Damballah on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Damballah scores with a nice short uppercut.
Henry tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Henry digs a right hand underneath Damballah's ribcage. Damballah let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henry is working for takedown but Damballah is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry tries to throw a body punch but Damballah avoids it by throwing Henry back against the cage.
Henry doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Damballah breaks from the clinch.
Damballah lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Damballah swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry .
Damballah swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Damballah prevents a body shot from Henry .
Henry stops a takedown attempt from Damballah.
Henry using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Damballah ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Damballah no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Henry is pushing down on Damballah's leg trying to pass to half guard. Damballah is fighting to maintain full guard but Henry has managed to sneak the leg through.
Henry stops Damballah from getting back to his feet.
Henry is looking to advance position but Damballah won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Damballah on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Jonthan Henry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
El Misterioso Damballah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
El Misterioso Damballah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Damballah, 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... El Misterioso Damballah!
El Misterioso Damballah bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.