PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Henry (ranked 5590 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masahiro Tanaka (ranked 24485 p4p, 728 weight class). Henry comes to the cage accompanied by knuck if you buck . The crowd seem to be enjoying Tanaka's choice of entrance music: Takyon. Andrew Henry looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Henry
vs
Tanaka

185 cm
37
180 lbs
14 - 14 - 0

175 cm
19
180 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Freebok (85% Laundry)
IniTech Nutrition

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 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrew Henry !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masahiro Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Konstantin Menshow and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Henry has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Henry throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Tanaka tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Henry is in Tanaka's guard.
Tanaka wants to stand and escape but Henry is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henry is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Henry postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Henry sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka wants to stand and escape but Henry is having none of it.
Henry stands and throws Tanaka's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Tanaka!
Henry controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henry has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The referee warns Tanaka that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry controlling his opponent.
Tanaka is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Henry takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet.
Henry controlling from the full mount.
Tanaka tries to buck Henry off but he can't manage it.

Henry working for a submission but Tanaka is keeping him at bay.
The referee warns Tanaka that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tanaka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Henry . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Henry lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Tanaka is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Tanaka looks winded!
Henry unloading with bombs!
A nice elbow there by Henry .
Henry raining down hammerfists from mount.
Henry unloading with bombs!
Henry working Tanaka over with strikes here.
Henry with shots to the head and body - Tanaka looks very uncomfortable down there.
Oooooh, big shot lands for Henry ! Tanaka is hurt baaadly! Henry is firing away with more strikes - Tanaka is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andrew Henry !
Andrew Henry seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.