PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jean Howell (ranked 24848 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordon Xie (ranked 5861 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Howell
vs
Xie

187 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

178 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jean Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gordon Xie!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Eliza Hachem and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xie throws a leg kick that is checked
and Howell counters with a left and a right that stings Xie.

Xie pushes Howell up against the cage in a clinch.

Xie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Xie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Howell as he jumps to the side.
Howell drops down looking for a counter takedown but Xie sprawls and moves away.

Xie rushes Howell and presses him up against the cage.
Howell fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Xie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Xie forces Howell back against the cage and clinches.
Howell is trying to push Xie away but Xie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Xie breaks from the clinch.

Howell gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xie drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Howell gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Howell fails to pull guard.

Xie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Howell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Jean Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Xie.
Xie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Howell circles away.
Howell wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Howell. That's going to slow Xie down.
Howell changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Xie tries to avoid it but Howell manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Xie to the ground. Xie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt

and Howell counters with a shoot takedown. Xie fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howell manages to get himself to full guard.

Howell keeping full guard, as Xie tries to pass.
Xie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
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.

Howell working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Xie has passed into half guard!
Xie wants to pass to mount but Howell is defending the position.
Xie is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Howell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell trying to control from the bottom.
Xie is taking a breather. Howell says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Xie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Xie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Xie trying to work for an americana but Howell has managed to regain full guard.

Howell looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Xie has picked Howell up and slammed him! Howell can't keep hold of the triangle and Xie manages to pass to side control!
Howell is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Xie has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Howell pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Xie clinches.
Xie controlling the action here for a moment.
Howell can't break the clinch.
Howell is trying to pull guard but Xie has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howell stops a takedown attempt from Xie.

Xie successfully pulls guard.
Xie is pulling down on Howell's head to control his posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Xie dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Xie closes the distance and clinches up with Howell, looking for a takedown. Xie pushes Howell against the cage but Howell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gordon Xie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Xie shoots in but Howell avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Howell attempts a counter takedown but Xie avoids it well and moves away.
Howell fails to land the takedown.
Xie shoots in but no luck this time.
It looked like Howell was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Jean Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gordon Xie.
Xie avoids the head kick by Howell.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Xie with a poor takedown

so Howell counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Xie doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Howell tries to stand but Xie is controlling from the bottom.
Xie has control of Howell's left arm, preventing Howell from doing any damage.
Howell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Howell controls from within his opponent's guard.
Xie controlling Howell's posture.

Xie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Howell gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Xie is breathing heavily.
Howell slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Howell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Xie throws a head kick that misses.
Horrible takedown attempt by Xie or perhaps it was just good defense by Howell, which made it look bad.
Jean Howell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Xie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Xie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Xie tries to clinch there but Howell circles away.
Howell misses with a head kick.
Xie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Howell tries a head kick but it misses.
Xie changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Howell throws a nice outside leg kick.
Howell tries for a takedown but Xie circles away easily
and Xie counters with a right hand to the body.

Xie clinches up against the cage.
Howell is trying to pull guard but Xie has him pressed against the cage.

Xie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Xie seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Howell stays in close to Xie's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xie wants to stand up but Howell is controlling him.

Xie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Howell gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Xie throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Howell is looking to work some ground and pound but Xie has wrist control.
Howell postures up in Xie's guard and throws a big left but Xie blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Xie trying to strike off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Howell tries for a takedown but Xie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Xie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jean Howell will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Xie is looking to clinch but Howell is avoiding it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Howell.
Xie looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Nice sprawl there from Howell as Xie shoots in.
Xie is looking to clinch.
Howell appears to be looking for a big counter.
Xie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Howell shoots and misses
and Xie counters with a left and a right that stings Howell.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Xie moves into the clinch successfully.
Howell wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Xie has him pressed against the cage.
Howell is trying to push Xie away but Xie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Howell tries to pull guard but Xie holds him up against the cage and eventually Howell drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Howell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xie avoiding damage.
Nice elbow from Xie.
Howell tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Xie smiles and moves away.
Howell tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Xie defends well and Howell ends up having to push Xie into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Howell throws a head kick but Xie moves out of range.
Xie feints the counter takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Xie misses with a takedown attempt - Howell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Xie is looking to clinch but Howell is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xie ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Xie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Xie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Howell is fending him off so far but Xie persists. Nope, Howell circles away and we're back to standing.
Howell changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Xie moves into the clinch.
Howell is trying to break the clinch but Xie has him pressed against the cage.
Howell has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Xie successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howell trying to control but Xie is working from the bottom.
Xie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Howell throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Howell trying to control the position from guard on top but Xie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Xie controlling Howell's posture.
Howell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Xie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xie pulls Howell in to control the position.
Howell trying to control the position from guard on top but Xie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Xie pushes Howell off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Howell shoots in for a takedown but Xie shows good takedown defense.
Xie misses with a two punch combination.

Xie has Howell up against the cage in a clinch.
Xie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Xie tries to pull guard but Howell won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell is trying to pull guard but Xie turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Howell is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Xie to keep the fight standing.
Howell prevents the takedown attempt.

Howell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Howell misses with a takedown attempt - Xie sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Xie tries for a takedown but Howell circles away easily
and Howell counters with a head kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howell tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Xie defends well and Howell ends up having to push Xie into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Xie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Howell pinned against the cage. Howell gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Howell is looking for a counter combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gordon Xie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Xie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gordon Xie!