PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Neville Southall (ranked 3389 p4p, 327 weight class) and Hiro Manowaru (ranked 1384 p4p, 162 weight class). Hiro Manowaru has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Southall
vs
Manowaru

185 cm
23
286 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

193 cm
22
280 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Neville Southall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hiro Manowaru!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Illya Tyunina and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manowaru moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Manowaru ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Southall moves away.
Southall changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Southall shoots in and bounces Manowaru off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Manowaru is working an open guard so Southall takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Southall shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Manowaru's guard.
Manowaru looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Manowaru preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Southall throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manowaru is pulling down on Southall's head to control his posture.
Let's hope that Manowaru has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Manowaru preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Southall sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Southall makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Southall missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Manowaru has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Southall postures up in Manowaru's guard and throws a big left but Manowaru blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Southall accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Southall throws a strike but Manowaru rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Southall being controlled here, momentarily.
Southall striking off his back, scoring a few points.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manowaru controls from within his opponent's guard.
Southall throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Manowaru stays in close to Southall's body and controls the position.
Manowaru wants to control from the top but Southall keeps moving.
Manowaru controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Manowaru is continuing to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Southall moves out of range of the body kick.
Southall bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Manowaru misses with a leg kick
and Southall counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Southall connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Manowaru's hands.
Good shot there by Manowaru.

It looks like Neville Southall has been cut.
Manowaru connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
An inside leg kick lands from Manowaru.
Southall misses with a hook to the body
and Manowaru counters with a right hand to the body.
A head kick misses from Southall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Southall misses with a straight left.
No joy there for Southall, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Manowaru! But no joy.
Manowaru lands a right hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Southall shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Manowaru but Manowaru pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Manowaru throws a predictable looking body shot
and Southall counters with a thumping low kick.
Manowaru misses with an uppercut. Southall saw that one coming.
Southall tries to bum rush Manowaru with a series of wild strikes but Manowaru uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Manowaru throws out a counter right but Southall avoids it with no problem.
Southall walks into a straight right hand from Manowaru.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neville Southall dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Neville Southall's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Southall takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Southall on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Neville Southall is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Southall misses with a low kick.
Southall fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Manowaru cracks a nice hook into Southall's ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manowaru jabs at Southall's body.
Manowaru misses with a looping right.
Southall tries to bum rush Manowaru with a series of wild strikes but Manowaru uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Manowaru. Southall does a little dance to reset his feet.
Manowaru is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Southall.
Southall half committed to a counter leg kick.

Manowaru tries to keep at a distance but Southall has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Manowaru blocks a body shot from Southall.
Southall struggles to land a body shot inside as Manowaru controls his hands.
Manowaru cracks Southall with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Southall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Manowaru lands with a short shot to the head.
Southall is trying to maintain a safe position but Manowaru gets an underhook and turns Southall into the cage.

Manowaru breaks from the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Manowaru.

Southall scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manowaru is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Manowaru manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manowaru blocks the strikes from Southall.
Manowaru controlling the action here.
Southall has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Neville Southall overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Southall throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Manowaru looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Southall wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manowaru is pressing down on Southall's thigh, looking to free his foot. Southall is holding on for now.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Southall has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Manowaru is working away from the top position though.

Southall actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Manowaru in particular looking to stall.
Southall missing with punches from the bottom.
Manowaru wants to pass the guard but Southall is defending well.
Manowaru is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Southall looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Southall trying to control but Manowaru postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Southall has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Southall there as he acknowledges the shot.

Southall dives in and scores a takedown into Manowaru's guard.
Manowaru trying to keep a closed guard but Southall is proving a slippery customer.
Southall postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Manowaru is adopting a defensive guard.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Manowaru.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiro Manowaru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Neville Southall's cut.
That's time! Southall's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Manowaru connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Manowaru looks to land a body kick but Southall moved away.
Southall throws a counter high kick but Manowaru was just alert enough to avoid it.
A jab from Manowaru does it's job there.

Neville Southall's cut is getting worse.
Southall throws a looping overhand right but Manowaru ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manowaru displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Southall.
Manowaru steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Southall tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Manowaru defends well and Southall ends up having to push Manowaru into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Manowaru has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manowaru fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Hiro Manowaru is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Manowaru lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Southall at a distance.
Southall misses with a left hand

and Manowaru counters with a crisp right hand that drops Southall! Manowaru lets Southall back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
A low kick from Southall misses
and Manowaru counters with an inside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Manowaru misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Southall.
It looked like Southall was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Southall doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manowaru scores with a nice body kick.
Manowaru lands a jab to Southall's midsection.
Manowaru lands with a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manowaru cracks Southall on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Southall falls backwards against the cage. Manowaru follows up with more strikes that drop Southall to his knees. Manowaru keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Southall! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hiro Manowaru!
Hiro Manowaru tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.