PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Herman Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chase Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Herman Thompson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Thompson
vs
Howard

195 cm
23
283 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

183 cm
19
245 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Herman Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chase Howard!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thompson moves out of range of the body kick.

Thompson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Thompson trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson wants to sweep but no luck.
Thompson is working hard here to advance position.
Thompson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Howard trying to control the position from guard on top but Thompson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Howard decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Thompson, up you get!
Thompson tries to clinch but Howard is having none of it.

Howard shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Thompson's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard looking to sit in guard and control but Thompson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thompson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thompson preventing the sweep.
Howard utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Howard has his hands on Thompson's head, controlling the position.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thompson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Thompson preventing the sweep.

That's two 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.
Thompson throwing strikes but missing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice takedown defense from Thompson. No joy for Howard on that attempt.
Howard looks to clinch

and Thompson counters with a head kick that drops Howard - he's looking to finish, following his stunned foe to the ground!

Howard is rocked!
Howard tries to get to full guard but Thompson has control of the leg.
Howard is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Howard looks gassed!
Thompson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Howard defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Howard looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Thompson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Howard defending well though.
Thompson not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Howard has eaten all the pies!
Thompson is thwarting Howard's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Thompson clinches up with Howard and pushes him back against the cage.
Thompson stalls.

Thompson gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Howard regains guard.
Thompson looking to pass the guard.
Thompson pushing down on Howard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Howard is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howard is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Thompson pulls his head out easily.
Howard trying to control from the bottom.
Thompson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Thompson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Thompson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Howard with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Thompson seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herman Thompson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A punch lands to the side of Howard 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Howard throws a lazy head kick

and Thompson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thompson.
Thompson wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Howard wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Howard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Howard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thompson is one step ahead there.
Thompson trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Howard working a defensive guard but Thompson passes into half guard.
Howard is trying to maintain the position but Thompson is very close to passing his half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Some wild striking there from Howard.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thompson.

Thompson turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Thompson manages to end up in side control.

Thompson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Howard is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard manages to get back to half guard.
Thompson wants to control but Howard is keeping him busy.
Howard taking some punishment here, with Thompson in his half guard.
Howard is refusing to be controlled, as Thompson sits in half guard.
Thompson is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Howard keeps working.

Howard looking for submissions off his back.

Thompson decides to return to a standing position.

Thompson instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Howard takes a shot to the head.
Thompson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Howard on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Howard goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thompson prevents it.
Thompson looking to throw knees to the head but Howard is blocking nicely.
Thompson crunches a lovely knee into Howard's ribcage.
Thompson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Howard looking to throw knees to the head but Thompson is blocking nicely.
Thompson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Howard just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thompson swings wildly with an uppercut but Howard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Howard looking for a takedown.
Howard tries to work over Thompson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Thompson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Howard clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Howard staying busy and making it hard for Thompson to control.

Howard is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herman Thompson dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Thompson moves into the clinch successfully.
Thompson gets through Howard's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Thompson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Thompson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Howard stalling in the clinch but Thompson improves position.
Howard has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Thompson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Thompson is trying to trip Howard. He has hold of a leg but Howard is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Thompson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Thompson pushes down on Howard's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Howard is looking to improve his position.
Thompson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Howard defending well though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howard gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson tries to free his leg and advance position but Howard is retaining full guard.
Thompson stops Howard from standing up.

Howard working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Thompson has passed into half guard!
Thompson trying to control the pace.
Thompson is trying to control. Howard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Howard wants to control but Thompson is keeping busy.

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.
Thompson slows the pace down in half guard.
Howard wants to control but Thompson is keeping busy.
Thompson lands with a punch from half guard.
Howard pushes Thompson off looking to stand but Thompson dives back in and keeps control.
Thompson slips a nice elbow through Howard's hands, connecting with Howard's forehead.
Thompson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to get back to full guard.
Thompson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thompson prevents Howard from improving his position.
Thompson is looking to take a break and control but Howard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Howard tries to get to full guard but Thompson has control of the leg.

That's four 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.
Thompson is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Howard tries to roll over but Thompson keeps him under control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Jab from Thompson.

Thompson moves into the clinch.
Chase Howard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Herman Thompson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Thompson controlling the action here for a moment.
Thompson gets underhooks to prevent Howard's takedown attempt.
Thompson landing knees to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Herman Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Thompson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Herman Thompson!