PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Batyrovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Howell
vs
Batyrovich

180 cm
18
205 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
24
219 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

[JMFC] Bulk Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Howell!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ivan Batyrovich!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Bruno Hogan and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Batyrovich as Howell shoots in.
Howell fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Howell walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

It looks like Ben Howell has been cut.
Howell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Batyrovich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Howell shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Howell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Batyrovich gets a takedown into half guard.
Howell is looking to improve his position.
Howell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Batyrovich.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Batyrovich lands a nice short elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Batyrovich prevents Howell from improving his position.
Batyrovich not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Batyrovich trying to pass the guard but Howell defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batyrovich thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Howell's head.
Batyrovich takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Batyrovich is looking to take a break and control but Howell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Batyrovich passes to side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell parries the strikes from Batyrovich easily there. Batyrovich is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Howell to escape.
Howell struggling a bit here.
Howell takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Howell on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Batyrovich working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell is trying to get back to half guard.
Batyrovich scores with a couple of short elbows.
Batyrovich wants to control but Howell is keeping him busy.
Howell takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Howell could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Batyrovich tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Batyrovich cracks Howell with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Batyrovich trying to control the position but Howell is working away.
Batyrovich working away.
Batyrovich sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Howell is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Batyrovich connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Howell some visible discomfort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batyrovich throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Howell is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Batyrovich off and has taken his back!

Howell patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Howell is breathing heavily.
Batyrovich manages to reverse the position and now he's in Howell's guard. Nice work there by Batyrovich.
Batyrovich being controlled here momentarily.
Batyrovich connects with a couple of short punches.
Howell controls Batyrovich momentarily but Batyrovich frees himself.

Howell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Batyrovich keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howell's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Batyrovich accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Batyrovich makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Batyrovich tries to free his leg and advance position but Howell is retaining full guard.
Howell keeping moving, preventing Batyrovich from controlling successfully.
Howell looking for a sweep. Not yet Howell, not yet.
Batyrovich passes into half guard.
Batyrovich is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Howell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Batyrovich.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Batyrovich connects with a nice short shot to Howell's temple.
Batyrovich lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Batyrovich dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ben Howell's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Batyrovich lands with a nice body punch.
Howell dodges the punch combination from Batyrovich.
Batyrovich lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Howell sprawling to the canvas. Batyrovich follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Howell hang on?
Batyrovich is keen to just control but Howell is a slippery customer.
Howell is looking for a sweep. Batyrovich is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Batyrovich has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Howell is bucking up trying to escape but Batyrovich cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
BOOM! Batyrovich connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batyrovich has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Howell's face.
Howell in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Howell is rocked!

Ben Howell's cut is getting worse.
Ivan Batyrovich has got the better of the ground game so far.
Batyrovich lands a big shot to the head and Howell winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Ivan Batyrovich! Ivan Batyrovich retains his light heavyweight title!