PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Howard (ranked 1267 p4p, 1387 weight class) and Murilo Ninja (ranked 155 p4p, 166 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Howard
vs
Ninja

185 cm
34
192
18 - 11 - 0

176 cm
41
187
29 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Savage Fightwear

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dean Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Murilo Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ninja throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Howard dives in and scores a takedown into Ninja's guard.
Ninja wants to stand up but Howard is controlling him.
Howard trying to control but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Howard stops Ninja from standing up.
Howard works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Howard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ninja's head.
Howard is trying to control the action in half guard but Ninja is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Howard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja looks like he's trying to stand up.
Howard is looking to take a break and control but Ninja is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ninja wants to get back to full guard.
Ninja keeps trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja gets full guard.

Ninja looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Howard passes into side control.
Ninja is looking for a sweep.
Howard tries to advance to mount but can't.
Ninja is trying to buck Howard off.
Ninja is trying to get back to half guard.
Ninja is not content to let Howard control the position.
Howard tries to advance to mount but Ninja denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is trying to get back to his feet.
Ninja has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ninja dodges the ground and pound from Howard.
Ninja gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ninja is refusing to be controlled, as Howard sits in half guard.
Howard stops Ninja from getting back to his feet.
Howard trying to mount his opponent but Ninja defends it.
Ninja is staying active underneath Howard, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Howard working the head and body with strikes.
Ninja regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Howard.
Ninja is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Howard is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Howard works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ninja stands up over Howard, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ninja working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Howard's head.
Ninja is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Howard is trying to keep Ninja in close.
Ninja content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ninja is working Howard over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ninja pushes down on Howard's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Howard is trying to get back to full guard.
Ninja slips a nice elbow through Howard's hands, connecting with Howard's forehead.
Ninja is looking to take a break and control but Howard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Howard regains full guard. Nicely done.
Howard looking to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja with a nice head shot there.
Howard keeping full guard, as Ninja tries to pass.
Ninja scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Murilo Ninja will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Donk. Ninja catches Howard right on the button with a cross.
Ninja missing with a left hand there. Howard was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Howard shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Ninja has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice sprawl there from Howard as Ninja shoots in.
Ninja is trying hard to land a takedown here. Howard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ninja misses with a right hand

and Howard counters with a takedown into side control.
Ninja is pushing Howard's head away, looking to escape. Howard manages to hold on to the position though.

Howard wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ninja, who protects the arm well.
Ninja is not content to let Howard control the position.
Howard advances nicely into full mount.
Ninja is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Howard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Ninja is trying to get back to his feet but Howard has full control of the position and if anything, Ninja has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Ninja wriggles onto his back under a barage of strikes.
Ninja is wriggling around trying to escape.
Howard is trying to take his opponent's back.
Ninja is trying to escape the mount.
Ninja tries to hold on but Howard pushes him away.
Howard scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ninja?
Ninja gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is trying to stand back up but Howard is controlling him
Howard trying to mount his opponent but Ninja defends it.
Howard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ninja defending well though.
Howard tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ninja knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ninja is trying to stand.
Ninja moves into full guard.
Ninja avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Howard is looking to advance position but Ninja has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Howard takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Ninja cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Ninja working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to reverse the position but Ninja maintains control.
Howard is working hard here to advance position.
Ninja landing strikes from the mount.
Ninja landing shots from mount.
Ninja scoring with strikes but Howard is staying in there.
Ninja controlling the position easily from mount.
Ninja landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!
Ninja in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Ninja with shots to the head and body - Howard looks very uncomfortable down there.
Murilo Ninja has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ninja can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Howard is looking to escape.
Ninja landing strikes from the mount and Howard is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howard is looking to improve his position but Ninja isn't that keen on the idea.
Ninja fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ninja working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Ninja controlling his opponent.
Howard bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Ninja working a defensive guard here.
Howard pushing down on Ninja's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ninja pushes Howard off looking to stand but Howard dives back in and keeps control.
Ninja tries to roll over but Howard keeps him under control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Ninja showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Howard slaps away a takedown attempt from Ninja, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Howard changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Howard tries for a takedown but Ninja sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ninja with a jab.

Ninja decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ninja wants to take a breather but Howard is having none of it.
Howard slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Howard wants to sweep but no luck.
Ninja postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Howard's head.
Ninja preventing the sweep.
Howard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ninja avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Howard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja tries to kick Howard off but Howard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Howard seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ninja does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Howard works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ninja is desperately trying to improve his position but Howard has a good base and remains in mount.
Howard lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Howard working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Ninja looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Howard! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Dean Howard!
During a confident post fight interview, Dean Howard thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.