PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Howard (ranked 694 p4p, 670 weight class) and Murilo Ninja (ranked 81 p4p, 77 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Howard
vs
Ninja

185 cm
35
192
20 - 13 - 0

176 cm
42
187
31 - 26 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Brooklyn Apothecary
30th Century Beer Store

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 20 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dean Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Murilo Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Albert Achterberg and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ninja closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Howard quickly recovers to half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Howard taking some punishment here, with Ninja in his half guard.
Howard is trying to get back to full guard.
Ninja working the head and body with strikes.
Howard is refusing to be controlled, as Ninja sits in half guard.
Ninja not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Howard makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Howard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ninja's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ninja postures up in Howard's guard and throws a big left but Howard blocks it.
Howard is trying to control the position but Ninja postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ninja preventing the sweep.
Howard trying to control the position.
Ninja pushing down on Howard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ninja content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ninja scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ninja lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Howard moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ninja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Howard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ninja stopping the sweep attempt from Howard.
Ninja slips nicely into half guard.
Ninja drops an elbow to the side of Howard's head.
Ground and pound from Ninja.
Ground and pound from Ninja.
Ninja is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howard tries to get to full guard but Ninja has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ninja wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Howard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard wants to sweep here but Ninja controlling him for the moment.
Howard is working hard here to advance position.
Howard is trying to control the position but Ninja postures up.
Howard wants to sweep but no luck.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ninja's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ninja controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Howard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
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.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howard is looking to take a break and control but Ninja is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard is looking to advance position but Ninja won't allow it.
Ninja tries to roll over but Howard keeps him under control.
Ninja is trying to stand back up but Howard is controlling him
Ground and pound from Howard.
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 prevents Ninja from standing back up.
Ninja won't allow Howard to pass to mount.

Ninja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Howard pulls his head out easily.
Howard missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Ninja is defending against the submission attempts here by Howard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard prevents Ninja from standing back up.

Ninja is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Howard pulls his head out easily.
Howard throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Ninja to regain full guard.
Howard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ninja looking for a sweep. Not yet Ninja, not yet.
Ninja wants to stand but Howard is controlling the position.
Ninja looking for a sweep. Not yet Ninja, not yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja wants to stand up but Howard is controlling him.
Ninja looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Ninja dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ninja rushes Howard and presses him up against the cage.
Howard misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ninja tries to throw a body punch but Howard avoids it by throwing Ninja back against the cage.
Howard tries to work over Ninja's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Ninja wants the takedown. Howard is fighting it off but Ninja persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Howard's guard against the cage.
Howard wants to hit a sweep here but Ninja passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Howard there!
Ninja scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Howard?
Howard tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ninja is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ninja prevents Howard from getting the reversal.
Ninja tries to control but Howard wriggling away.
Howard bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howard won't allow Ninja to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ninja swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ninja trying to control the position.
Ninja has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Howard wants to pass the guard but Ninja is keeping the position.
Ninja wants to stand up but Howard is controlling him.
Howard tries to free his leg and advance position but Ninja is retaining full guard.
Howard won't allow Ninja to sweep him here.
Murilo Ninja has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ninja manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howard manages to get himself to full guard.

Ninja makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Howard wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja landing with the ground and pound.
Howard trying to keep a closed guard but Ninja is proving a slippery customer.
Ninja wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Howard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ninja is one step ahead there.
Ninja looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Howard tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard working a defensive guard here.
Ninja controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ninja with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ninja postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ninja scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ninja looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Howard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ninja's guard.

Howard won't allow Ninja to get back to his feet.
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.

Ninja is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ninja lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ninja looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Howard wants to improve his position but Ninja is controlling well.
Ninja is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja lands strikes from half guard.
Ninja is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
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.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Howard stuffs the takedown.
Ninja is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Ninja darts in and clinches Howard up against the cage.
Ninja lands a hook to the side of the head.

Howard has hold of one of Ninja's legs. Ninja is fighting the takedown attempt but Howard gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Ninja working for a triangle but Howard defends it easily.
Ninja has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ninja keeping moving, preventing Howard from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard pushes down on Ninja's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Howard prevents Ninja from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Howard uses his free foot to push down on Ninja's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ninja.
Ninja is squirming around, avoiding Howard's attempts to control the action.
Howard raining down shots from the mount!
Ninja tries to hold on but Howard postures up.
Howard trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Howard has control of Ninja's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Ninja regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Dean Howard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ninja wants to try and get back to his feet.
Ninja keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Howard can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ninja is looking to escape.
Howard punishing his opponent with strikes.
Howard is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ninja can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ninja holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Howard tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Ninja wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Howard wants to sweep here but Ninja controlling him for the moment.

Howard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ninja keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howard's head.
Ninja works over Howard with some ground and pound from guard.
Ninja lands a couple of digs.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ninja's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Howard controls Ninja momentarily but Ninja frees himself.
Howard looking for a sweep. Not yet Howard, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howard is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ninja defends well.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Howard looking for a guillotine here but Ninja defends easily.
Murilo Ninja is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Howard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ninja not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ninja trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Howard showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ninja 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Murilo Ninja!
Murilo Ninja made sure to mention his sponsor, Altitude Clothing in his post fight interview.