PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ben Howe (ranked 4463 p4p, 2755 weight class) and Jin Soo Son (ranked 258 p4p, 194 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Howe
vs
Son

153 cm
18
130
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
140
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Conquest Nutrition™ (160Q) $48

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Howe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jin Soo Son!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Columbo Gatti and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Son gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Howe being controlled against the ropes.
Howe throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Son lands a knee to the body.

Son manages to break the clinch.

Howe moves into the clinch successfully.
Son is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A nice right hand lands inside from Howe.
Son is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Howe looking to throw knees to the head but Son is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Son breaks the clinch.
Jin Soo Son seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Son swats away the attempt to clinch by Howe.
No joy there for Howe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Son misses with a head kick.
Howe throws a big counter combination but Son scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Son connects with the punch.
Howe shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Son scores with a jab to the jaw.
Son lands a really nice looking cross but Howe seems unphased.

Son gets a clinch.
Howe jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Son walks away with a smile on his face. Howe gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Son scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Howe is rocked!

Son fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Howe to the ground. Son is now in Howe's guard.
Oh Howe is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Son manages to get himself to full guard.

Howe seems to have got his legs back now.
Howe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Howe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Howe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Son can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Son keeping moving, preventing Howe from controlling successfully.
Howe could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Son is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Howe is controlling him.
Son working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Howe.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Son is on top in guard.

Son must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Howe is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Howe has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Son can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Son postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Son is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Son keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howe's head.
Son controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Son postures up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Son working his ground and pound in the gym.
Son lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Son chips away with some ground and pound.
Son trying to control but Howe is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
Son is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Son postures up.
Son in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Son advances position into side control!

Son goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Howe rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Son's guard! Nice work there by Howe!
Howe wants to control from the top but Son keeps moving.
Howe is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Son utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Howe prevents Son from getting back to his feet.
Howe wants to control from the top but Son keeps moving.
Howe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Son wants to get back to his feet but Howe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Howe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Howe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Son's head.
Howe trying to control the position from guard on top but Son is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's six 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.
Son can't keep his opponent in guard - Howe advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Howe is trying to work for a kimura but Son is defending well.
Son really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Howe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Howe is breathing heavily.
Howe is trying to control the action in half guard but Son is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Son blocking the ground and pound attempt from Howe.
Howe prevents Son from improving his position.
Howe 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.
Howe is trying to control. Son wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jab, jab by Son - just one landing.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Son connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Howe's hands.
Son lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Son changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Howe looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Son working the ground and pound.
Son lands a decent elbow from side control.
Howe wants to control but Son postures up.
Son landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Howe is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Howe takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Howe is trying to improve his position.
Son lands a nice forearm strike.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Son is putting a hurting on Howe here, landing some big shots from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howe taking a bit of punishment here - Son scoring with strikes.
Son lands a decent elbow from side control.
Son lands a few punches from side control.
Son scores with a couple of short elbows.
Howe is not content to let Son control the position.
Son landing strikes.
Son trying to control the position but Howe is working away.
Howe taking a bit of punishment here - Son scoring with strikes.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Son lands an elbow.
Son controls the position from side control.
Son lands a decent elbow from side control.
Howe taking punishment in the form of punches.
Son happy to just control the position for now.
Son is working Howe over with some ground and pound from side control.
Howe is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Howe is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jin Soo Son dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Son lands with an overhand left.
Son blocks a head kick by Howe.
Howe fails with an attempt to clinch.

Son shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Howe's guard.
Howe is wriggling around but Son manages to pass to half guard.

Son is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howe is trying to get back to full guard.
Howe is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Son scores with a couple of nice shots.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Son is stalling here. Howe is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Son seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Howe has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Howe is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Son has escaped the position, nice work there.
Son wants to control but Howe postures up.
Jin Soo Son has got the better of the ground game so far.
Howe is looking to take a break and control but Son is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Howe misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Son tries to improve position but can't.
Howe misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howe working the head and body with strikes.
Howe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Son keeps working.
Son is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The strikes coming from Howe are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Son is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Howe's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Son is refusing to be controlled, as Howe sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howe thows a huge punch but Son dodges it nicely.
Howe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Son looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Son is trying to get back to full guard.
Howe slips a nice elbow through Son's hands, connecting with Son's forehead.
Son is staying active underneath Howe, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Son looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ben Howe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Howe gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howe looks to land a combination but Son avoids it well.
Son has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Son closes the distance and pushes Howe back into the ropes.
Son unloads a knee to the mid-section. Howe lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Howe wants to break free but Son has control.
Howe wants to take the fight to the mat but Son manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Son crunches a lovely knee into Howe's ribcage.
A hook to the body from Son.
Son lands a hook that snaps the head of Howe backwards.
Howe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Howe is trying to pull guard but Son has him pressed against the ropes.

Son manages to break the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howe motions for Son to come forward. Howe throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Howe takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Son moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Son's corner calls for a 1-2. Son obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Son will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Son looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Howe looking for a sweep. Not yet Howe, not yet.
Son sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Son landing with the ground and pound.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Son scoring with some ground and pound.
Howe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Howe can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Son controls the pace.
Son distracts Howe with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Howe trying to strike off his back.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Son working some strikes from top position.
Son looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Son swinging wildly here.
A little feinted left hand from Howe on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Son shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Son was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Howe seems a little lost for a moment, as Son dominates the positioning.
Howe gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Howe is looking to improve his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Howe might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Howe is not content to let Son control the position.
Howe is looking for a sweep. Son is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Son scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Howe has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Son is working away from the top position though.
Son landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Son working the head and body with strikes.
Son content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Son is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Son content to control rather than advance.
Jin Soo Son is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Howe gets back to full guard.
Ben Howe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Son postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Son trying to control but Howe is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jin Soo Son comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Son has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 18:20
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 18:20
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 18:20

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jin Soo Son!