PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Dafoe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howard's entrance music is Can't Touch This. A fine choice. Dafoe has chosen Rooster as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Howard
vs
Dafoe

175 cm
19
156 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

179 cm
19
168 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

Biobonds Supplements
Win Nutritional - low prices - proof of quality

Biobonds Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bill Dafoe!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dafoe shoots in and bounces Howard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Howard looking to control.
Dafoe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Howard is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Howard has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dafoe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Howard being controlled here, momentarily.

Howard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dafoe is aware though and is defending well.
Howard trying to keep a closed guard but Dafoe is proving a slippery customer.
Howard being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dafoe thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Howard keeping moving, preventing Dafoe from controlling successfully.

Howard escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dafoe gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Dafoe drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Howard manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Dafoe has Howard in his guard.

Dafoe is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Howard defends well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dafoe can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dafoe holds on and takes a little breather.
Howard wants to control from the top but Dafoe keeps moving.
Dafoe working a defensive guard here.
Dafoe is controlling Howard's posture.

Dafoe has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Howard is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Dafoe.
Dafoe is trying to work for a sweep but Howard has mounted him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard looking to control but Dafoe is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dafoe is desperately trying to improve his position but Howard has a good base and remains in mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howard trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Howard looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Howard trying to control but Dafoe is having none of it.
Howard wants to take Dafoe's back but he can't do it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Howard looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Howard jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Dafoe manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Dafoe wants to control but Howard postures up.

Howard is trying to get an arm triangle but Dafoe is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
You can see the frustration on Dafoe's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Dafoe manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Howard dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dafoe fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Howard, pushing him back against the cage.
Dafoe has Howard pressed against the cage, preventing Howard from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dafoe gets underhooks to prevent Howard's takedown attempt.
Howard is trying to break the clinch but Dafoe has him pressed against the cage.

Howard manages to pull guard.

Howard looking for a guillotine here but Dafoe defends easily.
Dafoe thows a big elbow that misses.

Dafoe postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Howard is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Dafoe, into his guard.
Dafoe pulls Howard in close to his closed guard and prevents Howard from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dafoe keeping moving, preventing Howard from controlling successfully.
Howard forces his way into half guard.
Howard is trying to control. Dafoe wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Dafoe looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Howard is pressing down on Dafoe's thigh, looking to free his foot. Dafoe is holding on for now.
Howard is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Howard looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Dafoe is looking to control Howard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dafoe avoid being mounted?
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Dafoe gets a clinch.
Howard has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dafoe avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Dafoe fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dafoe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Howard avoids it.

Dafoe has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Howard uses from the top position.
Dafoe seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Howard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Howard wants to control from the top but Dafoe keeps moving.

Dafoe escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Howard gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Howard wants to control from the top but Dafoe keeps moving.
Howard advances to half guard.
Howard trying to control from half guard but Dafoe is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Howard is looking for a kimura but Dafoe is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Howard to get the leverage.
Howard is looking to advance position but Dafoe won't allow it.

Howard wants to work for an arm triangle but Dafoe is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dafoe wants to control but Howard is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dafoe tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Dafoe wants to control but Howard is keeping busy and won't allow it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Dafoe throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Howard was covering up waiting for the punch and Dafoe finishes the takedown easily into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bill Dafoe will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Howard fails to land with a series of punches.
Dafoe fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Howard with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dafoe counters by moving into the clinch.
Dafoe is working for takedown but Howard is calmly controlling the position for now.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Howard wants to break free but Dafoe has control.
Howard doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howard is trying to break the clinch but Dafoe has him pressed against the cage.
Howard can't get the takedown.
Howard tries to circle away but Dafoe has him pinned against the cage.
Howard goes for a takedown in the clinch but Dafoe prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dafoe lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dafoe has picked Howard up - he's going for a ride! Dafoe dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Dafoe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters are battling for position here. Howard manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Howard controls Dafoe momentarily but Dafoe frees himself.
Dafoe tries to free his leg and advance position but Howard is retaining full guard.
Dafoe trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dafoe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Howard is keeping the position for now.
Dafoe looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dafoe trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Dafoe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Howard working for submissions but it's allowed Dafoe to get to half guard.

Howard is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Dafoe pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard wants to improve his position but Dafoe is controlling well.
Dafoe passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Howard!
John Howard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dafoe trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Howard regains half guard.
Dafoe is looking to stall here but Howard recovers full guard.
Howard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dafoe manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard preventing the sweep.
Howard trying to control but Dafoe is working from the bottom.
Dafoe is trying to keep Howard in close.
Dafoe 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.

Howard drops back looking for a leg! Dafoe is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Dafoe manages to kick Howard off! Howard jumps back into Dafoe's guard.
Howard looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bill Dafoe.
I think Dafoe 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!