PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Billy Butcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maek Houzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Butcher's entrance music is Motörhead - Ace of Spades. A fine choice. Maek Houzo is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Butcher
vs
Houzo

182 cm
26
191 lbs
9 - 0 - 0

177 cm
26
192 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Syndicate Drugs
Synchronicity Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Billy Butcher!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maek Houzo!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butcher stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Houzo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Houzo lands a nice shot to the body.
Butcher doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Butcher misses with a low kick as Houzo jumps back.
Houzo sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Butcher swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Butcher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Butcher thuds his shin into the meat of Houzo's side.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Houzo avoids the body shot from Butcher.
Butcher lands a head shot.

Houzo decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Butcher preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Butcher blocking the ground and pound attempt from Houzo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houzo thows a huge punch but Butcher dodges it nicely.
Butcher gets back to full guard.
Butcher pulls Houzo in close to prevent any damage.
Butcher tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Houzo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Houzo pushes down on Butcher's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Houzo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Houzo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Butcher keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houzo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Butcher is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Houzo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Houzo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Houzo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Houzo is taking a breather. Butcher says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Houzo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butcher throws a nice head kick!
Houzo ducks right into an uppercut from Butcher.
Houzo tries to clinch but Butcher moves out of range.
Butcher misses with a series of wild punches.
Butcher throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher misses with a hook.
Butcher scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Houzo avoids the head kick by Butcher.
Butcher pushes Houzo away with a front kick.
Butcher lands a nice shot to the body.
Butcher cracks Houzo with an open hand slap.
Houzo throws a hook but Butcher avoids it easily.
Butcher lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Butcher missing with a left hand there. Houzo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Butcher throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Butcher looks to land a right hand but Houzo moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Butcher.
Houzo looks gassed!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Houzo defending well as Butcher loads up on a big left hand.
Butcher steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Houzo.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Houzo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Billy Butcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Houzo checks the leg kick.
Houzo fails to land with a series of punches.
Butcher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Butcher throws a looping overhand right but Houzo ducks down to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houzo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Butcher.
Houzo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Butcher throws a hook but Houzo avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Butcher uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Houzo.
Butcher fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Houzo manages to avoid it.
Houzo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Butcher moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Jab by Butcher.
Butcher looks to land a left hand but Houzo moved out of range nicely.
Butcher feints and then cracks Houzo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Houzo down.
Butcher punishes Houzo's body with a nice straight punch.
Butcher throws a front kick aimed at Houzo's knee but Houzo avoids it well.
Butcher misses with a head kick.
Butcher throws a looping overhand right but Houzo ducks down to avoid it.
Butcher keeps the fight on the outside.
Butcher misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houzo thows a leg kick but Butcher checks it
and Butcher counters with a solid body kick.
Butcher connects with a single shot there.
Butcher swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Houzo counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Butcher throws a leg kick but Houzo sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Houzo moves out of range of the leg kick from Butcher.
Houzo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butcher manages to avoid it.
Butcher misses with a wild body shot.
Butcher missing with a left hand there. Houzo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Billy Butcher is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A shot to the body from Butcher misses

and Houzo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Houzo.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houzo trying to control the position from guard on top but Butcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butcher working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houzo working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Butcher's head.
Butcher keeping moving, preventing Houzo from controlling successfully.
Butcher looking to hit a scissor sweep but Houzo is one step ahead there.
Houzo throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Butcher is on top in guard.
Houzo 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.
Butcher trying to control but Houzo is working from the bottom.
Butcher pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Houzo is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Houzo trying to strike off his back.
Houzo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Butcher would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Butcher trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Houzo drives through and clinches with Butcher against the cage.
Houzo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Houzo can't get the takedown.

Butcher's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Houzo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Butcher circles away.

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.
Nice uppercut lands for Houzo. That snapped Butcher's head back.
A slapping leg kick lands for Butcher.
Butcher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butcher turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Butcher throws a front kick that sends Houzo stumbling back into the cage.
Houzo misses with a straight right.
Butcher throws a head kick that Houzo semi-blocks.
Butcher feints and then cracks Houzo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Houzo down.
Houzo is breathing heavily.
Butcher misses with an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Butcher gets caught flat footed, as Houzo shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Houzo is fighting to break Butcher's control of his arms but Butcher is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Houzo checks the leg kick nicely there.
Butcher misses with a head kick.
Houzo avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Houzo dodges the punch combination from Butcher.
Butcher swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Houzo ducks under a wild hook from Butcher.
Butcher throws a lazy right hand but Houzo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Billy Butcher is winning the standup battle so far.
Houzo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Butcher misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Houzo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Butcher!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher gets back to half guard.

Butcher makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Houzo's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
The fighters circling - Butcher throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Butcher swings away with a body shot that misses

and Houzo counters with a shoot takedown. Butcher fights it but they end up in guard.
Butcher can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Houzo controls the pace.
Houzo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butcher is keeping the position for now.
Houzo trying to control but Butcher is working from the bottom.
Houzo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Butcher is trying to control the position but Houzo postures up.
Houzo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houzo throwing strikes from guard but Butcher blocks nicely.
Houzo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Houzo throws a body punch but Butcher moves out of range.
Butcher keeps the fight on the outside.
Houzo avoids the body shot from Butcher.
Houzo looks to land a right hand but Butcher moved out of range.
Butcher uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Houzo.
Houzo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Butcher cracks the inside of Houzo's front leg.
Houzo takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houzo doesn't manage to clinch there - Butcher circles away.
Butcher connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Houzo momentarily.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Butcher ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Butcher scores with a decent looking hook.
Houzo slips under a jab from Butcher.
Butcher misses with an uppercut. Houzo saw that one coming.
Butcher throws a push kick but Houzo slaps the foot to one side.
Houzo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Houzo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Houzo trying to control the position from guard on top but Butcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houzo throwing strikes from guard but Butcher blocks nicely.
Houzo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Houzo thows a big elbow that misses.
Houzo wants to control from the top but Butcher keeps moving.
Butcher looking for a sweep. Not yet Butcher, not yet.
Butcher bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Houzo's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Houzo looking to control.
Houzo has a closed guard, preventing Butcher from standing up.
Houzo wants to sweep here but Butcher controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maek Houzo really dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Butcher takes one to the chin there.
Butcher misses with a few strikes there.
Houzo takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Butcher dips to his left and cracks Houzo with an uppercut!
Butcher misses with a hook.
Houzo gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Houzo misses the shot to the body.
Butcher uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Houzo.
Butcher throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Butcher looks to score with a jab to the body but Houzo is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Houzo.
Houzo blocks the body kick.
Butcher throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Houzo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Butcher.
Houzo takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Houzo walks forward, straight into a front kick from Butcher.
Butcher throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Butcher throws the left hand but Houzo avoids the punch easily.
Houzo fails with the takedown.
Houzo has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Butcher.
Butcher jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Butcher feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Houzo's calf.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butcher connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Houzo's hands.
Butcher tries to work over Houzo's front leg with a kick but Houzo checks it.
Houzo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Houzo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Butcher lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Houzo circles away quickly and effectively.
Butcher connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A big left from Butcher misses.
Butcher connects with a single shot there.
Butcher moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Butcher swings for the body but Houzo moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Butcher.
Houzo misses the shot to the body.
Butcher swings away with a body shot that misses
and Houzo counters with a right hand to the body.
Butcher swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Houzo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Houzo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Butcher wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Houzo.
Houzo lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Houzo avoids the attempt from Butcher to control.
A nice elbow there by Houzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butcher regains half guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Houzo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Butcher keeps working.
Butcher makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Butcher.
Houzo postures up in Butcher's guard and throws a big left but Butcher blocks it.
Butcher 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.
Houzo trying to control the position from guard on top but Butcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Houzo landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Butcher had his way with Maek Houzo in 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Houzo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Butcher lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Houzo at a distance.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Butcher.
Houzo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Butcher works Houzo's body with a nice hook.
Houzo tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nice shot lands for Houzo.
Butcher misses with a wild combination.
Butcher throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher motions for Houzo to come forward. Butcher throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Butcher finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Butcher throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Houzo counters with a single leg into guard. Butcher didn't expect that.
Houzo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Butcher looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Houzo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Houzo throwing strikes but missing.
Houzo trying to control the position from guard on top but Butcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Billy Butcher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butcher is adopting a defensive guard.
Houzo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Houzo moves out of range of the body kick from Butcher.
Houzo tries to move into range but Butcher moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Butcher scores with a kick to the midsection.
Houzo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Butcher.
Houzo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butcher moves away.
Houzo takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Houzo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Butcher throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A shot to the body from Houzo misses
and Butcher counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Butcher fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Houzo manages to avoid it.
Butcher defending well as Houzo loads up on a big left hand.
Good work by Houzo as he checks the leg kick.
Houzo slips under a jab from Butcher.
Houzo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Butcher.
Houzo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Houzo swings for the body but Butcher moves out of range.
Butcher throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Houzo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Butcher.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Butcher.
Houzo tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Butcher scores with a jab to the head.
Butcher connects with a solid leg kick.
Houzo takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Butcher chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Maek Houzo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Butcher waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Houzo.
Butcher lands a jab to Houzo's midsection.
Houzo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butcher manages to avoid it.
Butcher looks for the body kick but Houzo saw that one coming.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Butcher showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Butcher has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 49:46
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 49:46
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Butcher!
Billy Butcher retains his middleweight title!