PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between derek hightower (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neal Kane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

hightower
vs
Kane

202 cm
25
271 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
242 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, derek hightower!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Neal Kane!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Dean Styles and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kane shoots in for a double leg but hightower sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kane is trying hard to land a takedown here. hightower sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kane has a takedown stuffed.
derek hightower has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neal Kane.
Kane misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A combination from Kane does no damage.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kane is defended easily by hightower.
hightower misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
hightower displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kane.
Kane tries to clinch but hightower is having none of it.
Kane moves in looking to clinch but hightower pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
hightower slaps away a takedown attempt from Kane, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kane looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
hightower displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kane.
Kane is trying hard to land a takedown here. hightower sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kane misses with a takedown attempt - hightower sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kane shoots for a double leg takedown but hightower sprawls well. He's pushed Kane's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kane shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as hightower sprawls well. hightower wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kane gets slowly back to his feet.
Kane shoots in but hightower avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kane looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kane fails with a takedown attempt.
A slow jab from hightower misses its intended target.
Kane closes this distance looking for a takedown but hightower circles away.
hightower swats away the attempt to clinch by Kane.

Excellent takedown into side control there by hightower.
Kane tries to bench press hightower off him but hightower keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Kane's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kane is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane struggling a bit here.
hightower in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Kane tries to bench press hightower off him but hightower keeps the position.
hightower lands a nice forearm strike.
hightower wants to control but Kane is keeping him busy.
hightower cracks Kane with a big elbow.
hightower trying to control the action but Kane is working from the bottom.
Kane is trying to control hightower's posture but hightower avoids it.
hightower scores with punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kane is trying to control hightower's posture but hightower avoids it.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
hightower lands a nice forearm strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
hightower creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Kane tries to improve position but can't.
Kane takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
hightower works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
hightower throwing shots but missing, from side control.
hightower working the head and body with strikes.
hightower working the ground and pound from side control.
hightower in side control, just content to control the action for now.
hightower 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.
Kane is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Check out the look on hightower's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

derek hightower dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kane throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Neal Kane seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kane doesn't succeed with the takedown

and hightower counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by hightower.
Kane keeping moving, preventing hightower from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kane can do anything to dispel that myth.
hightower throwing strikes but missing.
Kane tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Kane looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kane keeping moving, preventing hightower from controlling successfully.
Kane trying to control the position.
Kane is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
hightower in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kane with a lazy takedown attempt

and hightower counters with a nice double leg into guard.
hightower lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Kane escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. hightower gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kane is breathing heavily.
hightower postures up in Kane's guard and throws a big left but Kane blocks it.
Kane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from hightower.
Kane looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

hightower drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and hightower jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
hightower throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
hightower passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kane is looking to regain half guard here but hightower keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

and hightower counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kane won't be happy with that.
derek hightower has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neal Kane.
hightower landing a few strikes.
hightower working the head with strikes.
Kane tries to buck hightower off but hightower is having none of it.
derek hightower overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kane parries the strikes from hightower easily there. hightower is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Kane to escape.
Kane is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on hightower's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
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!
Kane is pressing down on hightower's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Kane can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as hightower controls the pace.
hightower postures up.
Kane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from hightower.
Kane preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
hightower working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kane's head.
Kane wants to sweep but no luck.
Kane controlling hightower's posture.
hightower stopping the sweep attempt from Kane.
hightower postures up and lands a big shot to Kane's brow.
hightower throwing strikes but missing.
Kane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
hightower throws a big right hand that misses.
hightower with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kane with a poor takedown

and hightower counters with a shoot takedown. Kane fights it but they end up in guard.
hightower is looking to work some ground and pound but Kane has wrist control.
hightower working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kane is controlling hightower's posture.
hightower trying to control but Kane is working from the bottom.
hightower looking to sit in guard and control but Kane gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
hightower preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

derek hightower dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Kane shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kane was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kane really doesn't want to stay on the ground with hightower. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
hightower tries to lock up and control but Kane gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
hightower is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kane throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kane thowing shots but they're missing.
Kane sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Kane misses with a head shot.
Kane has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of hightower's face.
hightower is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
hightower is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kane pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kane working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kane landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kane unloading with bombs!
Kane dominating with strikes here.
Kane trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kane scoring with strikes but hightower is staying in there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kane lands with some strikes.

hightower is rocked!
Kane unloads with some vicious shots from mount and hightower wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Kane celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Neal Kane!