PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sergei Sabotka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Howlett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sergei Sabotka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sabotka
vs
Howlett

179 cm
27
145 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

168 cm
28
142 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Battalion Athletics

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sergei Sabotka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Howlett!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Paul Tew and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sabotka plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Sabotka tries a head kick but it misses.

Howlett pushes Sabotka up against the cage in a clinch.
Sabotka working Howlett over with knees to the body.
Howlett avoids the elbow strike from Sabotka, against the cage.
Sabotka being controlled against the cage.
Sabotka with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Howlett stalling.
Good body shot from Howlett.
Sabotka gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Howlett.
Howlett working aggressively here.
Howlett makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Howlett tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Howlett lands with a left to the head.
Sabotka lands a damaging elbow.
Howlett blocks an elbow strike from Sabotka.
Howlett can't find room to land a body shot as Sabotka controls the action.
Sabotka lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sabotka landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sabotka misses with an elbow strike.
Sabotka lands a nice elbow.
Howlett digs a right hand into Sabotka's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sabotka's gas tank.
Sabotka misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sabotka lands an elbow just above Howlett 's eye.
Sabotka utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Sabotka lands an elbow that stopped Howlett in his tracks for a moment.
Howlett takes an elbow to the forehead.
Howlett blocks an elbow strike.
Sabotka landing knees to the body.
Sabotka landing knees to the body.
Howlett goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Howlett throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sabotkas head.
Sabotka lands a damaging elbow.
Stalling in the clinch from Howlett.
Howlett looks gassed!
Howlett is leaning against Sabotka and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Howlett avoiding damage as Sabotka throws knees to the body.
Sabotka landing knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sabotka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Howlett.
Sabotka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Howlett stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sabotka lands an elbow just above Howlett 's eye.
Howlett scores with a hook to the body.
Sabotka utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Howlett.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sabotka unloads a knee to the mid-section. Howlett lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sabotka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Howlett dodges an elbow strike from Sabotka.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Howlett.
Sabotka lands a knee to the head.
Sabotka lands an elbow inside that Howlett shrugs off.
Howlett misses with a punch on the inside.
Howlett blocks the elbow strike.
Sabotka missing with knees to the body.
The referee calls for Howlett to work.
Howlett goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Howlett looking to slow down the pace here.
Howlett leaning against his opponent.
Howlett misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Howlett fails to land.
Nice body punch from Howlett - that landed with a thud.
Sabotka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Howlett avoids it.
A short body shot lands from Howlett as the two fighters clinch.
Howlett leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sabotka working Howlett over with knees to the body.
Sabotka scores with a knee to the head.
Howlett pressing his opponent against the cage.
Sabotka throws an elbow that misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Howlett - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Howlett takes an elbow to the forehead.
Howlett wants to stall.
Howlett holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by James Howlett.
Howlett lands with a straight right. Sabotka didn't see that one coming.
Sabotka ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sabotka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sabotka takes a swing at Howlett's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick lands from Sabotka.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sabotka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sabotka misses the shot to the body.
Sabotka goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Sabotka throws out a powerful jab.
Sabotka fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Howlett lands a jab.
Howlett lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Sabotka lands a head kick. Howlett smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Howlett swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sabotka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sabotka dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Howlett. That did some damage!
A good leg kick by Sabotka.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sabotka goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sabotka misses with a low kick.
Sabotka throws a solid leg kick but Howlett takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sabotka.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sabotka moves out of range of the strikes.
A slow jab from Howlett misses its intended target.
Sabotka walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sabotka swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Sabotka 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.

Sabotka throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sabotka misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Howlett catches Sabotka with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Howlett swats away the attempt to clinch by Sabotka.
Sabotka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Howlett blocks a leg kick.
Howlett throws a right and a left that Sabotka avoids nicely.
Sabotka tries to clinch
and Howlett counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Howlett tries to clinch but Sabotka moves out of range.
A slow jab from Howlett misses its intended target.
Howlett throws a series of punches but Sabotka avoids them all with ease.
No joy there for Sabotka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Howlett fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Sabotka digs a good hook to Howlett's body.
Howlett throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sabotka counters with a head kick. That will keep Howlett thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Howlett is breathing heavily.
Howlett throws a hook but Sabotka avoids it easily.
Sabotka lands a nice leg kick that just misses Howlett's sensitive parts.
Sabotka walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sabotka lands a nice hook to Howlett's body. Howlett takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Sabotka misses with a jab to the body
and Howlett counters with a nice body shot.
Howlett avoids the head kick by Sabotka.
Howlett takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sabotka throws a leg kick which misses Howlett's front leg but catches the back leg as Howlett tries to avoid it.
Sergei Sabotka is winning the standup battle so far.
Sabotka takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sabotka pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Howlett takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sabotka lands a high kick!
Howlett throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sabotka counters with a slapping leg kick.
Sabotka fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Howlett.
Howlett jabs Sabotka right on the nose. Sabotka blinks but takes it well.
James Howlett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howlett. Sabotka does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sabotka fails in his attempt to clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Sabotka.
Howlett throws a hook but Sabotka blocks it.
Howlett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howlett moves out of range as Sabotka throws a body kick.
Sabotka swats away the attempt to clinch by Howlett.
Sabotka scores with a leg kick.
Howlett chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sabotka can pounce on him.
Sabotka works Howlett's body with a nice hook.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sabotka dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Howlett. That did some damage!
Sabotka throws out a powerful jab.
Howlett lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sabotka connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Howlett closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sabotka trying to land knees to the body.
Howlett stalling.
Sabotka misses with an elbow over the top.
Sabotka throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sabotka misses with an elbow strike.
Howlett can't find room to land a body shot as Sabotka controls the action.
Sabotka creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Howlett takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howlett struggles to land a body shot inside as Sabotka controls his hands.
Sabotka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Howlett's defenses.
Howlett wants to stall.
Howlett goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Howlett swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Howlett managing to block the knees to the body from Sabotka.
Howlett dodges an elbow strike from Sabotka.
Howlett lands a body punch.
Howlett fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sabotka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sabotka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Howlett's brow.
Howlett avoiding damage as Sabotka throws knees to the body.
Sabotka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Howlett working aggressively here.
A nice left hand lands by Howlett.
Sabotka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sabotka creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Howlett's defenses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Sabotka blocking some punches.
Howlett blocks an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sabotka lands an elbow inside that Howlett shrugs off.
Howlett tries a body shot but Sabotka blocks it.
Sabotka pushes off an throws an elbow but Howlett leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Howlett dodges an elbow strike from Sabotka.
Howlett lands a body punch.
Sabotka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Howlett.
Howlett's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Sabotka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Howlett tries to stall but Sabotka uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Howlett swings wildly with an uppercut but Sabotka uses good head movement to avoid it.
A left hand lands to the body for Howlett.
Howlett lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sabotka backwards.
Howlett misses with some punches.
Howlett is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Howlett is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Howlett throws a punch but it's blocked by Sabotka.
Sabotka is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Howlett is defending well for now.
Sabotka lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nice body punch from Howlett.
Sabotka takes a shot to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sabotka.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Sabotka dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sabotka ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Howlett fails in his attempt to clinch.

Howlett closes the distance and clinches.
Howlett lands a body punch.
Howlett takes an elbow to the forehead.
Howlett tries to work over Sabotka's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sabotka lands an elbow inside.
Howlett works on Sabotka's body with a couple of short punches.
Sabotka is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Howlett takes an elbow to the forehead.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Howlett.
Howlett managing to block the knees to the body from Sabotka.
Sabotka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Howlett avoids it.
Howlett tries to stall but Sabotka uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Nice body punch from Howlett - that landed with a thud.
Howlett misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sabotka blocks an uppercut.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howlett lands a shot to the body.
Howlett cracks Sabotka with a nice body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Howlett.
Howlett lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sabotka tries to land a knee to the head but Howlett blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett scores with a shoulder strike.
Howlett lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sabotka connects with a nasty looking knee right to Howlett's face.
Sabotka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sabotka throws an elbow but misses.
Sabotka trying to land knees to the body.
Howlett avoids the elbow strike from Sabotka, against the cage.
Howlett lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Good body shot from Howlett.
Howlett blocks an elbow strike.
Howlett stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
The referee calls for Howlett to work.
Howlett lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sabotka lands a damaging elbow.
Howlett throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Howlett stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Howlett lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sabotka misses with a knee to the head.
Howlett lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Howlett controlling the action here for a moment.
Howlett stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Howlett.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sabotka.
Howlett scores with a nice hook to the head.
James Howlett seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sabotka misses with a knee to the head.
Howlett blocks an elbow strike.
Sabotka throws an elbow but it misses.
Howlett works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Howlett on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Howlett scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Howlett.
Howlett content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short left from Howlett.
Sergei Sabotka is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nice body punch from Howlett.
A hook to the body from Howlett.
Howlett leaning his opponent against the cage.
Howlett pushes Sabotka back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
James Howlett has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howlett lands an uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Howlett as the two fighters clinch.
Howlett is stalling here.
Sabotka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Howlett has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Howlett manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Sabotka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Howlett avoids it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Sabotka pushes off an throws an elbow but Howlett leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Come on Howlett - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Howlett receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Howlett working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Howlett stalls.

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.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by James Howlett.
Sabotka scoring well with a low kick there.
Howlett misses with a double jab.
Howlett takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Howlett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sabotka.
Howlett misses with a body punch
and Sabotka counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Howlett is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Sabotka thumps Howlett with a low kick.
Howlett's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Howlett duly obliges.
Howlett blocks a head kick by Sabotka.
Howlett tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Sabotka lands the left hand.
Sabotka slips under a jab.
Sabotka scores with a hook to the body. Howlett takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Sabotka misses with a wild combination.
Howlett moves out of range of the leg kick from Sabotka.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Howlett comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sabotka 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergei Sabotka!