PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Giwa Sovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sovan
vs
Henderson

180 cm
26
147 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

169 cm
28
139 lbs
7 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Giwa Sovan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson misses with a wild combination.
Sovan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Henderson counters with a single leg into guard. Sovan didn't expect that.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Sovan working for a triangle but Henderson defends it easily.
Sovan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Henderson with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sovan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Henderson defends it easily.
Sovan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henderson's guard.
Henderson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Sovan from controlling successfully.
Henderson is looking to stand up but Sovan isn't so interested in that idea.
Henderson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sovan stopping the sweep attempt from Henderson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sovan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Henderson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Henderson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Sovan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sovan landing with the ground and pound.
Sovan is in close to Henderson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Sovan from controlling successfully.
Henderson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henderson is trying to keep Sovan in close.
Sovan is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Henderson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson 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.
Sovan is looking to work some ground and pound but Henderson has wrist control.
Sovan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sovan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sovan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Henderson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Henderson looking to control but Sovan passes into half guard.
Henderson landing small, sideways elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sovan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sovan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Henderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Henderson pushes Sovan off and gets back to his feet.
Henderson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Henderson misses with a two punch combination.
Some wild striking there from Henderson.

Henderson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sovan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sovan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Henderson defends it easily.
Henderson is in close to Sovan's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sovan working a defensive guard here.
Henderson is working Sovan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Sovan keeps moving.

Henderson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sovan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Henderson has managed to get both his arms back between Sovan's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sovan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Henderson defends it easily.

Sovan working for a triangle but Henderson defends it easily.
Henderson scoring with some ground and pound.
Sovan is looking to stand up but Henderson isn't so interested in that idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sovan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sovan keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Henderson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A nice combination there by Henderson.
Sovan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Henderson counters with a lovely shot to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Henderson gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Henderson lands a nice short elbow.
Sovan tries to get to full guard but Henderson has control of the leg.
Henderson working over Sovan with some ground and pound. Sovan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henderson is thwarting Sovan's attempts to control the position.

Sovan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Henderson pulls his head out easily.
Sovan 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.
Sovan is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Henderson jumps into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson trying to control the action but Sovan is working from the bottom.
Henderson is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Check out the look on Henderson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Henderson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Henderson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Sovan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sovan tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson working the head and body with strikes.
Henderson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sovan down.
Henderson lands a decent elbow from side control.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Sovan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sovan can't do much from the bottom here.
Joe Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sovan manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Henderson stands up from half guard.
Henderson misses with a looping right.
Henderson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Henderson jabs at Sovan's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sovan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sovan with a lazy takedown attempt
and Henderson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sovan doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Henderson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Giwa Sovan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henderson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Sovan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Henderson connects with a nice short shot to Sovan's temple.
Sovan is looking to improve his position.
Henderson working over Sovan with some ground and pound. Sovan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Henderson trying to control the action but Sovan is working from the bottom.

Sovan looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sovan taking some punishment here, with Henderson in his half guard.

Henderson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Henderson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Henderson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Sovan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Henderson pulls his head out easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Henderson moves into full mount! Sovan won't be happy about that!
Sovan regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Henderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Sovan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

An inside leg kick from Henderson misses.
Henderson looks to land a right hand but Sovan moved out of range.
Sovan shoots in for a takedown but Henderson shows good takedown defense.
Henderson lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Sovan slips under a jab.
Henderson works the jab nicely.
Sovan with a poor takedown
and Henderson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Joe Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Henderson works over Sovan's head and body with a nice combination.
Henderson changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Joe Henderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henderson scores with a three punch combo!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sovan has his takedown stuffed
enabling Henderson to counter with a crisp jab.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Giwa Sovan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Henderson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sovan did well to prevent Henderson getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sovan tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Henderson has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Henderson content just to control the position here.
Henderson landing punches.
Henderson avoids the attempt from Sovan to control.
Sovan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Henderson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Sovan is rocked!
Henderson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Oh Sovan is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Henderson is landing with some decent strikes but Sovan is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Henderson working from mount. He moves in close and looks like he might be going for an arm triangle... He's hopped off to the side and he's transitioned into an Anaconda choke. Sovan turning a nasty shade of purple. He's refusing to tap but he's gone! He's out! The ref rips Henderson off and cradles Sovan's limp body as Henderson celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Anaconda Choke). Joe Henderson!