PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dallas Booth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Howard Hardwood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dallas Booth has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Booth
vs
Hardwood

215 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

180 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Dallas Booth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Howard Hardwood!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Richard Clark and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardwood fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Booth tries to clinch
and Hardwood counters with a straight right hand.

Hardwood moves into range and clinches up with Booth.

Hardwood breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hardwood tries to clinch up but Booth circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardwood shoots in and drives through. Booth sprawls well.
Booth tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hardwood defends well and Booth ends up having to push Hardwood into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Hardwood breaks from the clinch.

Hardwood clinches.
Hardwood blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hardwood tries to break the clinch but Booth is controlling the position.
Booth wants to break free but Hardwood has control.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Booth.
Booth prevents a takedown attempt there.
Dallas Booth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Howard Hardwood.
Hardwood slows down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardwood goes for a takedown attempt but Booth pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Howard Hardwood seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hardwood feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hardwood trying to control the position from guard on top but Booth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Booth looking for a sweep. Not yet Booth, not yet.

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

Booth is looking for a triangle but Hardwood pushes his legs off easily.

Booth looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Booth tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Booth is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hardwood is aware though and is defending well.

Booth has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hardwood can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Booth is breathing heavily.
Booth looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hardwood stands and steps away. Booth gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Hardwood clinches up against the cage.

Booth gets control of Hardwood's arms and successfully pulls guard. Booth will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Booth looking for a guillotine here but Hardwood defends easily.
Hardwood controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Booth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hardwood really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Booth. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hardwood stays in close to Booth's body and controls the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hardwood has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Booth is proving hard to escape from.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Booth keeping full guard, as Hardwood tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Howard Hardwood was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Hardwood shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hardwood showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardwood is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Booth actively working from the bottom here.
Hardwood trying to mount his opponent but Booth defends it.
Booth is refusing to be controlled, as Hardwood sits in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardwood controlling the pace.
Booth wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howard Hardwood dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dallas Booth's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hardwood fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardwood darts in looking for a takedown but Booth gets double underhooks and turns Hardwood into the cage.
Booth really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice elbow from Booth.
Booth lands a hook that snaps the head of Hardwood backwards.
A frustrated look appears on Booth's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Hardwood has Booth pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hardwood pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Booth tumbling to the mat - Hardwood dives into Booth's guard.
Hardwood with a nice head shot there.

Booth working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hardwood doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hardwood manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Hardwood avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Booth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Booth is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hardwood is stalling in the full guard.

Booth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hardwood works over Booth with some ground and pound from guard.
Hardwood stands and throws Booth's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hardwood controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardwood thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Booth gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Booth with the active half guard here but Hardwood passes nicely into side control.

Hardwood decides to stand up, so the ref orders Booth to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hardwood shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Howard Hardwood has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Booth is trying to get back to full guard.
Hardwood landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hardwood controlling the pace.
Hardwood wants to stand up but Booth is controlling the position.
Booth is looking to improve his position.
Hardwood trying to control from half guard but Booth is working away.
Hardwood slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Booth manages to get to full guard.
Hardwood trying to control but Booth is working from the bottom.

Howard Hardwood has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Hardwood clinches up with Booth and pushes him back against the cage.
Booth looking to stall.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardwood throws an elbow but it misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hardwood.
A shot in the inside from Booth.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howard Hardwood showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dallas Booth's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hardwood defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Booth.
Hardwood misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hardwood thows a leg kick but Booth checks it
and Booth counters with an inside leg kick.

Hardwood closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Hardwood decides to stand back up.
Hardwood pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dallas Booth is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hardwood missing with knees to the body.
The referee calls for Booth to work.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hardwood takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardwood avoiding damage as Booth throws knees to the body.
Booth lands a nice elbow.
Booth prevents a takedown attempt there.
Booth is looking to break free of the clinch but Hardwood has double underhooks.
Booth tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Booth stalling.

Hardwood manages to break the clinch.
Hardwood dives in and grabs Booth's left leg, looking for a takedown. Booth pushes down on Hardwood's head and hops out.
Dallas Booth has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Howard Hardwood.
Hardwood throws a sloppy head kick
and Booth counters with a low kick, right behind Hardwood 's knee.
Booth looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hardwood misses with a combination
and Booth finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardwood throws a head kick but Booth moves out of range.
Booth tries to clinch up.
Hardwood fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Booth dives in and grabs Hardwood's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hardwood pushes down on Booth's head and hops out.
Hardwood tries to clinch up
and Booth counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hardwood closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hardwood lands in his opponent's guard.
Booth keeping moving, preventing Hardwood from controlling successfully.
Booth doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Booth looking for a guillotine here but Hardwood defends easily.

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

Booth working for a triangle but Hardwood defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Booth throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Booth is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Booth keeping full guard, as Hardwood tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Howard Hardwood comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hardwood has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Howard Hardwood!