PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Major Mcconnell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Henderson (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.

Mcconnell
vs
Henderson

191 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Major Mcconnell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Henderson!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mcconnell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mcconnell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Henderson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mcconnell tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Mcconnell looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Henderson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mcconnell to the mat! Mcconnell manages to get full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Mcconnell keeps moving.
Henderson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcconnell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mcconnell keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.

Henderson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mcconnell is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Henderson, into his guard.
Henderson is pulling down on Mcconnell's head to control his posture.
Mcconnell wants to stand but Henderson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Henderson seems keen to control Mcconnell's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Steve Henderson.

Henderson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mcconnell's guard.
Mcconnell keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Henderson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Mcconnell keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steve Henderson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Mcconnell clinches up against the cage.
A short right from Mcconnell.

Mcconnell is fighting off a takedown attempt but Henderson is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Mcconnell to the mat. Mcconnell regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Henderson passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mcconnell is refusing to be controlled, as Henderson sits in half guard.
Mcconnell is controlling Henderson's trapped leg to prevent Henderson from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Mcconnell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mcconnell knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Henderson on the ground.
Mcconnell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henderson.
Mcconnell wants to control but Henderson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mcconnell keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henderson is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

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

Henderson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Mcconnell manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Henderson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mcconnell gets a takedown into half guard.
Henderson is trying to maintain the position but Mcconnell is very close to passing his half guard.
Mcconnell looks to land a strike but Henderson avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Mcconnell wanted to stand there but Henderson had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcconnell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Henderson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Mcconnell has picked Henderson up and slammed him! Henderson can't keep hold of the triangle and Mcconnell manages to pass to side control!
Mcconnell landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Mcconnell wants to stand but Henderson has his arm trapped.
Henderson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Mcconnell has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Mcconnell wants to stand but Henderson is controlling his arm.
Henderson struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson tries to bench press Mcconnell off him but Mcconnell keeps the position.
Mcconnell wants to stand but Henderson is controlling his arm.

Mcconnell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Henderson wants to control but Mcconnell postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson regains half guard.

Mcconnell seems to be working for a kimura but Henderson defends the submission attempt.
Henderson trying to control here.
Henderson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Henderson looking for a guillotine here but Mcconnell defends easily.
Henderson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mcconnell's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henderson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mcconnell is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mcconnell has escaped and now he's on top!
Mcconnell throws an elbow that misses. Henderson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mcconnell's guard. Nice move by Henderson!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Mcconnell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Henderson passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Major Mcconnell will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Henderson is looking to clinch but Mcconnell is avoiding it.

Henderson closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Mcconnell's guard.
Mcconnell keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Mcconnell is trying to control the position but Henderson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcconnell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Steve Henderson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Henderson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mcconnell's half guard.
Mcconnell is looking to get back to is feet but Henderson passes into side control.
Henderson creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Mcconnell sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Mcconnell tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Henderson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henderson has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Mcconnell!
Henderson tries to control but Mcconnell wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Henderson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Henderson goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Mcconnell is on top in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mcconnell postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Steve Henderson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Henderson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Mcconnell gets tackled into the cage by Henderson. Henderson maintains the clinch.
Henderson is pressed up against the cage. Mcconnell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Henderson down to the mat. Henderson avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Henderson wants to clinch up but Mcconnell keeps it at a distance.

Henderson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Henderson trying to control the position but Mcconnell is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henderson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Henderson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Henderson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mcconnell knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Henderson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Henderson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Henderson!
A very excited looking Steve Henderson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.