PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khalifa Khalifa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalifa is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Habibi Ya Nour El Ain. Josh Howell has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Howell
vs
Khalifa

210 cm
30
223 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

190 cm
38
197 lbs
20 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Khalifa Khalifa!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Ben Watson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khalifa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Howell defends well and Khalifa ends up having to push Howell into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Howell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Josh Howell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheers as Howell lands an impressive looking overhand right. Khalifa doesn't seem phased though.
Howell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khalifa feints the counter takedown.
A big right from Khalifa misses.
Khalifa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Howell throwing a counter right hand but Khalifa manages to avoid it.
Howell throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Howell lands a nice shot to the body.
Howell stalks Khalifa and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Khalifa's face. Khalifa staggers backwards, shaken.
Howell connects with the punch.
Howell throws a series of punches but Khalifa moves out of range.
Khalifa feints the counter takedown.
Howell throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Khalifa counters with a three punch combo that has Howell backing up. Howell nods at Khalifa to acknowledge the strikes.
Howell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khalifa fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifa throws a series of punches but Howell avoids them all with ease.
Khalifa blocks a jab.
Khalifa walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Khalifa rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Howell counters with a left to the body.
Howell throws a big shot that misses.
Howell connects with a good right hand that stumbles Khalifa. Khalifa circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Khalifa tries to bum rush Howell with a series of wild strikes but Howell uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No joy there for Howell, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Some wild striking there from Khalifa.
Khalifa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Howell's waist but Howell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Khalifa off to one side.
Howell swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Josh Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalifa Khalifa.
A big right from Howell misses.
The fighters circling - Howell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Khalifa tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Howell fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Khalifa or perhaps it was just good defense by Howell, which made it look bad.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howell ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khalifa moves away.
Howell swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Howell avoids the body shot from Khalifa.
Josh Howell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A left lands for Howell.
Khalifa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Howell.
Khalifa misses the shot to the body.
Khalifa gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Khalifa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Howell is fending him off so far but Khalifa persists. Nope, Howell circles away and we're back to standing.
Howell misses with a straight left.
Howell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Khalifa with the counter takedown but Howell avoids it easily.
Howell leaves Khalifa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Howell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Khalifa drives through with a takedown into Howell's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Howell is adopting a defensive guard.
Khalifa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Khalifa working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Khalifa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Howell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Howell tries to get out of the position.
Khalifa throwing strikes from guard but Howell blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa throwing strikes but missing.
Howell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Khalifa throws a strike but Howell rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Howell stands up and waves to Khalifa to follow him.
Howell lands a nice shot to the body.
Khalifa throws a hook but Howell blocks it.
Khalifa blocks a jab.
Howell keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Howell dominated that round.
That's time! Howell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Khalifa slips a jab from Howell.
Khalifa fails with a takedown attempt.
Howell swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A slow jab from Howell misses its intended target.
Khalifa tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Howell throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Khalifa on the side of the head.
Khalifa takes a jab right on the kisser.
Howell misses with a shot to the body

and Khalifa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Khalifa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Khalifa looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Howell controlling Khalifa's posture.
Khalifa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Khalifa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifa landing some decent shots from guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Howell 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.
Khalifa stands up over Howell, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Khalifa throws a strike but Howell rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khalifa wants to sweep here but Howell controlling him for the moment.
Howell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Khalifa managing to control the position.
Howell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Khalifa can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Howell stays in close to Khalifa's body and controls the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Khalifa is on top in guard.

Khalifa throws a big elbow that misses.
Khalifa postures up in Howell's guard and throws a big left but Howell blocks it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Khalifa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Khalifa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Khalifa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Khalifa looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell has control of Khalifa's left arm, preventing Khalifa from doing any damage.
Khalifa lands a couple of digs.
Khalifa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Khalifa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Howell has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Khalifa off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Khalifa looks for a takedown but Howell sprawls well.
Howell takes a swing at Khalifa's ribcage but misses.
Khalifa is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Howell takes a swing at Khalifa's ribcage but misses.
Khalifa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Howell defends it well.
Josh Howell is winning the standup battle so far.

Khalifa shoots in and bounces Howell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khalifa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Khalifa chips away with some ground and pound.
Howell has control of Khalifa's left arm, preventing Khalifa from doing any damage.
Khalifa wants to control from the top but Howell keeps moving.
Khalifa passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Howell parries the strikes from Khalifa easily there. Khalifa is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Howell to escape.
Khalifa in side control lands a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khalifa Khalifa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Khalifa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Howell.
Khalifa is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Khalifa walks into a straight right hand from Howell.
Howell throws an off balance right hand

and Khalifa counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Howell!

Howell explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Khalifa lands with an overhand left.
Khalifa Khalifa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good standup being displayed there by Howell as he connects with a hook.

Khalifa closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Howell to the mat! Howell manages to get full guard.

Howell is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Khalifa presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Khalifa wants a takedown but no success here.
Howell gets underhooks to prevent Khalifa's takedown attempt.
Khalifa is working for takedown but Howell is calmly controlling the position for now.
Josh Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalifa Khalifa.
Khalifa has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Howell avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Khalifa fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Khalifa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Howell slaps away a takedown attempt from Khalifa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Howell slips under a jab from Khalifa.
Khalifa shoots in but Howell avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Howell misses with an uppercut. Khalifa saw that one coming.
Howell cracks Khalifa with a good jab.
Howell bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Khalifa misses with a takedown attempt
and Howell makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Howell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Khalifa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Howell defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell misses with a few strikes there.
Khalifa doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Khalifa.
Khalifa slips under a jab.
Howell misses with a straight left.
Howell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Howell misses with an uppercut.
As Howell backs off Khalifa throws a huge counter combo but Howell manages to avoid it all.
Khalifa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Howell defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell looks to land a left hand but Khalifa moved out of range nicely.
Khalifa tries for a takedown but Howell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Khalifa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Howell tries to avoid it but Khalifa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Howell to the ground. Howell escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Good standup being displayed there by Howell as he connects with a hook.
Howell lands a jab to the head.
A big right from Howell misses.
Khalifa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Khalifa fails with a takedown attempt.
Howell's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Khalifa connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Howell scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell swings for the body but Khalifa moves out of range.
Khalifa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Khalifa fails with the takedown
enabling Howell to counter with a crisp jab.
Howell misses the shot to the body.
Khalifa on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Khalifa fails with the takedown.
Howell swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Howell scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
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!
Howell scores with a nice strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Howell showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Howell 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 John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Howell!
An out of breath Josh Howell thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.