PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kong Po (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Po
vs
Howard

189 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
171 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

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 Montreal, Kong Po!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Howard!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Ian Loll and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard lands a head kick!
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Po paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Po tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Howard swivels and escapes.
Po fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Howard avoids it really well and circles away.
Po shoots for a double leg takedown but Howard sprawls well. He's pushed Po's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Po. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Po is breathing heavily.

Howard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Po is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Howard pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Howard is struggling to control the position.
Howard lands a knee to the head.
Po fails to pull guard.
Howard is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Howard prevents a takedown attempt there.
Howard with a knee to the head.
Howard connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
John Howard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Howard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Po takes the fight into the clinch.
Howard has Po pushed against the cage.
Howard receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Po drops down looking for an ankle pick but Howard pulls his leg out and moves away.
Po keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Howard.
Po shoots in but no luck this time.

Howard instigates a clinch.
Howard connects with a knee to the head.
Howard's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Howard continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Po fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Po drops down looking for an ankle pick but Howard pulls his leg out and moves away.

Howard rushes Po and presses him up against the cage.
Po tries to pull guard but Howard won't allow it.
Po wants to break the clinch but can't.
Howard connects with a nasty looking knee right to Po's face.
Howard stalling in the clinch.
Po goes for a takedown in the clinch but Howard prevents it.
Howard stops a takedown attempt from Po.
Howard manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Howard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Po.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Po looking for a takedown.
Howard stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Howard is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Po is keeping busy.
Po is working for takedown but Howard is calmly controlling the position for now.
Po changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Howard fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A head kick misses from Howard.

Howard fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Po, pushing him back against the cage.
Po goes for a takedown attempt but Howard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Howard dodges the punch combination from Po.

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.
Po wants to clinch

and Howard moves into the clinch.
Po is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Howard gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Howard landing knees to the head.
Po fails to pull guard.
Howard is trying to maintain a safe position but Po gets an underhook and turns Howard into the cage.
Howard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Po.
Po wants to break the clinch but can't.

Po pulls Howard into guard.

Po escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Howard gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Po is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Howard is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Howard dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nice takedown defense from Howard. No joy for Po on that attempt.
Po lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt

and Howard counters by moving into the clinch.
Po tries for a takedown. No joy.

Howard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Howard circles away from the clinch attempt

and Howard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Howard.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Po falls off balance throwing a combination

and Howard moves into the clinch.
Po wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Howard lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Po drops down looking for an ankle pick but Howard pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Po. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard tries a head kick but it misses.
Po swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Po drives through with a takedown into guard.
Howard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Po is controlling him.
Howard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Po prevents Howard from getting back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Po accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Po gets to his feet - Howard follows without any prompting.
Po will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard gets a clinch.
Howard stops a takedown attempt from Po.
Po is working for takedown but Howard is calmly controlling the position for now.
Howard pressing his opponent against the cage.
Po wants to break free but Howard has control.
Po has Howard pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Howard manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Howard manages to break the clinch.
Po misses with a double jab.
Howard dodges the punch combination from Po.
Po fails with the takedown.

Howard darts in and clinches Po up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Howard walks away with a smile on his face. Po gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kong Po seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Po throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Po tries to clinch

and Howard holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Po takes a knee right on the jaw!
Po tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Po has hold of one of Howard's legs. Howard is fighting the takedown attempt but Po gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Po looking to sit in guard and control but Howard gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Po throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Howard stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Howard avoids a punch combination nicely.
Po throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard ducks under a wild hook from Po.
Po misses with a takedown attempt - Howard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Howard looks to land a combination. Po sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Po tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Howard counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Po is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Po stalks Howard and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Howard's face. Howard staggers backwards, shaken.
Howard slaps away a takedown attempt from Po, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Po throws a combination that misses

and Howard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Howard.
Howard connects with a nasty looking knee right to Po's face.
The referee calls for Howard to work.
Howard stops a takedown attempt from Po.
Howard lands a knee to the head.
Po jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Howard walks away with a smile on his face. Po gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Howard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Howard enables Po to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Howard manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Po in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Howard manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Po tries to clinch up
and Howard counters with an outside leg kick.
Po circles away from the clinch attempt.
Po tries to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Po throws a series of punches but Howard avoids them all with ease.
Po fails to land with a series of punches.
A good leg kick by Howard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howard connects with a solid leg kick.
Po shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Howard defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Po, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Howard misses with a head kick.
Good exchange - Po coming out on top.
Po closes the distance and clinches up with Howard, looking for a takedown. Po pushes Howard against the cage but Howard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Howard moves in looking to clinch but Po pushes him off.
Po tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Howard swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kong Po. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Po paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Po with that takedown attempt.
Howard wants to clinch but Po slips to the side
and Po counters with a three punch combo that has Howard backing up. Howard nods at Po to acknowledge the strikes.
Howard steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Po.
Howard throws a head kick that misses.
Kong Po is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Po tries to clinch but Howard is having none of it.
Howard wants to clinch.
Howard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howard wants it to stay on the feet.
Howard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Po shoots in but no luck this time.
Po is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Po shoots for a takedown but Howard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Howard pushes Po up against the cage in a clinch.
Howard with a knee to the head.
Po is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Howard pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Po wants to break free but Howard has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Howard obliges.
Po throws a punch but it's blocked by Howard.
Howard misses with a knee strike.
Po jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Howard walks away with a smile on his face. Po gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Po closes the distance and clinches up with Howard, looking for a takedown. Po pushes Howard against the cage but Howard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Howard connects with a high kick.
Po throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Po rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Howard moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Howard clinches with his opponent.
Po tries to score a body lock takedown but Howard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Howard stalling the fight.
Po jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Howard walks away with a smile on his face. Po gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Po is trying hard to land a takedown here. Howard sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Howard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Po manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A jab from Po does it's job there.
Howard lands a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Po tries to clinch
and Howard counters with a big head kick but Po shrugs it off.
A shot to the liver by Po. Beautiful body shot.
Po tries to clinch

and Howard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Po tries to score a body lock takedown but Howard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Howard with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Howard with a knee to the head.
Po tries to break the clinch but Howard is controlling the position.
Po is working for takedown but Howard is calmly controlling the position for now.
Po has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Howard is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Po wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Howard misses with a knee strike.
Howard throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Po blocks it with crossed arms.
Po tries to circle away but Howard has him pinned against the cage.
Howard stops a takedown attempt from Po.
Po is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Howard manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kong Po has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Howard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Howard is pressed up against the cage. Po has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Howard down to the mat. Howard avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Howard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Howard winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

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