PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenshiro Kasumi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kasumi has chosen Ai Wo Torimodose aka Song of Manliness as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Howard
vs
Kasumi

185 cm
27
218 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

185 cm
25
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 New York, John Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshiro Kasumi!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kasumi takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Kasumi tries to sprawl but Howard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Howard working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kasumi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Howard is working away from the top position though.
Howard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Howard is nestled in close to Kasumi, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Kasumi is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Howard jumps into side control!
Howard wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kasumi keeps working.
Howard grinds an elbow into Kasumi's temple.
Howard throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Kasumi gets back to half guard.

Kasumi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Howard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kasumi's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kasumi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Howard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kasumi wants to get back to full guard.
Howard trying to control the action but Kasumi is working from the bottom.
Howard not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Kasumi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Howard working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Kasumi's thigh. Kasumi counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Kasumi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howard manages to get himself to full guard.
Kasumi trying to control the position from guard on top but Howard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Howard wants to sweep but no luck.
Howard is adopting a defensive guard.
Kasumi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Howard controlling the position.
Howard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

John Howard has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kasumi throws a right hand that misses
and Howard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kasumi misses with a lunging right hand
and Howard counters with a nice body shot.
Howard misses with a left hand
and Kasumi counters with a three punch combo that has Howard backing up. Howard nods at Kasumi to acknowledge the strikes.
Howard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kasumi looks gassed!
Howard throws a poor cross that misses
and Kasumi counters with a right hand to the body.
Kasumi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kasumi misses with a lunging right hand
and Howard makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kasumi misses with a body shot
and Howard counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kenshiro Kasumi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kasumi throws a head kick that misses.
Howard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Howard tries to move into range but Kasumi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kasumi throws a poor cross that misses
and Howard counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kasumi thinking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kasumi throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Kasumi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howard.
A combination from Howard does no damage.
Howard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Kasumi tries to sprawl but Howard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kasumi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kasumi is looking to control Howard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kasumi avoid being mounted?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kasumi looks like he's trying to stand up.
Howard is thwarting Kasumi's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Howard dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Howard lands a jab to Kasumi's midsection.
Kasumi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kasumi misses with a hook
and Howard counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Howard throws out a powerful jab.
A slow jab from Kasumi misses its intended target.
Kasumi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Howard lands with a shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Kasumi as Howard shoots in.
Howard's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kasumi connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Howard scrambles back to his feet.
Kasumi throws a right hand that misses
enabling Howard to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kasumi was well out of range. Poor timing from Howard.
Kasumi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Howard counters with a stiff right hand.
Kasumi moves in looking to clinch but Howard pushes him off.
Kasumi misses with a hook to the body
letting Howard counter with a right hand.
Howard shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kasumi defends it nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Kasumi. No joy for Howard on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Howard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard shoots in looking for a takedown but Kasumi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Howard's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kasumi throws an off balance right hand
and Howard counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kasumi thinking.
Howard displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kasumi throws out the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard misses the shot to the body.
Howard misses the jab.
Howard has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kasumi finds it's way round the side to connect with Howard's head.
Howard throws out a loose jab but Kasumi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kasumi lands a jab to the head.
Kasumi lands with a right hand.
Howard looks to land a left hand but Kasumi moved out of range nicely.
Kasumi misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Howard counter with a right hand.
Kasumi lands with a good body shot.
Kasumi throws a push kick but Howard slaps the foot to one side.
Howard takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasumi connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Kasumi lands a body shot.
Howard shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A lazy left from Kasumi finds it's target.
Good shot there by Kasumi.
Howard misses with a straight left.
Howard throws a lazy right hand but Kasumi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kasumi misses with an uppercut
and Kasumi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kasumi throws a combination that misses
and Howard counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheers as Kasumi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Howard doesn't seem phased though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kasumi throws a lazy uppercut
and Howard counters with a left to the body.
Howard checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kasumi misses the body punch
and Howard counters with a straight right hand.
Kasumi misses with a right hand
and Howard counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kasumi lands with a kick to the ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kasumi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kasumi tries to land a front kick but Howard steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kasumi lands an overhand right.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howard steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Kasumi. That one must have hurt.
Kasumi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howard is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kasumi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kenshiro Kasumi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kasumi swings widly with a right hand
and Howard makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kasumi moves out of range of the strikes.
Howard misses with a looping left.
Kasumi loads up on a big right hand but Howard slips the punch.
Howard just misses with a punch to the body.
Kasumi throws a lazy uppercut
and Howard counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Howard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A head kick misses from Kasumi.
Kasumi throws out a loose jab but Howard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kasumi throws a poor cross that misses

and Howard counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Howard.
Kasumi is controlling Howard's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kasumi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Howard doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Howard manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kasumi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Howard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Howard trying to control but Kasumi is working from the bottom.
Kasumi wants to control the position but Howard says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Kasumi works his way to full guard. Good work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Howard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kasumi looking for a sweep. Not yet Kasumi, not yet.
Kasumi is trying to keep Howard in close.

Howard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kasumi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Howard has managed to get both his arms back between Kasumi's legs - danger averted.
Howard distracts Kasumi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kasumi looking to control.
Howard trying to control but Kasumi is working from the bottom.
Howard postures up and lands a big shot to Kasumi's brow.
Kasumi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasumi looking for a sweep. Not yet Kasumi, not yet.
Kasumi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Howard wants to pass the guard but Kasumi is keeping the position.
Kasumi working a defensive guard here.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Kasumi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Howard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kasumi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kasumi is trying to keep Howard in close.
Howard 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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Howard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Howard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Howard lands a couple of elbows.

Kasumi is looking for a triangle but Howard pushes his legs off easily.
Kasumi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kasumi has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Howard has passed into side control.
Howard trying to control the action but Kasumi is working from the bottom.
Howard landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Howard tries to advance to mount but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Howard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Howard has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

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