PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Grant Horwick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Small Hand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Horwick
vs
Hand

170 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Grant Horwick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Small Hand!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horwick stuffs the takedown.
Horwick shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Hand counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hand wants to control from the top but Horwick keeps moving.
Hand would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Horwick is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hand is controlling him.
Hand wants to stand but Horwick has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hand won't allow Horwick to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horwick wants to stand and escape but Hand is having none of it.
Horwick is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Horwick has managed to clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Horwick manages to break the clinch.

Horwick closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hand regains half guard.

Hand looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Horwick not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hand makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hand.
Hand has a closed guard, preventing Horwick from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hand trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hand looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Horwick postures up in Hand's guard and throws a big left but Hand blocks it.
Hand keeping moving, preventing Horwick from controlling successfully.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Hand escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Horwick gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hand tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horwick stays in close to Hand's body and controls the position.
Hand not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Grant Horwick wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Horwick tries to clinch there but Hand circles away.
Hand lands with a good body shot.
Horwick slaps away a takedown attempt from Hand, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Horwick misses with a takedown attempt - Hand sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hand changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Horwick tries to avoid it but Hand manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Horwick to the ground. Horwick escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Grant Horwick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Small Hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Horwick lands a head kick!
Horwick slaps away a takedown attempt from Hand, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hand avoids the head kick by Horwick.
Hand fails in his attempt to clinch.
Horwick changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hand tries to avoid it but Horwick manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hand to the ground. Hand escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hand shoots for a double leg takedown but Horwick sprawls well. He's pushed Hand's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hand throws a head kick but Horwick moves out of range.
Hand looks gassed!
Horwick shoots in for a takedown but Hand shows good takedown defense.

Horwick drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Horwick throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Grant Horwick will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Horwick turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Grant Horwick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hand shoots in looking for a takedown but Horwick manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hand's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Horwick closes the distance and pushes Hand back into the ropes.

Horwick breaks from the clinch.
Hand fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hand slaps away a takedown attempt from Horwick, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hand has his takedown stuffed

and Horwick decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hand's guard.
Grant Horwick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Small Hand.
Hand working a defensive guard here.
Horwick working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Horwick trying to control the position from guard on top but Hand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hand is breathing heavily.

Horwick stands up and waves to Hand to follow him.
Hand throws a series of punches but Horwick avoids them all with ease.

Hand clinches.
Hand looking to slow down the pace here.
Hand jumps guard but Horwick stands there with Hand around his waist. Hand gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Horwick tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hand smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hand wants to clinch
and Horwick counters with a left and a right that stings Hand.
Horwick shoots in looking for a takedown but Hand manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Horwick's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hand fails with an attempt to clinch.

Horwick moves into the clinch.
Hand stalling in the clinch.
Horwick goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hand prevents it.
Horwick drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hand pulls his leg out and moves away.

Horwick scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Horwick tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Horwick is looking to take a break and control but Hand is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hand wants to control but Horwick postures up.
Hand tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Hand wants to control but Horwick postures up.
Horwick is looking to take a break and control but Hand is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hand is looking to reverse the position.
Horwick working the ground and pound but Hand is defending the strikes.
Hand is looking for a sweep.
Horwick throwing strikes but Hand manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Hand is looking to take a break and control but Horwick is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Hand stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Horwick dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hand closes the distance looking to clinch

and Horwick decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hand's guard.
Grant Horwick overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hand trying to keep a closed guard but Horwick is proving a slippery customer.
Hand looking to hit a scissor sweep but Horwick is one step ahead there.
Horwick might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Hand throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hand keeping moving, preventing Horwick from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horwick would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Horwick trying to control but Hand is working from the bottom.
Hand is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hand has control of Horwick's left arm, preventing Horwick from doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Horwick moves into the clinch.

That's two 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.
Hand stops a takedown attempt from Horwick.
Hand is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Horwick fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Horwick pulls Hand into guard.
Horwick is trying to keep Hand in close.
Hand trying to control the position from guard on top but Horwick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hand preventing the sweep.
Horwick wants to hit a switch here but Hand passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Horwick there!
Hand landing strikes from the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand looking to control but Horwick is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hand fails to take his opponent's back.
Horwick is looking to get to half guard.
Horwick flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Horwick wants to hold on but Hand pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hand can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Horwick is looking to escape.
Hand is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Horwick can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hand landing strikes from the mount.
Horwick is looking to improve his position but Hand isn't that keen on the idea.
Hand tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Horwick is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Small Hand has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Grant Horwick is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hand jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Horwick is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Horwick and Hand has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Grant Horwick.
Well Horwick 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Grant Horwick!