PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stuart Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harold Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harold Howard is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Jackson
vs
Howard

187 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stuart Jackson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harold Howard!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Jackson momentarily.
Howard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Howard lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Jackson at a distance.

Jackson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Howard, pushing him back against the cage.
Howard lands a left hand that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Jackson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Howard is keeping busy.
Howard lands with a light punch inside.
Howard stops a takedown attempt from Jackson.

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jackson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Howard avoids it really well and circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jackson is defended easily by Howard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stuart Jackson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice uppercut lands for Howard. That snapped Jackson's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jackson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Howard lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Jackson struggles to land a body shot inside as Howard controls his hands.
Jackson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A right hook to the body lands for Howard.
Jackson is breathing heavily.
A nice right hand lands inside from Howard.
Howard working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Howard digs a right hand into Jackson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Jackson's gas tank.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Howard connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Howard scores with a nice strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howard lands a nice shot to the body.
Howard sizes up Jackson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Howard lands with a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Stuart Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Jackson tries to keep at a distance but Howard has taken the fight into the clinch.

Howard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jackson walks into a jab.
Howard lands a head shot.

Howard forces Jackson back against the cage and clinches.
Howard is leaning against Jackson and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Howard lands with a short shot to the head.
Howard lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Jackson.
Jackson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short uppercut from Howard.

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Good shot there by Howard.
Howard jabs at Jackson's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Howard scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Howard lands a nice looking body shot.
Howard lands with a nice body punch.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Jackson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Howard moves into range and connects with a jab.
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!
Howard scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Howard moves into the clinch successfully.
A short uppercut from Howard.
Howard lands with a light punch inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Howard.

Howard manages to break the clinch.
Howard fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Jackson on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Jackson.
Donk. Howard catches Jackson right on the button with a cross.
Howard scores with a hook to the body. Jackson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Howard clobbers Jackson with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Howard clinches up against the cage.

Howard manages to break the clinch.
Howard cracks Jackson with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Howard connects with a right hand. Jackson shakes it off.
Jackson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Howard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jackson misses with a double jab
and Howard connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Stuart Jackson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Howard scores with the left hand. Jackson knows he should have avoided that one.

Howard instigates a clinch.

Howard manages to break the clinch.
Jackson shoots in but Howard avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Howard fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Jackson on the side of the head.
Howard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Howard takes the fight into the clinch.
Jackson tries to break free but Howard pushes him back against the cage.
Howard digs a right hand into Jackson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Jackson's gas tank.

Howard breaks from the clinch.
Howard slaps away a takedown attempt from Jackson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Howard lands a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard lands with a good body shot.

Howard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Jackson takes a shot to the head.
Jackson takes a shot to the head.
Howard pushes Jackson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Howard lands with a left to the head.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Howard has closed the distance and engaged Jackson in a clinch.
Jackson wants to get back to striking at distance but Howard won't allow it.
Jackson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Howard smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stuart Jackson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A cross from Howard lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard clinches with his opponent.
Howard lands with a light punch inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Howard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howard lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Howard working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Howard lands a shot to the body.
Good body shot from Howard.
Howard lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Howard lands an uppercut.
Howard lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.

Howard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Howard scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Howard scores with a sloppy right hand. Jackson should have avoided that one.
Howard throws a nice looking combination but Jackson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Howard scores with a hook.
Jackson looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jackson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Howard as he jumps to the side.

Howard rushes Jackson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jackson takes a shot to the head.
Howard lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Good body shot from Howard.
A right handed body shot lands from Howard.
Howard scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A shot in the inside from Howard.
Howard lands a hook to the side of the head.
Howard lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Jackson or not.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Howard scores with a shot to the body.
Howard scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard scores with a decent looking hook.
Nice shot lands for Howard.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Jackson. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Howard dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Jab, jab by Howard - just one landing.
Howard lands with an uppercut that bounces Jackson off the cage and back into range.
Howard ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Howard lands with an overhand left.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howard lands a lovely overhand right.
Howard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Jackson.
Howard scores with a jab to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Howard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Howard pushes Jackson up against the cage in a clinch.
Howard working aggressively here.
Good body shot from Howard.
Howard tries to work over Jackson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jackson dodges the punch combination from Howard.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Good body shot from Howard.
A short left from Howard.

Howard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Howard avoids it really well and circles away.

Howard forces Jackson back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Howard.
Still in the clinch, Howard scores with a nice short uppercut.
Harold Howard seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Howard pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Howard jabs at Jackson's body.
Howard jabs at Jackson's body.

Howard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Howard lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Howard pushes Jackson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Howard lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.

Howard breaks from the clinch.

Howard has taken the fight to the clinch.
Jackson takes a shot to the head.
Howard lands with a left to the head.
Jackson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Howard avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howard lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stuart Jackson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howard is leaning against Jackson and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Howard lands an uppercut.

Howard breaks from the clinch.

Howard closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Howard on the inside.
A short left from Howard.
Jackson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Howard smiles and moves away.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Howard jabs at Jackson's body.
Jackson shoots in but no luck this time.
Howard digs a good hook to Jackson's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Howard closes the distance and clinches.
Howard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Howard lands a hook that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Howard throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Jacksons head.
Howard lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Jackson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Howard lands an uppercut.
Jackson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Jackson tries to circle away but Howard has him pinned against the cage.
Howard lands with a right to the head.
Howard lands a hook that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Howard lands a nice shot to the body.

Howard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Howard misses with a wild combination.
Howard tests Jackson's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard stuffs the takedown attempt from Jackson. Jackson gets slowly back to his feet.

Howard closes the distance and pushes Jackson back into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jackson prevents a body shot from Howard.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Howard.
Jackson trying to stall but Howard improves his position.
Stuart Jackson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Howard lands a nice uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howard lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Howard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Howard drives through and clinches with Jackson against the cage.

Howard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harold Howard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Howard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 25:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 25:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 25:30

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