PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Austin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Bowens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Worner comes to the cage accompanied by lets go by lil john. The key to victory for Austin Worner has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Worner
vs
Bowens

167 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Austin Worner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Bowens!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Worner fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bowens, pushing him back against the cage.

Bowens turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bowens prevents Worner from escaping the position.
Worner struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bowens has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Worner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Worner wants to clinch up but Bowens keeps it at a distance.
Worner fails with the takedown

and Bowens counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Worner trying to hold on to Bowens's head to control him but Bowens postures up.
Bowens stalling.
Bowens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Worner defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowens is trying to control. Worner wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Worner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Worner regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Bowens.
Bowens content to stall in guard here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Worner is trying to keep Bowens in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bowens preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowens passes Worner's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Worner is looking for a sweep. Bowens is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bowens wants to take a breather but Worner is having none of it.
Bowens tries to pass the half guard into mount. Worner knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Bowens is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Bowens works his way into side control.
Worner is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Worner keeps working.

Bowens stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Worner misses with the combination.
Worner looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bowens is fending him off so far but Worner persists. Nope, Bowens circles away and we're back to standing.
Worner is breathing heavily.
Worner misses with a hook. Bowens ducked under it nicely.
Worner wants to clinch

and Bowens counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bowens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Worner might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bowens passes Worner's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bowens is looking to advance position but Worner won't allow it.
Bowens perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
It looks like Bowens might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bowens is trying to control the action in half guard but Worner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Worner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Worner is looking to clinch.
Worner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Bowens manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Worner looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Worner tries to clinch
and Bowens counters with a nice body shot.
Bowens keeps the fight on the outside.
Worner lands with a nice combination. Bowens backs away looking to recover.
Worner is looking to clinch.
Worner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Worner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Worner wants it to stay on the feet.
Bowens fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Worner tries to clinch up.

Bowens gets tackled into the cage by Worner. Worner maintains the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Worner throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Bowens blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Worner with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowens fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Austin Worner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Bowens.
Bowens has Worner pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Worner manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Worner looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Bowens landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Worner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bowens on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bowens has Worner pressed against the cage, preventing Worner from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Bowens tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Worner smiles and moves away.

Bowens clinches up against the cage.
Bowens tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Worner smiles and moves away.
Bowens fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Worner instigates a clinch.
Worner taking a breather.
Worner lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Worner is trying to push Bowens away but Bowens has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Worner misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bowens.
Bowens avoids a wild elbow strike from Worner.
Worner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Worner lands with a light punch inside.
Worner tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bowens avoids it.
Worner tries to land knees in the clinch but Bowens avoids the damage to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bowens managing to block the knees to the body from Worner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowens goes for a takedown in the clinch but Worner prevents it.
Worner lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Still in the clinch, Worner scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Worner.
Worner jumps guard but Bowens stands there with Worner around his waist. Worner gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Worner.
Bowens blocks an elbow strike from Worner.

Bowens escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Worner gets a clinch.
Bowens fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Worner looking to slow down the pace here.
Worner prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bowens or not.
Bowens jumps guard but Worner stands there with Bowens around his waist. Bowens gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Worner looking to stall.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Worner.
Worner lands with a light punch inside.
Good body shot from Worner.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Bowens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Worner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Bowens manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Austin Worner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Worner tries to clinch but Bowens moves away

and Bowens counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Worner dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bowens swats away the attempt to clinch by Worner.
Bowens shoots in but no luck this time.

Worner has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bowens wants a takedown but no success here.
Bowens avoids a wild elbow strike from Worner.
Bowens is trying to pull guard but Worner has him pressed against the cage.
Austin Worner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Bowens.
Bowens is trying to pull guard but Worner has him pressed against the cage.
Worner tries to land knees in the clinch but Bowens avoids the damage to the body.
Worner can't find room to land a body shot as Bowens controls the action.
Worner is struggling to control the position.
Worner pushes Bowens back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Worner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bowens or not.
Bowens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bowens is trying to push Worner away but Worner has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Nice body punch from Worner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner is trying to maintain a safe position but Bowens gets an underhook and turns Worner into the cage.
Worner throws an elbow but it misses.
Worner is stalling here.
Worner throws an elbow but it misses.
Worner lands a right hand.
Worner tries to pull guard but Bowens won't allow it.

Bowens jumps into guard, dragging Worner to the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bowens can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bowens keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner being controlled here momentarily.
Bowens has a closed guard, preventing Worner from standing up.

Bowens is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Worner is aware though and is defending well.

Worner decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Worner wants to clinch up but Bowens keeps it at a distance.
Worner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner throws a head kick that misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bowens is defended easily by Worner.
Worner is looking to clinch but Bowens is avoiding it.
A punch combination from Worner misses.

Bowens rushes Worner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Worner throws an elbow that misses.
Bowens jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Worner walks away with a smile on his face. Bowens gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Some wild striking there from Worner.
Bowens slips a jab and a cross from Worner.
A punch combination from Worner misses.

Worner tries to keep at a distance but Bowens has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner gets underhooks to prevent Bowens's takedown attempt.
Bowens tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Worner smiles and moves away.
Worner tries to clinch but Bowens is having none of it.
Worner doesn't manage to clinch there - Bowens circles away.
Worner fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Bowens scores with a takedown into Worner's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bowens trying to control but Worner is working from the bottom.
Worner wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Bowens is now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Worner showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Worner 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Worner!
Post fight, Austin Worner took to the microphone: 'I show disrespect to no man. But I came out here to fight! And that\'s u got. Im a fighter. I am a force to be recond with'.