PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fred Safire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howell comes to the cage accompanied by American Badass. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Howell
vs
Safire

200 cm
29
255 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

183 cm
22
280 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fred Safire!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Hugh Johnson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Howell wants it to stay on the feet.
Safire avoids a punch combination nicely.
Safire wants to clinch but Howell slips to the side
and Howell counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Howell connects with a looping right hand.
Safire walks into a stiff left hand from Howell.

It looks like Fred Safire has been cut.
Safire fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Safire avoids the body shot from Howell.
Safire staying out of range there.
Safire shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Howell sprawls well. Howell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Safire gets slowly back to his feet.
Josh Howell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fred Safire.
Safire drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Safire closes the distance looking to clinch
and Howell counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Howell lands with a good body shot.
Howell misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell fails to land with a series of punches.
Safire takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Good exchange - Howell coming out on top.
Howell misses the shot to the body.
Howell lands a slapping body shot.
Howell scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Safire tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Howell swivels and escapes.
Safire shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Safire shoots in for a double leg but Howell sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Safire tries to clinch but Howell moves out of range.
Safire checks a low kick from Howell.
Safire ducks right into an uppercut from Howell.
Howell is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Safire wants to clinch.
Safire throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Safire is looking to clinch.
Howell lands a body shot.
Howell is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howell. Safire does a little dance to reset his feet.
Safire moves out of range as Howell strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Safire throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Howell's waist but Howell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Safire off to one side.
Josh Howell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Howell scores with a jab to the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howell. Safire does a little dance to reset his feet.
Safire takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Howell swings for the body but Safire moves out of range.
Safire keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Safire pushes Howell up against the cage in a clinch.
Howell connects with a nasty looking knee right to Safire's face.
Safire looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Safire gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Howell regains guard.
Howell pulls Safire in to control the position.
Safire trying to control but Howell is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Howell has his foot on Safire's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Safire works his way back into a safe position though.
Safire sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Howell's guard.
Safire thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Howell's head.
Howell tries to roll over but Safire keeps him under control.

Safire is looking for a kimura but Howell is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Safire to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Howell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howell is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Safire scores with a couple of nice shots.
Safire has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safire not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Safire drops an elbow to the side of Howell's head.
Safire 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howell wants to get back to his feet.
Howell tries to roll over but Safire keeps him under control.
Safire wants to pass to mount but Howell is defending the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nice strikes from Safire there.
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 Josh Howell will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Fred Safire's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Safire shoots in but Howell avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Howell misses with a head kick.

Safire fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Howell, pushing him back against the cage.
Safire stops a takedown attempt from Howell.
Howell has a couple of punches blocked by Safire.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Howell.

Safire has hold of one of Howell's legs. Howell is fighting the takedown attempt but Safire gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Safire thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Safire wants to control from the top but Howell keeps moving.
Safire keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Howell's head.
Howell working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Safire.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safire postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Howell is trying to control the position but Safire postures up.
Howell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Safire throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Howell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Safire with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Howell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Safire wants to pass the guard but Howell is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Safire accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Safire forces his way into half guard.

Howell looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Safire passes to full mount!
Howell tries to hold on but Safire pushes him away.
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!
Safire trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Safire is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Howell can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Safire lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Howell hang on?

Howell is rocked!

It looks like Josh Howell has been cut.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safire is in full mount looking to finish with strikes. He lands a big shot, followed by another and Howell goes limp! The ref jumps in to end the fight - a big win for Safire!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Fred Safire! Fred Safire retains his heavyweight title!
An out of breath Fred Safire thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.