PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Craig Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Little
vs
Henderson

178 cm
22
134 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

169 cm
30
144 lbs
9 - 15 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Craig Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Little keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Little throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Henderson's waist but Henderson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Little off to one side.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henderson swats away the attempt to clinch by Little.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Henderson moves into the clinch successfully.

Little jumps guard and drags Henderson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Henderson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Little is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Henderson is controlling him.

Henderson has gone for a leg lock! Little slips out almost immediately though and dives into Henderson's guard.
Henderson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Little preventing the sweep.
Henderson keeping full guard, as Little tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henderson has his foot on Little's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Little works his way back into a safe position though.
Little really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Little showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Little postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Henderson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Little working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Little postures up.

Little decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Henderson, up you get!
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice defenses there by Little.
Henderson tests Little's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Henderson misses with a lunging right hand

and Little counters by moving into the clinch.
Henderson is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Little manages to pull guard.
Little is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Little keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Henderson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joe Henderson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Little shoots for a takedown but Henderson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Little shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Henderson pinned against the cage. Henderson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Little pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson throws an overhand right that lands on Little's shoulder, as Little tries to avoid the shot.
Henderson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Little moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Little looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henderson is fending him off so far but Little persists. Nope, Henderson circles away and we're back to standing.
Henderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Little on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Little tries to clinch there but Henderson circles away.
The fighters circle momentarily. Henderson darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Little walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Little wants to clinch.
Henderson works the jab nicely.

Little is rocked!
Little is looking to clinch but Henderson is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little fails with an attempt to clinch.

Henderson darts in and clinches Little up against the cage.

Little manages to pull guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson is stalling in the full guard.

Little isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Henderson stacks Little on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Henderson!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Henderson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Henderson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Little looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Little is looking to regain half guard here but Henderson keeps moving and retains side control.
Little is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Henderson swings around for an armbar but Little sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Henderson's guard.
Henderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Henderson looking to control but Little is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Little wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Henderson.
Little working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little really wants to buck Henderson off and get back to his feet.
Little tries to hold on but Henderson postures up.
Joe Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Little takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Henderson throws some wild stikes that Little manages to avoid easily.
Little is trying desperately to improve position.
Little wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Henderson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little is working to get back to half guard.

Henderson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Little has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Little!
Henderson keeping full guard, as Little tries to pass.
Henderson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Little is controlling him.
Little wants to stand but Henderson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Henderson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little trying to stand up but can't free himself from Henderson's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henderson is looking to stand up but Little isn't so interested in that idea.
Little works over Henderson with some ground and pound from guard.
Little is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Little gets to his feet - Henderson follows without any prompting.
Little tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Henderson cracks Little with a right hand to the side of the head.
Little doesn't manage to clinch there - Henderson circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson misses with a leg kick.
Little tries for a takedown but Henderson circles away easily
and Henderson counters with a left and a right that stings Little.
Oh Little is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Henderson looks to land a right hand but Little moved out of range.
Henderson swings widly with a right hand
and Little connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A looping hook to the body misses from Little. Henderson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Little seems to have got his legs back now.
Henderson misses the jab.
Craig Little is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A decent looking cross lands there for Henderson.
Little takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Little looks for a takedown but Henderson sprawls well.
Little shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Henderson feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Little sprawling to the canvas! Little rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Henderson finish him?!
Henderson misses the shot to the body.

Henderson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Henderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Henderson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Little will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Little shoots for a double leg takedown but Henderson sprawls well. He's pushed Little's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice sprawl there from Henderson as Little shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henderson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Henderson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Henderson landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Henderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Little keeps working.

Henderson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Little has escaped the position, nice work there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Little tries to bench press Henderson off him but Henderson keeps the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Henderson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Little has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Henderson but great work by Little.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little trying to control the action but Henderson is working from the bottom.

Little decides to stand back up. Little steps back and let's Henderson get back to his feet.
Little looks to clinch
and Henderson counters with a straight right hand.
Little is looking to clinch but Henderson is avoiding it.
Little shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Henderson as he jumps to the side.
Little has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Little there as he acknowledges the shot.
Henderson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Little tries to score a power double leg takedown but Henderson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Little somewhat.

Little rushes Henderson and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little goes for a takedown attempt but Henderson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Henderson misses with a takedown attempt

and Little counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henderson prevents Little from moving into mount.

Little decides to stand up, so the ref orders Henderson to his feet.
Little wants to clinch up but Henderson keeps it at a distance.
The fighters circling - Henderson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Little gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Little works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A nice right hand lands inside from Little.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Little as Henderson tries to tie him up.

Little gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little wants to take a breather but Henderson is having none of it.
Little throwing shots but Henderson is blocking nicely.
Henderson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Little is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Little is looking to take a break and control but Henderson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Little is stalling here. Henderson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Little seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Henderson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Henderson landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little struggling a bit here.
Little manages to get back to half guard.
Little pushes Henderson off looking to stand but Henderson dives back in and keeps control.
Joe Henderson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Little blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henderson.
Little blocking the ground and pound attempt from Henderson.
Little missing with punches from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henderson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Craig Little has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Little is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Henderson is tapping! Great win for Little!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Craig Little!
A victorious Craig Little thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.