PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dunch Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Henry
vs
Askren

175 cm
27
175 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

178 cm
26
184 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dunch Henry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Askren!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henry listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Nice body kick from Askren.
Askren misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Askren shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Askren ducks under a wild hook from Henry.
Askren lands a body shot.
Askren jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Askren takes a jab right on the kisser.
Askren goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Henry scores with a hook to the body. Askren takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Askren moves away from the strike by Henry.
Henry throws a nice looking combination but Askren bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Henry avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Henry ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Askren moves away.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Askren.
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!
Askren looks to score with a jab to the body but Henry is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren throws a lazy uppercut
and Henry connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Askren throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice shot lands for Askren.
Askren showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Henry.
Askren tries to clinch but Henry moves out of range.
Askren throws a looping overhand right but Henry ducks down to avoid it.
Henry lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Askren walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Henry throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Askren throws out a loose jab but Henry uses good head movement to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Henry. Askren does a little dance to reset his feet.
Henry tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Askren was well out of range. Poor timing from Henry.
Askren displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Henry throws out the jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Henry is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Askren.
Askren stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice defenses there by Henry.
Henry avoids a punch combination nicely.
Henry misses with an uppercut.
John Askren is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Askren misses with a looping right.
Henry misses with an uppercut. Askren saw that one coming.
Askren looks to score with a jab to the body but Henry is just out of range.
Askren uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Henry.
Askren swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Henry throws an overhand right that lands on Askren's shoulder, as Askren tries to avoid the shot.
Henry throws out a loose jab but Askren uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry throws a series of punches but Askren moves out of range.
Askren throws a big shot that misses.
Askren throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Henry swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Henry thows a body shot but no joy.
Henry throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Askren is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Askren fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Henry manages to avoid it.
Henry misses with a body shot.
Dunch Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Askren uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Askren uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Henry stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Askren has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Henry finds it's way round the side to connect with Askren's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Askren jabs Henry right on the nose. Henry blinks but takes it well.
Henry gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Askren looks to land a combination. Henry sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askren loads up on a big right hand but Henry slips the punch.
Henry slips a straight right by Askren.

Askren clinches up against the cage.
Askren taking a breather.
Henry wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Henry avoids a wild elbow strike from Askren.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henry blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Askren tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Askren.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Askren will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Henry lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nice sprawl there from Askren as Henry shoots in.
Askren misses with a hook.
Askren jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Henry misses with a shot to the body
and Askren counters with a nice body shot.
Henry avoids the body shot from Askren.
Henry fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Askren manages to avoid it.
Askren throws a solid leg kick but Henry takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Askren.
Henry misses with a looping left.
Henry misses with a wild body shot.
Askren just misses with a punch to the body.
Askren connects with a good right hand that stumbles Henry. Henry circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Henry lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A telegraphed right hand from Henry misses the target.
John Askren seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Askren.
Askren lands with a right hand.
Decent striking displayed by Askren there.
Decent striking displayed by Henry there.
Henry pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Henry ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Askren moves away.
Askren throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Henry keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Askren just misses with a punch to the body.
Askren misses with a body shot.
Henry throws a lazy right hand but Askren sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Askren has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Askren there as he acknowledges the shot.
Askren throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Henry sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Henry lands with a good body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren throws an off balance right hand
and Henry counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Henry throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Askren sees it coming and avoids it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Askren looks to throw the jab but Henry is out of range.
Askren takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A right-left combo lands from Askren.
Askren jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Askren gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Henry avoids a wild elbow strike from Askren.
Askren with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stalling in the clinch from Askren.
Askren is working Henry over against the cage.
Askren stalling in the clinch but Henry improves position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren throws a nice looking combination but Henry bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Askren drops his hands momentarily and Henry takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Henry just misses with a punch to the body.
Henry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Askren misses with the combination.
Henry throws out a powerful jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Henry misses the target.
Henry lands a nice hook to Askren's body. Askren takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Henry misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Askren counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Askren slips under a jab.
Nice straight punches there by Henry. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Henry.
Askren throws a quick inside leg kick.
Henry misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Henry lunges at Askren with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Askren's hand.

Askren takes the fight into the clinch.

Henry breaks the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askren throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Askren slips a jab from Henry.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Henry!
Askren lands a head kick. Henry smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henry moves out of range of the body kick from Askren.
Askren throws a body punch but Henry moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Henry throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Henry throws a body punch but Askren moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Askren will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Askren misses with an uppercut. Henry saw that one coming.
Askren connects with a leg kick. Henry looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Henry. Askren does a little dance to reset his feet.
Askren slips a straight right by Henry.
Askren throws a head kick but Henry moves out of range.
Henry scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Henry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Askren.
Askren ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Askren wants to clinch up but Henry keeps it at a distance.
Askren throws a shot from downtown. Henry moves away and avoids it.
Henry dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice jab there from Henry.
Henry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Askren.
Askren takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Askren moves away.
Askren jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Askren misses with a shot to the body
and Henry counters with a one-two to the body.
Henry swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Askren has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Henry misses with a wild body shot.
Henry throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Henry misses with a jab, cross combination.
Henry ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Askren moves away.
Askren misses with a wild body shot.
Askren loads up on a big right hand but Henry slips the punch.
Nice cross by Henry.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Askren.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Askren.
John Askren is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry misses with a few strikes there.
Henry on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Dunch Henry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Askren looks to land a right hand but Henry moved out of range.
Askren throws a lazy right hand but Henry sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Henry waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Askren.
Henry with a poor takedown
and Askren makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Askren ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Henry misses the shot to the body.
Askren misses with a straight left.
Askren steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Henry.
Henry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Askren.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Henry takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Askren wants to clinch up but Henry keeps it at a distance.
Askren throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Henry throws a right and a left that both miss.
A big right from Henry misses.
Henry throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Askren counters with a right hand to the body.
Henry misses with a jab, cross combination.
A solid body kick from Askren.
Henry swings for the body but Askren moves out of range.
Askren uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Henry has time to react.
Askren keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henry takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren scores with a nice head shot.
Askren closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Askren is looking to clinch.
Henry loads up on a big right hand but Askren slips the punch.
No joy there for Askren, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Henry takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Henry throws a good cross that connects.
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!
A big right from Henry misses.
Henry throws a hook to the side of Askren's head but Askren sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Askren keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Askren tests Henry's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Askren throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Henry on the side of the head.

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 Dunch Henry.
I think Askren has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!