PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Howlett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Killing Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonnen has chosen Alice In Chain Would? as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Killing Sonnen will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Howlett
vs
Sonnen

160 cm
21
195 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
206 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, James Howlett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Killing Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Michael Johnstone and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howlett tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sonnen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Howlett somewhat.
Sonnen looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Howlett shoots in but no luck this time.
No luck for Howlett with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Howlett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen slaps away a takedown attempt from Howlett, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Sonnen as Howlett shoots in.

Howlett decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Howlett perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Howlett stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sonnen to get to his feet.

Howlett looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sonnen!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett is looking to take a break and control but Sonnen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonnen is trying to improve his position.
Sonnen parries the strikes from Howlett easily there. Howlett is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sonnen to escape.
Howlett looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Howlett cracks Sonnen with a big right hand but Sonnen just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Howlett tries for a kimura but Sonnen is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Howlett.
Howlett controlling the position.
Sonnen defending against the ground and pound.
Howlett in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Howlett tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Howlett lands an elbow.
The strikes coming from Howlett are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Howlett wants to control but Sonnen is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Howlett are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Howlett throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Howlett is staying tight to Sonnen's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Howlett seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sonnen for as long as he can get away with.
Howlett wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonnen keeps working.
Sonnen is being controlled here.
Howlett wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonnen keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Howlett.
Horrible takedown by Howlett or perhaps it was just good defense by Sonnen which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Sonnen as Howlett shoots in.
Howlett misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Howlett tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sonnen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Howlett somewhat.
Howlett closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sonnen circles away.
We've been informed that Sonnen has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Sonnen stuffs the takedown attempt from Howlett. Howlett gets slowly back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen shoots for a double leg takedown but Howlett sprawls well. He's pushed Sonnen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
James Howlett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Howlett.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Howlett dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sonnen gets caught flat footed, as Howlett shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Howlett showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sonnen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Howlett.
Sonnen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett throws a big elbow that misses.
Howlett's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James Howlett wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Howlett has a takedown stuffed.
Sonnen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Howlett.

Sonnen gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Howlett to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Howlett sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sonnen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Howlett stacks Sonnen 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 Howlett!
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Howlett here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Howlett wants to control but Sonnen is keeping him busy.
Howlett throws an elbow but Sonnen slips to the side and avoids it well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonnen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sonnen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sloppy strikes there by Howlett.
Howlett taking a breather here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Howlett tries for a kimura but Sonnen is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howlett works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Howlett trying to control the action but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Howlett postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Howlett wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonnen keeps working.
Sonnen being controlled for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howlett stands up and beckons Sonnen to his feet.

Howlett takes the fight into the clinch.
Howlett lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Killing Sonnen has been cut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Howlett changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sonnen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Howlett. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen shoots in looking for a takedown. Howlett tries to sprawl out of it but Sonnen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Howlett manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Howlett dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Killing Sonnen's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Howlett closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Howlett lands in his opponent's guard.
Howlett trying to control the position from guard on top but Sonnen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Howlett stands up from Sonnen's guard - Howlett perhaps looking for a knockout.

Howlett drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sonnen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Howlett is pushing down on Sonnen's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sonnen is fighting to maintain full guard but Howlett has managed to sneak the leg through.
Howlett works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Howlett misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Howlett throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Howlett throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sonnen is squirming around, avoiding Howlett's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howlett is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Sonnen to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sonnen shrugs it off.

Howlett looking to secure an arm triangle but Sonnen defends it well.
Howlett thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

Howlett working for a guillotine from mount but Sonnen is in no mood to give up.
Howlett trying to control but Sonnen is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen blocking the ground and pound.
Howlett unloads with some shots from mount but Sonnen bucks and avoids them well.
Howlett trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Howlett is working for a guillotine from mount but Sonnen frees his head quite easily.
Howlett has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Howlett has control of Sonnen's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Sonnen regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Howlett takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Howlett.

Howlett is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Sonnen to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Sonnen shrugs it off.
Howlett thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Howlett with shots to the head and body - Sonnen looks very uncomfortable down there.
Killing Sonnen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Howlett is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Howlett throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Sonnen because Howlett loaded up on that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Howlett showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Howlett has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:26
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:26
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Howlett!
An out of breath James Howlett thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
Killing Sonnen spoke after the fight, saying 'Fuck Off! Bitch'.