PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyov Kirijenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Lyov Kirijenko was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Howell
vs
Kirijenko

210 cm
27
223 lbs
11 - 1 - 0

195 cm
33
220 lbs
22 - 23 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 11 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Lyov Kirijenko!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Damien Edna and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kirijenko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Howell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kirijenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howell uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kirijenko.
Kirijenko swings for the body but Howell moves out of range.
Kirijenko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Howell bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Howell misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kirijenko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kirijenko throws a push kick but Howell slaps the foot to one side.
Howell moves out of range of the strikes.
A left lands for Kirijenko.
Howell misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Kirijenko to counter with a crisp jab.
Howell jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Howell checks a leg kick nicely.
Howell scores with a jab. Kirijenko acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Kirijenko throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Kirijenko misses with a wild body shot.
Kirijenko 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howell misses the shot to the body.
Lyov Kirijenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kirijenko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell throws a series of punches but Kirijenko avoids them all with ease.
Josh Howell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kirijenko waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Howell.
Howell takes a swing at Kirijenko's ribcage but misses.
Kirijenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Howell swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kirijenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Howell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Howell misses with a looping right.
Howell cracks Kirijenko with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kirijenko looks to throw the jab but Howell is out of range.

Kirijenko looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Howell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Howell tries to get out of the position.
Kirijenko wants to pass to mount but Howell is defending the position.
Kirijenko performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kirijenko is looking to stall here but Howell recovers full guard.
Kirijenko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Howell is keeping the position for now.
Kirijenko lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Howell keeping moving, preventing Kirijenko from controlling successfully.
Kirijenko throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Howell wants to stand but Kirijenko is controlling the position.
Kirijenko lands a couple of digs.
Kirijenko slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Howell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kirijenko.
Kirijenko content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kirijenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Kirijenko seems content to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Kirijenko throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Howell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kirijenko.
Kirijenko looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howell. Kirijenko does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fighters circling - Howell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Howell misses with a straight left.
Howell uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kirijenko.
Kirijenko tries to land a front kick but Howell steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Howell slips under a jab.
Howell throws a looping overhand right but Kirijenko ducks down to avoid it.
Howell scores with the left hand. Kirijenko knows he should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyov Kirijenko dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Howell on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Kirijenko throws a head kick but Howell moves out of range.
Kirijenko shoots in for a takedown but Howell shows good takedown defense.
Kirijenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kirijenko uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howell.
Kirijenko 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 Kirijenko off to one side.
Kirijenko pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kirijenko has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kirijenko wants to clinch
and Howell counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Howell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Howell with a nice cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirijenko lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kirijenko misses with a few strikes there.
Howell misses with a wild body shot.
Howell pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kirijenko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Howell manages to avoid it.
Howell misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell throws the left hand but Kirijenko avoids the punch easily.
Howell scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kirijenko on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Howell throws a shot from downtown. Kirijenko moves away and avoids it.
Kirijenko throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howell sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howell waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kirijenko.
Howell swings for the body but Kirijenko moves out of range.
Kirijenko misses with a head kick.
Howell jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Howell is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
A nice combination there by Kirijenko.
Kirijenko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A shot to the body from Howell misses
and Kirijenko counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kirijenko looks for the body kick but Howell saw that one coming.
Howell throws the left hand but Kirijenko avoids the punch easily.
Kirijenko blocks a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kirijenko tries to work over Howell's front leg with a kick but Howell checks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kirijenko misses with a straight left.
Kirijenko closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Kirijenko throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Howell checks the leg kick.

Kirijenko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Howell napping and manages to drive through into side control!
You can see the frustration on Howell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Howell is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Kirijenko thows a huge punch but Howell dodges it nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kirijenko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Kirijenko trying to control the action but Howell is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kirijenko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Howell is refusing to be controlled, as Kirijenko sits in half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Howell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kirijenko lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Howell wants to improve his position but Kirijenko is controlling well.
Kirijenko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kirijenko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kirijenko staying out of range there.
Kirijenko misses with a low kick.
Howell avoids the body shot from Kirijenko.
Kirijenko keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Howell.
Kirijenko misses with a hook
letting Howell counter with a right hand.
Howell takes one to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyov Kirijenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Howell misses with a straight right.
Howell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kirijenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Howell on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Kirijenko loads up on a big right hand but Howell slips the punch.
A shot to the body from Howell misses
and Kirijenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Kirijenko drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kirijenko wants to pass the guard but Howell is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kirijenko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kirijenko throwing strikes from guard but Howell blocks nicely.
Kirijenko slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirijenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Howell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howell keeping full guard, as Kirijenko tries to pass.
Kirijenko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Howell lands a jab to the nose.
Kirijenko throws a big shot that misses.
Howell leaves Kirijenko with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Howell swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Kirijenko.
Kirijenko throws out a loose jab but Howell uses good head movement to avoid it.
Howell bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Kirijenko fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Howell moves out of range as Kirijenko strikes.

Kirijenko looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Howell!
Howell is trying to control Kirijenko's posture but Kirijenko avoids it.
Kirijenko staying calm.
The ground and pound from Kirijenko seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirijenko advances to mount.
Kirijenko putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Kirijenko dominating with strikes here.
Kirijenko drops a big elbow. That's hurt Howell! More shots from Kirijenko and the ref steps in! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lyov Kirijenko!
A victorious Lyov Kirijenko thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
In defeat, Josh Howell stepped up to the mic, saying 'My opposition fought like a 10-year-old girl tonight. I'm not sure if I got knocked out or lost a terrible decision. My head hurts. '.