PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tom Svenn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blair Howatt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Svenn comes to the cage accompanied by We Taking Over. Howatt has chosen Boom - POD as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Svenn
vs
Howatt

185 cm
21
177 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
175 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Arashi Fighting Nutrition
Blueprint Clothing

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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tom Svenn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Blair Howatt!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howatt jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Howatt throws a hook to the side of Svenn's head but Svenn sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Svenn closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Svenn is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Howatt gets full guard.
Svenn won't allow Howatt to sweep him here.

Svenn drops back looking for a leg! Howatt is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Howatt manages to kick Svenn off! Svenn jumps back into Howatt's guard.
Svenn throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Howatt trying to keep a closed guard but Svenn is proving a slippery customer.
Svenn looking to pass the guard.
Howatt strikes from his own guard.
Svenn won't allow Howatt to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Howatt throws a shot to the body.
Howatt cracks Svenn with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Howatt throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Svenn.
Blair Howatt is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Svenn shoots in and drives through. Howatt sprawls well.
Svenn walks into a stiff left hand from Howatt.
Howatt throws a right hand that Svenn ducks under and follows up with a left that Svenn also avoids with ease.
Svenn getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Howatt throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Howatt misses with an uppercut.
Howatt moves out of range as Svenn strikes.
Howatt misses with a wild combination.
Howatt lands a left and a right that sends Svenn crashing to the canvas! Howatt dives into mount looking to finish!

Svenn is rocked!

It looks like Tom Svenn has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howatt wants to control the pace but Svenn is squirming around nicely.
Svenn regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Svenn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Svenn is breathing heavily.
Svenn is trying to get back to full guard.

Svenn actively working from the bottom here.
Howatt trying to control the action but Svenn is working from the bottom.

Svenn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Howatt lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Howatt in particular looking to stall.
Svenn tries to roll over but Howatt keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A left lands for Howatt.
Howatt misses with a two punch combination.
Svenn uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howatt.
Howatt looks to land a left hand but Svenn moved out of range nicely.
Svenn misses with a two punch combination.
Svenn moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Howatt stuffs the takedown.
Howatt misses with a double jab
and Svenn counters with a nice body shot.
Svenn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Howatt.
Svenn jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice uppercut there from Howatt.

Tom Svenn's cut is getting worse.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Svenn dodges the punch combination from Howatt.
Svenn will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Svenn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howatt ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Svenn moves away.
Howatt throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Howatt loads up on a big right hand but Svenn slips the punch.
Howatt steps into range and cracks Svenn with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Svenn flops backwards and Howatt dives into his guard looking to finish!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howatt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Howatt sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Svenn's guard.
Howatt takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Howatt is tying to control. Svenn wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Howatt works his foot free and advances to mount.
Howatt working Svenn over with strikes here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howatt looking to finish Svenn with some ground and pound. This is bad for Svenn!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Howatt with shots to the head and body - Svenn looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blair Howatt dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Svenn's cut.
That's time! Svenn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A combination from Howatt does no damage.
Howatt is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Svenn.
Blair Howatt seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Svenn takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Howatt scores with a crisp jab that stopped Svenn in his tracks.
Howatt throws a hook but Svenn avoids it easily.
Howatt throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Svenn counters with a left and a right that stings Howatt.
Svenn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Howatt throws a series of punches but Svenn avoids them all with ease.
Svenn fails to land the takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Svenn slips a jab and a cross from Howatt.
Howatt falls off balance throwing a combination

and Svenn counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Svenn avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Svenn is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howatt is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Howatt moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Svenn.
Howatt wants to control but Svenn is keeping him busy.
Svenn tries to improve position but can't.
Howatt cracks Svenn with a big right hand but Svenn just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Svenn is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Howatt is putting a hurting on Svenn here, landing some big shots from side control.
Howatt slows the pace down.

Howatt thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Svenn regains half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Howatt not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Howatt blocks the strikes from Svenn.
Howatt thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Howatt is keen to just control but Svenn is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Svenn actively working from the bottom here.
Svenn regains full guard. Nicely done.
Svenn keeping full guard, as Howatt tries to pass.
Howatt wants to control from the top but Svenn keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Howatt keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Blair Howatt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice shot by Svenn.
Howatt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A slow jab from Howatt misses its intended target.
Howatt misses with a jab, cross combination.
A big right from Howatt misses.
Svenn slips under a jab from Howatt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Howatt misses the jab.
No joy there for Howatt, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Howatt looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Svenn slips under a jab from Howatt.
Svenn throws a series of punches but Howatt avoids them all with ease.
Svenn ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Howatt throws a big shot that misses.
Svenn lands a slapping body shot.
Howatt takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Svenn fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Howatt sprawls well initially but Svenn persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Svenn is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Howatt doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Svenn.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howatt punching from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Svenn dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tom Svenn's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Howatt throws a left and a right that both miss

and Svenn counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Howatt!
Svenn looking to finish with strikes here!
Svenn thowing shots but they're missing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Svenn cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Howatt keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Svenn scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Howatt is working to get back to half guard.
Svenn 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.
Svenn has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Howatt's face.
Howatt is desperately trying to improve his position but Svenn has a good base and remains in mount.
Svenn punching from mount but Howatt doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howatt tries to reverse the position but Svenn maintains control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howatt wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Howatt is in all sorts of trouble here.
Howatt tries to lock up and control but Svenn gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Svenn landing strikes, looking to finish!
Svenn unloads with some shots from mount but Howatt bucks and avoids them well.
Howatt wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Svenn.
Howatt wants to hold on but Svenn pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howatt is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Svenn jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Howatt manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Howatt manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Howatt wants to control but Svenn is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Svenn is trying to work for a kimura but Howatt is defending well.
Howatt gets full guard.
Svenn is looking to work some ground and pound but Howatt has wrist control.
Tom Svenn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Svenn has gone for a leg lock! Howatt slips out almost immediately though and dives into Svenn's guard.

Svenn had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Howatt is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Svenn Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Howatt's back instead.
Svenn throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Howatt just trying to survive but Svenn is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Svenn misses with punches from the back.

Svenn seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Howatt's chin but Howatt turns very nicely into Svenn's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Howatt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howatt pushes down on Svenn's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Howatt is keen to just control but Svenn is a slippery customer.
Svenn is trying to get back to full guard.
Howatt works his way into side control.
Svenn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Howatt wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Howatt taking a breather here.
Svenn is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Howatt content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Svenn is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Howatt in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Howatt scores with a couple of short elbows.
Svenn seems a little lost for a moment, as Howatt dominates the positioning.
Svenn tries to improve position but can't.

Howatt thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Svenn gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Svenn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Svenn has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Svenn!