PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Josh Howell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Kelleher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Howell
vs
Kelleher

210 cm
29
223 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

186 cm
22
212 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

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 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sean Kelleher!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Bruno Hogan and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelleher is looking to clinch.
Howell swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
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.
Kelleher tries to move into range but Howell moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Howell scores with a nice strike.

Kelleher moves into range and clinches up with Howell.
Kelleher misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kelleher tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Howell's elbow.
Howell prevents a body shot from Kelleher.
A right hand to the body from Kelleher.
Kelleher can't find room to land a body shot as Howell controls the action.
Kelleher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelleher throws a punch but it's blocked by Howell.
Howell effectively controlling the action here.
A head punch on the inside from Kelleher fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelleher working aggressively here.
Howell blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Howell gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Kelleher is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Howell is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Howell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kelleher is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Howell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell tries to free his leg and advance position but Kelleher is retaining full guard.
Kelleher controls Howell momentarily but Howell frees himself.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Howell wants to stand but Kelleher has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Kelleher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kelleher avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kelleher's coach down at KY GYM was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kelleher's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Kelleher wants to clinch up but Howell keeps it at a distance.
Howell throwing a counter right hand but Kelleher manages to avoid it.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt
and Howell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelleher fails with an attempt to clinch.
Howell scores with a body shot.
Kelleher is looking to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Howell.
Kelleher wants to clinch up but Howell keeps it at a distance.
Howell keeps the fight on the outside.
Jab by Howell.
Howell sizes up Kelleher with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Kelleher misses with a combination
and Howell counters with a stiff right hand.
Kelleher misses with a series of wild punches.
Howell throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Howell is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kelleher rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Howell moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kelleher takes one to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kelleher gets a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kelleher misses with a body punch.
Kelleher tries to throw a body punch but Howell avoids it by throwing Kelleher back against the cage.
Howell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kelleher after a bit of a struggle.
Howell jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kelleher walks away with a smile on his face. Howell gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Howell throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kelleher sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kelleher misses with a few strikes there.
Howell cracks Kelleher with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt
and Howell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Howell tests Kelleher's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Howell is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Kelleher wants to clinch
and Howell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Howell dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Howell uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kelleher.
Josh Howell is winning the standup battle so far.
Howell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Howell lands a nice looking body shot.
Howell uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Kelleher needs to keep his hands up - Howell had a free shot at his head there.

Kelleher has Howell up against the cage in a clinch.
Howell blocks an uppercut.
Kelleher tries to work over Howell's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Howell drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kelleher gets the underhooks and prevents it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kelleher to keep the fight standing.
Howell has been working on his balance at Beat Down Under, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Kelleher.
Still in the clinch, Kelleher scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Howell has Kelleher pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Howell pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kelleher tumbling to the mat - Howell dives into Kelleher's guard.
Howell pushing down on Kelleher's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kelleher wants to control but Howell is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Howell is pressing down on Kelleher's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kelleher is holding on for now.
Howell seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kelleher does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelleher keeping hold of Howell's head, controlling as best he can.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Kelleher keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Howell sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Howell closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Howell misses with a looping right.
Kelleher takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Kelleher on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Howell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kelleher can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell throws a hook but Kelleher blocks it.
Kelleher is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Howell misses with a right hand
and Kelleher cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kelleher staying out of range there.
Kelleher tries to clinch up but Howell circles away and keeps his distance.
Kelleher ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
As Howell backs off Kelleher throws a huge counter combo but Howell manages to avoid it all.
Howell connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kelleher is looking to clinch.
Howell ducks under a wild hook from Kelleher.
No joy there for Kelleher, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kelleher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Kelleher drives through and clinches with Howell against the cage.
Nice body punch from Kelleher.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell prevents a body shot from Kelleher.
Kelleher misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kelleher misses with a punch to the body.
Kelleher throws a punch but it's blocked by Howell.
Howell is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kelleher to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Howell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kelleher struggles to land a body shot inside as Howell controls his hands.
Howell blocking some punches.
Howell blocks an uppercut.

Howell breaks the clinch.
Howell throws a jab when Kelleher was well out of range.
Kelleher is looking for the big counter here.
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!
Kelleher is looking to land body kicks.
Howell seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Howell dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Howell throws a big shot that misses.
Howell swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice shot by Howell.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kelleher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
An attempted straight right counter from Howell misses the target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kelleher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Howell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Howell is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kelleher.
Kelleher is looking for the big counter here.
Kelleher throws a left and a right that both miss
and Howell counters with a straight right hand.
Howell lands a right hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell lands a jab.
Howell throws a looping overhand right but Kelleher ducks down to avoid it.
Kelleher looks to clinch
and Howell counters with a straight right hand.
Kelleher is looking to clinch.
Howell misses with a straight left.
Howell scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell misses with a looping left.
Kelleher looks to land a combination but Howell avoids it well.
Kelleher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Howell circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Howell counter with a right hand.
Kelleher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice shot lands for Howell.

Kelleher is rocked!
Howell ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kelleher moves away.
Kelleher is still on wobbly legs! Can Howell finish him?
Howell lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Kelleher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Howell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Howell swinging wildly here.
Kelleher seems to have recovered his senses.
Kelleher throws a lazy head kick
and Howell connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kelleher takes a swing at Howell's ribcage but misses.
Howell throws a shot from downtown. Kelleher moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell throws a looping overhand right but Kelleher ducks down to avoid it.
Kelleher tries to clinch but Howell moves out of range.
Howell swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Howell cracks Kelleher with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Kelleher looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Howell finish him?
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!
Kelleher throws a hook to the side of Howell's head but Howell sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Howell ducks under a wild hook from Kelleher.
Howell is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Howell cracks Kelleher with a good jab.
Howell lands a nice hook to Kelleher's body. Kelleher takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Howell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Howell fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kelleher looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Howell throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kelleher stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kelleher slips under a jab.
Howell waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kelleher.
Kelleher slips a straight right by Howell.
Howell lands a nice shot that snaps Kelleher's head back.
Howell tests Kelleher's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kelleher walks straight into a right hand from Howell - that's dropped him! Howell jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Kelleher from any more punishment! Kelleher complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Josh Howell!
A relieved looking Josh Howell thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.