PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryuji Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Ryuji Phoenix has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Phoenix
vs
Henry

225 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryuji Phoenix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hank Henry!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henry fails to land the takedown.
Henry shoots in for a takedown but Phoenix shows good takedown defense.
Phoenix lands the left hand.
Henry shoots in and drives through. Phoenix sprawls well.
Ryuji Phoenix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Henry.
Henry tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Henry bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A jab lands there for Phoenix.
Henry fails in his attempt to clinch.
Phoenix smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nice jab there from Phoenix.
No joy there for Phoenix, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Phoenix avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Henry shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Phoenix as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Phoenix circles away.
Phoenix throws a series of punches but Henry moves out of range.
Henry falls off balance throwing a combination
and Henry takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Henry tries to clinch up.
Phoenix lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Henry showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Phoenix.
Ryuji Phoenix is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Phoenix lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Henry wants to clinch.
Phoenix really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Henry drives through and clinches with Phoenix against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry presses Phoenix against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Phoenix wants to break the clinch but can't.
Henry drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Phoenix gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Henry lands a nice shot to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Henry.

Henry breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hank Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phoenix will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Phoenix moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Phoenix lands with a nice combination. Henry backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry tries to clinch but Phoenix moves out of range.

Henry drives through and clinches with Phoenix against the cage.
Henry digs a right hand underneath Phoenix's ribcage. Phoenix let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Phoenix is breathing heavily.
Phoenix is trying to break free.
Phoenix is trying to break the clinch but Henry has him pressed against the cage.
Phoenix is pressed up against the cage. Henry has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Phoenix down to the mat. Phoenix avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Phoenix swats away the attempt to clinch by Henry.
Henry fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henry swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Phoenix counters with a left and a right that stings Henry.
Henry fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry tries to clinch up but Phoenix circles away and keeps his distance.
Phoenix circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henry throws a head kick that misses.
Phoenix moves out of range as Henry throws a body kick.
Phoenix tries to bum rush Henry with a series of wild strikes but Henry uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Phoenix keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Phoenix avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Phoenix looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Henry scores a takedown into full mount!
You get the feeling that Phoenix really doesn't like being in this position too much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hank Henry will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Henry misses with a double jab
and Phoenix counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Henry drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A combination from Phoenix does no damage.
Henry is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Phoenix takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ryuji Phoenix is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Henry has closed the distance and engaged Phoenix in a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Henry.
Phoenix wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Henry manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Phoenix circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Henry is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A jab from Phoenix misses.
Henry tries to clinch but Phoenix moves out of range.
Henry wants to clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Phoenix scores with a four punch combination!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Henry feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Henry slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Phoenix wants to stand but Henry is controlling the position.
Henry is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Henry manages to pass to side control.
Henry controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Phoenix is looking to escape.
Henry is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Phoenix is trying to stand.
Henry is controlling the pace.
Phoenix is trying to stand back up but Henry is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Henry showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Phoenix stuffs the takedown.
Henry tries to clinch there but Phoenix circles away.
Henry will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Henry is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Phoenix.
Phoenix with a jab.
Phoenix throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Henry counters with a shoot takedown. Phoenix fights it but they end up in guard.
Phoenix wants to get back to his feet but Henry passes into half guard.
Phoenix looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henry is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henry gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Phoenix circles away.
Henry doesn't manage to clinch there - Phoenix circles away.
Henry shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Phoenix but Phoenix pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ryuji Phoenix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Henry.
Phoenix throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Phoenix moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Phoenix connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Phoenix throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Henry.
Henry on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Henry wants to clinch.
Henry is looking to clinch but Phoenix is avoiding it.
Henry tries to close the distance and clinch up but Phoenix swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henry wants to clinch.
Phoenix throws a left and a right that both miss

and Henry counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Henry sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nice strikes from Henry there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phoenix wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Henry is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hank Henry is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Henry decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hank Henry comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henry winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hank Henry!