PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Howard Stern (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harrison Yates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stern comes to the cage accompanied by The Great American Nightmare. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Stern
vs
Yates

184 cm
31
199 lbs
24 - 12 - 1

187 cm
31
199 lbs
19 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 160$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Howard Stern!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Harrison Yates!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, William Gold and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yates connects with an inside leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Yates.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Yates enables Stern to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Yates manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Yates keeping full guard, as Stern tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stern is looking to work some ground and pound but Yates has wrist control.
Stern trying to control the position from guard on top but Yates is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stern pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yates is keeping the position for now.
Stern stays in close to Yates's body and controls the position.
Yates pulls Stern in close to his closed guard and prevents Stern from doing any damage or advancing position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stern trying to control but Yates is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates is pulling down on Stern's head. It's preventing any offense from Stern, at least for the moment.
Stern stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yates swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yates is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Yates slips a jab from Stern.
Yates missing with a left hand there. Stern was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stern swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yates drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Yates fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yates throws a solid leg kick but Stern takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Yates.
Yates is looking to slow Stern down with leg kicks.
Yates lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Stern misses with a wild body shot.
Harrison Yates is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yates misses with a looping left.
Stern misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yates bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Yates misses with a body shot.
Yates misses the shot to the body.
Stern is looking to counter punch.
Yates throws a sloppy head kick and Stern moves out of range easily.

Stern feints and as Yates raises his hands in defense, Stern changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stern wants to control from the top but Yates keeps moving.
Stern trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stern is working hard here to advance position.
Yates looking to control.
Stern wants to pass the guard but Yates is keeping the position.
Stern trying to control but Yates is working from the bottom.
Stern tries to free his leg and advance position but Yates is retaining full guard.
Yates looking to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Stern seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Yates scores with a hook to the body. Stern takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Stern misses the jab.
Yates looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Yates looks to land a right hand but Stern moved out of range.
An inside leg kick from Yates misses.
Howard Stern seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yates takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A telegraphed right hand from Yates misses the target.
Stern throws a low kick, looking for Yates's leg but Yates calmly moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stern throws a combination that misses
and Yates connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Yates misses with a wild body shot.
Yates misses the shot to the body.
Yates looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Stern throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yates.

Stern closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Yates did well to prevent Stern getting side control.
Stern slips a nice elbow through Yates's hands, connecting with Yates's forehead.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Stern is working for a kimura but Yates is defending it quite comfortably.

Stern is working for a kimura but Yates is defending it quite comfortably.
Stern trying to mount his opponent but Yates defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howard Stern dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stern darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Yates misses with the combination.
Stern shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Yates but Yates pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A nice leg kick lands there from Yates.
Stern stuns Yates with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Stern ducks under a wild hook from Yates.
Stern checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Stern ducks under a wild hook from Yates.
Stern scores with a crisp jab that stopped Yates in his tracks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stern instigates a clinch.
Yates lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Yates - that landed with a thud.
Stern is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yates can do to turn this around?
Stern tries to pull guard but Yates holds him up against the cage and eventually Stern drops back down to his feet.
Yates unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Yates.
Yates misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stern.
Yates throws an elbow but it's blocked.
With the fighters up against the cage, Yates throws an elbow but misses.
Yates pushes off an throws an elbow but Stern leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Stern is trying to pull guard but Yates has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Howard Stern. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stern avoiding damage as Yates throws knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Yates.

Stern manages to pull guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stern wants to sweep but no luck.
Yates controlling from the top position.
Stern is controlling Yates's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stern wants to control but Yates passes easily into half guard.
Stern moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Stern is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Stern working a defensive guard here.
Yates is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Stern tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stern throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Yates preventing the sweep.
Yates trying to control the position from guard on top but Stern is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yates engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Yates is fighting to break Stern's control of his arms but Stern is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Yates is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Yates throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stern looks to throw the jab but Yates is out of range.
Despite the aggression on Yates's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Yates throws a lazy right hand but Stern sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stern ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stern appears to be looking for a big counter.
Stern misses the jab.
Yates scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Yates steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stern.
Stern swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stern connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Some bone on bone action there as Yates checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Yates digs a good body shot into Stern's ribs.
Stern tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Harrison Yates seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stern displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yates throws out the jab.
Stern on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Yates displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stern throws out the jab.
Stern shoots for a takedown but Yates saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Stern uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yates.
Yates pivots, looking for a leg kick but Stern is out of range and Yates settles back down.
Stern closes the distance and clinches up with Yates, looking for a takedown. Stern pushes Yates against the cage but Yates circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Yates 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!

A telegraphed right hand from Yates misses the target.
Stern is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Stern staying out of range there.
No joy there for Stern, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yates scores with a jab to the body.
Stern blocks a head kick by Yates.
Yates cracks Stern with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Yates moves into the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Yates.
Yates misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yates gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stern.
Yates swings wildly with an uppercut but Stern uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yates working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Yates scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yates misses with the head strike.
Yates misses with some punches.
Stern takes a knee to the side of the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Yates.
Yates pushes Stern back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Yates throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stern fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Yates misses with some punches.
Yates throws a punch but it's blocked by Stern.
A short uppercut from Yates.
Stern takes a knee right on the jaw!
Yates lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Yates pushes off an throws an elbow but Stern leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Yates is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yates.
Yates is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stern is defending well for now.
Yates lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stern backwards.
Yates is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stern is defending well for now.

Stern pulls guard effortlessly.
Stern working a defensive guard here.
Stern looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Yates puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Stern wants to get back to full guard.

Yates is looking for a kimura but Stern is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Yates to get the leverage.

Yates is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Stern sees it coming and defends easily.
Stern has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Yates is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stern wants to get back to full guard.
Stern regains full guard. Nicely done.
Yates stopping the sweep attempt from Stern.
Stern pulls Yates in to control the position.
Stern working a defensive guard here.
Stern has a closed guard, preventing Yates from standing up.
Stern can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Yates controls the pace.
Yates being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stern stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Yates.
A jab from Stern misses.
Stern swings for the body but Yates moves out of range.
Stern throws an overhand right that lands on Yates's shoulder, as Yates tries to avoid the shot.
Yates ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stern moves away.
Stern misses with a double jab
and Yates counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Yates tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stern manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Yates looks to land a left hand but Stern moved out of range nicely.
Stern will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Yates misses the shot to the body.
Yates moves out of range as Stern throws a body kick.
Stern avoids the body shot from Yates.
Yates dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Stern. That did some damage!
Yates walks into a stiff left hand from Stern.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harrison Yates comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Yates has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harrison Yates!
The defeated Howard Stern had this to say: 'I blame Robin and those big G's.'.