PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arnavut Sevket (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and MIchael Henley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sevket
vs
Henley

182 cm
37
192 lbs
26 - 8 - 0

186 cm
24
199 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
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 26 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Arnavut Sevket!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, MIchael Henley!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henley ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Sevket throws an overhand right that lands on Henley's shoulder, as Henley tries to avoid the shot.
Sevket loads up on a big right hand but Henley slips the punch.

Henley rushes Sevket and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Henley is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Henley taking a breather.
A nice left hand lands by Sevket.
Henley prevents a body shot from Sevket.
Sevket dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Sevket misses with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sevket tries to work over Henley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sevket tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A left hand lands to the body for Henley.
Sevket blocks a body shot from Henley.
Henley blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Henley is trying to break the clinch but Sevket is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henley working hard to break the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Sevket.

Henley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Henley is looking to slow Sevket down with leg kicks.
Henley throws a looping overhand right but Sevket ducks down to avoid it.

Henley moves into the clinch.
Sevket working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Henley breaks from the clinch.
Sevket on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Henley.
Sevket tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Henley was well out of range. Poor timing from Sevket.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Henley! But no joy.
Sevket misses with a hook.

Henley gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Henley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Henley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Henley misses
and Sevket counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sevket throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sevket uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Henley.
Henley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sevket swats away the attempt to clinch by Henley.
A little feinted left hand from Sevket on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Henley avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Henley avoids the body shot from Sevket.
Henley tries to clinch up.
Sevket swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Henley blocks a jab.
Sevket misses with a series of wild punches.
Henley moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sevket throws a looping overhand right but Henley ducks down to avoid it.
Henley let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henley throws a lazy right hand but Sevket sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Henley gets a clinch.
Sevket stalling the fight.
Nice body punch from Sevket.
Henley blocks a body shot from Sevket.
A nice right hand lands inside from Henley.
Sevket is stalling here.
Sevket lands a body punch in the clinch.
Henley tries to circle away but Sevket has him pinned against the cage.
Sevket misses with a punch to the body.
Henley has Sevket pressed against the cage.
Sevket managing to block the knees to the body from Henley.
Henley is trying to maintain a safe position but Sevket gets an underhook and turns Henley into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Henley to work.
Henley tries to break free but Sevket pushes him back against the cage.
Sevket blocking some punches.
Sevket being controlled against the cage.
Sevket holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Henley effectively controlling the action here.
Henley throws a punch but it's blocked by Sevket.
Henley prevents Sevket from breaking the clinch.
Sevket is working Henley over against the cage.
Henley misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

MIchael Henley dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Henley avoids the body shot from Sevket.
Sevket circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sevket connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like MIchael Henley has been cut.
MIchael Henley seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sevket throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Henley counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Henley moves into the clinch.
Sevket is leaning against Henley and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sevket just leaning against Henley, taking a breather.

Henley breaks the clinch.

Henley closes the distance and pushes Sevket back into the cage.
Sevket swings wildly with an uppercut but Henley uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Henley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sevket fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Henley lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sevket keeps the fight on the outside.
Henley has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henley fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sevket swats away the attempt to clinch by Henley.
Henley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Henley throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sevket lands a really nice looking cross but Henley seems unphased.
Henley scores with a jab to the body.
Henley ducks under a wild hook from Sevket.
Sevket just misses with a punch to the body.
Sevket throws out a loose jab but Henley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Henley scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Sevket moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henley has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Henley there as he acknowledges the shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Henley fails in his attempt to clinch.
Henley fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sevket looks to score with a jab to the body but Henley is just out of range.
Nice shot by Henley.
Sevket has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Henley has closed the distance and engaged Sevket in a clinch.
Henley stalling the fight.
Sevket keeps control of Henley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Henley slows down the pace here.
Henley continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Sevket lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Henley backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sevket softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Sevket lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Henley.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Henley.
Sevket lands a body punch.
Henley misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Henley wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Henley is trying to maintain a safe position but Sevket gets an underhook and turns Henley into the cage.

Henley manages to break the clinch.
Henley uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sevket.
Sevket throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sevket with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Henley rushes Sevket and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Henley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henley closes the distance but Sevket moves to the side
and Sevket counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sevket will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
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!
Henley tries to clinch there but Sevket circles away.
Henley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Henley on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sevket tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Henley was well out of range. Poor timing from Sevket.
Henley throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Henley tries to work over Sevket's front leg with a kick but Sevket checks it.
Sevket is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Henley tries to clinch there but Sevket circles away.
Henley tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sevket swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Henley ducks under a wild hook from Sevket.
Henley looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Sevket avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but MIchael Henley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on MIchael Henley's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Henley wants to clinch.
Henley fails in his attempt to clinch.
Henley throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Sevket counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Henley takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sevket throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Henley clinches with his opponent.
Sevket tries to throw a body punch but Henley avoids it by throwing Sevket back against the cage.
Sevket is stalling here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henley is trying to break the clinch but Sevket has him pressed against the cage.
Sevket lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Sevket lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Henley or not.
Sevket struggles to land a body shot inside as Henley controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Sevket.
Henley's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Henley landing knees to the head.

It looks like Arnavut Sevket has been cut.
Henley letting Sevket take a breather here.
MIchael Henley seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Henley throws a head punch that misses.
Henley blocking some punches.
A right handed body shot lands from Sevket.
Sevket goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sevket throws a head punch that misses.
Sevket tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sevket blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sevket lands a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sevket misses with a body punch.
Sevket can't find room to land a body shot as Henley controls the action.
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sevket doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Henley prevents a body shot from Sevket.
Stalling in the clinch from Henley.
MIchael Henley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Henley wants to get back to striking at distance but Sevket won't allow it.
Sevket misses with a punch to the body.
Henley wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sevket has him pressed against the cage.
Henley tries to work over Sevket's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short uppercut from Sevket.
Henley stalling the fight.
Sevket blocks a body shot from Henley.
Henley blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sevket misses with a body punch.
A right handed body shot lands from Sevket.
Sevket misses with a punch to the body.
Henley tries to stall but Sevket uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Henley wants to break free but Sevket has control.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Sevket.
A left hand lands to the body for Sevket.
Sevket lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sevket struggles to land a body shot inside as Henley controls his hands.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Sevket takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Sevket can't find room to land a body shot as Henley controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sevket lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Henley backwards.
A short right from Sevket on the inside.
Sevket leaning his opponent against the cage.
Henley blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sevket misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice right hand lands inside from Sevket.

Henley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Henley moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sevket stuns Henley with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Sevket takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
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!
Sevket ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Henley moves away.
Arnavut Sevket has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sevket misses with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arnavut Sevket showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Henley 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!