PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Seve Ballesteros (ranked 1012 p4p, 112 weight class) and John Henry (ranked 1680 p4p, 169 weight class). Ballesteros comes to the cage accompanied by Chamillionaire f. Scarface & Killer Mike - Reignfall. John Henry acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Ballesteros
vs
Henry

175 cm
37
154 lbs
23 - 7 - 3

173 cm
38
151 lbs
31 - 23 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Pit Bull Development
BuriedAlive// Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 7 - 3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Seve Ballesteros!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Henry!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballesteros throws a head kick that misses.
Henry misses with a body shot.
Ballesteros misses with a low kick.
A head kick misses from Henry.
Henry has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Ballesteros is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Henry scores with a hook to the body. Ballesteros takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A telegraphed right hand from Ballesteros misses the target.
Nice body punch from Henry.
A left lands for Ballesteros.
Ballesteros is looking to score with low kicks.
Henry paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Henry dives in and scores a takedown into Ballesteros's guard.
Henry trying to control but Ballesteros is working from the bottom.
Henry won't allow Ballesteros to get back to his feet.

Ballesteros has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Henry is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henry has Ballesteros pushed against the cage.
Ballesteros lands a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballesteros throws a head punch that misses.

Henry escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Henry takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Henry blocks a jab.
Henry throws the left hand but Ballesteros avoids the punch easily.
Ballesteros will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Good standup being displayed there by Ballesteros as he connects with a hook.
Ballesteros on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ballesteros moves out of range as Henry strikes.
Ballesteros is looking to counter punch.
Henry jabs Ballesteros right on the nose. Ballesteros blinks but takes it well.
A punch combination from Henry misses.
Seve Ballesteros is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Henry with a nice cross.
Henry pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ballesteros uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Ballesteros throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Henry shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Henry showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballesteros is trying to stand up here but Henry is controlling him well.
Henry is keen to just control but Ballesteros is a slippery customer.
Ballesteros wants to get back to his feet.
Henry slows the pace down in half guard.
Henry prevents Ballesteros from standing back up.
Henry working Ballesteros over with strikes.
Ballesteros is staying active underneath Henry, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Henry throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Henry prevents Ballesteros from standing back up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Henry misses with a body punch
and Ballesteros counters with an inside leg kick.
Henry misses the jab.
Ballesteros feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Henry's calf.
Ballesteros throws a hook to the side of Henry's head but Henry sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ballesteros throws a right and a left that Henry avoids nicely.
Ballesteros throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Henry looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Henry shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ballesteros manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ballesteros wants to stand up but Henry is controlling him.
Henry showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ballesteros seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Henry's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballesteros is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ballesteros can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Henry controls the pace.
Henry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ballesteros wants to stand up but Henry is controlling him.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henry content to stall in guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Henry misses with a straight left.
Henry fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ballesteros looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Ballesteros fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Henry.
Ballesteros lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Henry throws an overhand right that lands on Ballesteros's shoulder, as Ballesteros tries to avoid the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Henry will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ballesteros's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Henry uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ballesteros.
Henry scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
John Henry seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Henry looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A big right from Henry misses.
Henry lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ballesteros throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ballesteros chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ballesteros thows a leg kick but Henry checks it
and Henry cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Henry throws a jab when Ballesteros was well out of range.
Henry jabs Ballesteros right on the nose. Ballesteros blinks but takes it well.
Ballesteros tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ballesteros throws a head kick that misses.
Ballesteros gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Henry.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henry misses with a hook
and Ballesteros counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Ballesteros drives through and clinches with Henry against the cage.

Henry pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ballesteros swings and misses with a hook to the body.
It seemed like Henry was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballesteros throws out a powerful jab.
Ballesteros misses with a leg kick
and Henry counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Henry closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Henry is looking to take a break and control but Ballesteros is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ballesteros wants to get back to his feet.
Henry is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henry prevents Ballesteros from escaping the position.
John Henry has got the better of the ground game so far.
Henry scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Ballesteros to see if he's OK.
Ballesteros is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballesteros is letting Henry control him for a moment.
Ballesteros is pushing Henry's head away, looking to escape. Henry manages to hold on to the position though.
Henry grinds an elbow into Ballesteros's temple.
Henry slows the pace down.
Ballesteros pushes Henry away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Henry gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Henry trying to control the action but Ballesteros is working from the bottom.
Ballesteros wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry in side control, throwing shots but Ballesteros defends.
Henry is looking to take a break and control but Ballesteros is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ballesteros is trying to buck Henry off.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ballesteros lands with an overhand left.
Ballesteros throws a leg kick
and Henry counters with a three punch combo that has Ballesteros backing up. Ballesteros nods at Henry to acknowledge the strikes.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Ballesteros.
Henry misses the shot to the body.
Henry cracks a nice hook into Ballesteros's ribs.
Ballesteros misses with a straight right.
Ballesteros lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry throws a jab when Ballesteros was well out of range.
Ballesteros scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Henry swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Henry tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt 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!
Henry scores with a decent looking hook.

Henry shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ballesteros's guard.
Ballesteros keeping moving, preventing Henry from controlling successfully.
Ballesteros is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Henry is controlling him.
Henry sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Henry tries to free his leg and advance position but Ballesteros is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John 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!

Ballesteros fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Henry manages to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Henry throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ballesteros uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Henry.

Henry shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ballesteros manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Ballesteros uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Henry with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ballesteros connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ballesteros lands a head kick. Henry smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Ballesteros lands a right hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ballesteros throws a shot to the body.

Henry looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ballesteros!
Ballesteros wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry landing a few strikes.
Ballesteros is not content to let Henry control the position.
Ballesteros is pushing Henry's head away, looking to escape. Henry manages to hold on to the position though.
The strikes coming from Henry are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Henry controls the position from side control.
Seve Ballesteros has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Henry wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ballesteros keeps working.
Ballesteros tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Henry controlling from the full mount.
Henry trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Henry is landing with some decent strikes but Ballesteros is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

Ballesteros somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Ballesteros is looking to chop away at Henry's legs.
Henry checks a leg kick.
Ballesteros thows a left - swing and a miss!
Good shot there by Henry.
Ballesteros scores with the left hand. Henry knows he should have avoided that one.
Ballesteros avoids a punch combination nicely.
Henry scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ballesteros doesn't seem bothered though.
Henry throws a predictable looking body shot
and Ballesteros counters with an inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Henry rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ballesteros moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Ballesteros throws a hook but Henry blocks it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Henry! But no joy.
Henry connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Ballesteros thows a left - swing and a miss!
Henry throws out a counter right but Ballesteros avoids it with no problem.
Henry connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Henry ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Henry throws a solid leg kick but Ballesteros takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Henry.
Ballesteros looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
A swing and a miss from Ballesteros.
Ballesteros throws a head kick but Henry moves out of range.
Ballesteros throws a series of punches but Henry avoids them all with ease.
Henry keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Henry lands a jab to the nose.
Ballesteros tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
An inside leg kick lands from Ballesteros.
Ballesteros misses the jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Seve Ballesteros.
I think Henry 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... John Henry!
During a confident post fight interview, John Henry thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.