PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Miles Baker (ranked 6179 p4p, 493 weight class) and Jae Howell (ranked 23385 p4p, 561 weight class). Miles Baker looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Baker
vs
Howell

187 cm
22
213 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

204 cm
21
214 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Miles Baker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jae Howell!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howell dodges the punch combination from Baker.
Baker misses with a few strikes there.
Howell with the counter takedown but Baker avoids it easily.
Howell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baker closes the distance and clinches up with Howell, looking for a takedown. Baker pushes Howell against the cage but Howell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Baker clinches up against the cage.
Baker is trying to push Howell away but Howell has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Howell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Howell lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Baker shoots in for a double leg but Howell sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miles Baker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howell stuffs the takedown.
Baker is breathing heavily.
Howell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Baker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Howell.
Howell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baker swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Howell fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baker, pushing him back against the cage.

Howell drags the fight down to the ground.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Howell is on top in guard.

Howell with a flurry of punches that miss.
Howell is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Baker working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Howell has passed into half guard!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker wants to control but Howell is keeping busy.

Howell wants to work for an arm triangle but Baker is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Baker misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Howell not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Baker blocking the ground and pound attempt from Howell.

Howell is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Howell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Baker controlling the position for now.
Baker tries to get to full guard but Howell has control of the leg.
Baker might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Howell is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four 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.
Baker trying to control here.
Howell trying to control from half guard but Baker is working away.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Baker will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Howell tries to clinch but Baker is having none of it.
Howell has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Horrible takedown attempt by Baker or perhaps it was just good defense by Howell, which made it look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Howell moves into the clinch successfully.
Baker looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Baker wants to take the fight to the mat but Howell manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Baker has Howell pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Howell manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Howell tries to pull guard but Baker won't allow it.
Howell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Howell is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miles Baker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Howell is trying to drag Baker to the mat but Baker just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Baker is pushing Howell up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell wants a takedown but no success here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baker's efforts to push away.

Baker breaks from the clinch.
Baker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baker shoots in and drives through. Howell sprawls well.

Baker gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Howell to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Howell wants to control from the top but Baker keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Howell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Howell is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Baker will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Howell won't allow Baker to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Howell's waist but Howell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Baker off to one side.
Howell looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Baker fails with the takedown.
Howell is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Miles Baker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Howell manages to pull guard.
Baker wants to stand but Howell has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Jae Howell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Howell trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Howell holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baker slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Baker throws an elbow that misses. Howell uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Baker's guard. Nice move by Howell!

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Howell connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jae Howell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Baker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Howell has managed to clinch.

Howell gets control of Baker's arms and successfully pulls guard. Howell will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Howell is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Howell is pulling down on Baker's head to control his posture.
Baker trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker wants to control from the top but Howell keeps moving.
Baker throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Howell fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Howell shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baker sprawls well. Baker wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Howell gets slowly back to his feet.
Howell avoids the head kick by Baker.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Howell tries to clinch but Baker is having none of it.
Howell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baker pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howell forces Baker back against the cage and clinches.
Howell is trying to pull guard but Baker turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Miles Baker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jae Howell.
Baker is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Howell to keep the fight standing.
Baker can't break the clinch.

Baker breaks from the clinch.
Howell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baker throws a head kick but Howell moves out of range.
Howell looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Baker is fending him off so far but Howell persists. Nope, Baker circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice sprawl there from Howell as Baker shoots in.
Howell moves in looking to clinch but Baker pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Howell looking to score a takedown here. Baker is defending well but Howell drives through and ends up in Baker's guard.
Howell stands and throws Baker's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Howell working the head with strikes.

Howell tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Howell in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Howell is trying to get an arm triangle but Baker is defending well.
Howell connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Baker some visible discomfort.
Howell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baker keeps working.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Howell decides to stand up, so the ref orders Baker to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jae Howell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Howell 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jae Howell!