PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lue Randle (ranked 1932 p4p, 3418 weight class) and Henry Bowes (ranked 76 p4p, 512 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Randle
vs
Bowes

181 cm
29
178
12 - 7 - 0

173 cm
26
169
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Netherlands Nutrition
020 Clothing

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lue Randle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Henry Bowes!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot by Bowes.
Randle lands with a right hand.
Randle cracks Bowes with a good jab.
A jab from Bowes misses.
Randle takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Nice straight punches there by Bowes. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Bowes.
Bowes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Randle steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bowes.

Bowes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Randle breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bowes misses with a hook
and Randle counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bowes bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Bowes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Randle shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bowes sprawls well. Bowes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Randle gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Randle misses.
Bowes is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Randle with a body shot.
Bowes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Randle feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bowess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
A shot to the liver by Randle. Beautiful body shot.
Bowes looks to land a right hand but Randle moved out of range.
Bowes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Randle.
Bowes lands a nice looking body shot.
Bowes connects with a right hand. Randle shakes it off.
Randle slips under a jab from Bowes.
Bowes misses with an uppercut

and Randle counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Randle is thwarting Bowes's attempts to control the position.
Bowes moves into full guard.
Bowes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bowes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Randle distracts Bowes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Randle lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Randle stopping the sweep attempt from Bowes.
Randle missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Randle being controlled here momentarily.
Bowes wants to stand but Randle is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Randle missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bowes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bowes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Bowes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Randle scoring with punches to the head and body.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Bowes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Bowes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Randle with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowes looking to control.

Bowes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bowes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Randle is one step ahead there.
Randle working some strikes from top position.
Randle trying to control but Bowes is working from the bottom.
Bowes trying to keep a closed guard but Randle is proving a slippery customer.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Randle accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Bowes holds on and takes a little breather.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lue Randle will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Randle keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bowes.
It looked like Randle was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lue Randle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bowes misses with a left hand
and Randle counters with a left and a right that stings Bowes.
Henry Bowes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bowes needs to keep his hands up - Randle had a free shot at his head there.
Bowes lands a lovely overhand right.
Bowes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Randle sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Randle looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Bowes might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Randle has closed the distance and engaged Bowes in a clinch.
Randle scores with a shot to the side of Bowes's head.

Randle's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Randle throws a body shot but no joy.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bowes! But no joy.
Bowes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Randle ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Randle went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Randle falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bowes counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowes throws a poor cross that misses

and Randle counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bowes is looking to control Randle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bowes avoid being mounted?
Bowes is controlling Randle's trapped leg to prevent Randle from advancing to side control.
Randle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Bowes actively working from the bottom here.

Randle seems to be looking for submissions.
Bowes wants to control but Randle is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bowes is looking to improve his position.
Bowes wants to get back to his feet.
Bowes is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Randle scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowes wants to get back to full guard.

Randle seems to be looking for submissions.

Randle is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bowes defends it well.
Randle missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Bowes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Randle is working away from the top position though.
Bowes has hold of Randle's hands but Randle slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Randle is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Randle trying to mount his opponent but Bowes defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Randle is nestled in close to Bowes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Bowes holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Bowes moves into full guard.

Bowes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bowes controlling the position.
Randle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bowes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Randle.
Randle trying to control but Bowes is working from the bottom.
Bowes is trying to control the position but Randle postures up.
Randle stopping the sweep attempt from Bowes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Randle trying to control but Bowes is working from the bottom.
Bowes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Randle postures up in Bowes's guard and throws a big left but Bowes blocks it.
Bowes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Randle's guard.

Randle working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Bowes has passed into half guard!
Randle tries to roll over but Bowes keeps him under control.
Randle trying to control from the bottom.
Bowes wants to take a breather but Randle is having none of it.
Bowes controlling the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lue Randle dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bowes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Randle at a distance.
Bowes misses with a hook. Randle ducked under it nicely.
Randle connects with a looping right hand.
Randle throws a low kick but it's checked well by Bowes.
Randle fails to land with a series of punches.
Randle lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bowes at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Randle uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bowes.
Randle closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bowes circles away.
Bowes throws a lazy uppercut
and Randle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Randle tried to score with a low kick but Bowes checks it.
Bowes is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Randle with a body shot.
Randle is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowes scores with a crisp jab that stopped Randle in his tracks.
Randle takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Randle looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Randle throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bowes.
Randle misses with the combination.
Bowes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Randle takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Randle lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nice defenses there by Randle.
Randle changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A shot to the liver by Bowes. Beautiful body shot.
Randle slips a straight right by Bowes.
Henry Bowes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Randle clinches up against the cage.
Randle has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bowes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Bowes lands a body punch in the clinch.
Bowes scores with a shot to the side of Randle's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bowes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Randle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lue Randle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bowes misses with the head strike.
Randle blocks a body shot from Bowes.
Bowes has a couple of punches blocked by Randle.
Randle tries for a takedown but Bowes manages to get underhooks.
Bowes lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bowes lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Randle.
Randle tries to pull guard but Bowes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Randle drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Randle tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowes looking to stall.
Bowes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bowes lands with a short shot to the head.
Bowes tries to work over Randle's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bowes misses with a punch to the body.
Bowes looking to slow down the pace here.
Randle tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bowes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bowes taking a breather.
Randle blocks an uppercut.
Bowes misses with some punches.
Bowes working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowes misses with a punch to the body.

Randle has picked Bowes up - he's going for a ride! Randle dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Bowes pushes Randle off looking to stand but Randle dives back in and keeps control.
Randle is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bowes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Randle passes the guard and advances to mount!
Randle lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bowes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Randle with good strikes from the mount here!
Randle has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Bowes's face.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Henry Bowes.
I think Randle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lue Randle!
After the fight, Lue Randle was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.