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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Amari Howell (ranked 1552 p4p, 2497 weight class) and Mehdi Kanaani (ranked 157 p4p, 258 weight class). Kanaani comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg - Nuthin' But A G Thang kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Mehdi Kanaani struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 157.8lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Mehdi Kanaani will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.
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| 165 cm
31
157
10 - 2 - 0 |
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170 cm
39
170
35 - 35 - 0 |
Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power |
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BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Solid chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Amari Howell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 35 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mehdi Kanaani!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howell closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Howell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kanaani takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Howell trying to control the position but Kanaani is working away.
Howell fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Howell wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kanaani, who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Howell tries for a kimura but Kanaani is defending well.
Kanaani takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
It looks like Mehdi Kanaani has been cut.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kanaani tries to buck Howell off but Howell is having none of it.
Howell working the head and body with strikes.
Howell looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kanaani can't do much from the bottom here.
Howell throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Howell is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kanaani knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sloppy strikes there by Howell.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howell lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kanaani really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Howell. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Howell is trying to get an arm triangle but Kanaani is defending well.
Howell misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Howell goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Kanaani rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Howell's guard! Nice work there by Kanaani!
Howell had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kanaani defends it easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Howell escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kanaani gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Howell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howell lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kanaani working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howell looking to pass the guard.
Howell content to stall in guard here.
Howell forces his way into half guard.
Kanaani tries to get to full guard but Howell has control of the leg.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howell passes to full mount!
Howell lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Howell wants to take Kanaani's back but he can't do it this time.
Howell looking to secure an arm triangle but Kanaani defends it well.
Howell with the ground and pound from mount.
Howell postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kanaani looks a forlorn figure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howell has control of Kanaani's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kanaani regains control of the situation pretty easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Amari Howell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mehdi Kanaani's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!
Kanaani looks to land a combination but Howell avoids it well.
Howell fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kanaani avoids it really well and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Howell.
Howell scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kanaani throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Howell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kanaani swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kanaani looks to throw the jab but Howell is out of range.
Howell uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kanaani.
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!
Kanaani misses with a looping right.
Nice takedown defense from Kanaani. No joy for Howell on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Amari Howell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kanaani throws a body punch but Howell moves out of range.
Kanaani misses with a combination
and Howell counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kanaani!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Howell in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Howell lands some shots froms side control.
That has opened up Mehdi Kanaani's cut even more.
Howell tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Howell has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Howell thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Howell trying to control the position but Kanaani is working away.
Howell is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kanaani knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kanaani is working to avoid the ground and pound but Howell connects with a decent elbow.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanaani taking punishment in the form of punches.
Howell working the head and body with strikes.
The cut above Mehdi Kanaani's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Howell lands some shots froms side control.
Mehdi Kanaani's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The referee calls the doctor in to look at Mehdi Kanaani's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Amari Howell!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
39% |
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