PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alika Akahi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howard's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Juicy. Akahi has chosen Hawaiian Superman as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Howard
vs
Akahi

165 cm
19
163 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

169 cm
22
160 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Experienced

THE STEEL PENN

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mike Howard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alika Akahi!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howard is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Akahi.

Akahi gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Howard to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Howard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Howard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Akahi keeping full guard, as Howard tries to pass.
Akahi manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Howard manages to get himself to full guard.

Howard had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Akahi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Howard Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Akahi's back instead.
Howard gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Howard lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Akahi.
Akahi controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Akahi just trying to survive but Howard is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Howard is working the ground and pound. Can Akahi escape?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howard softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Akahi grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Howard connects with a big shot to the side of Akahi's head.
Howard is landing with strikes from the back.
Howard punishes Akahi with strikes from the back mount.
Howard missing with punches from the back.
Howard is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Akahi. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Howard could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Howard has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Akahi has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akahi rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Nice strikes from Howard there.
Howard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Howard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Akahi looks gassed!
Akahi has hold of Howard's hands but Howard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Howard thows a huge punch but Akahi dodges it nicely.
Howard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Howard wants to pass to mount but Akahi is defending the position.
Akahi is looking to control Howard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Akahi avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Akahi defending well though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Howard is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Akahi's half guard.
Howard is looking to pass Akahi's guard but actually Akahi recovers to full guard.
Howard landing with the ground and pound.
Howard lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Howard looking to pass the guard.
Howard is working Akahi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard cracks Akahi with a solid left hand.
Akahi can't keep his opponent in guard - Howard advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Howard scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Howard wants to free his trapped foot but Akahi is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Akahi wants to control but Howard is keeping busy.
Akahi is trying to stand up here but Howard is controlling him well.
Howard slips a nice elbow through Akahi's hands, connecting with Akahi's forehead.
Howard scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Akahi trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Howard dominated that round.
That's time! Howard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Howard throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Akahi was covering up waiting for the punch and Howard finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Howard postures up in Akahi's guard and throws a big left but Akahi blocks it.
Akahi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Howard tries to hold on but Akahi postures up.
BOOM! Akahi connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Akahi avoids the attempt from Howard to control.
Howard working to try and regain half guard.
Akahi is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Howard gets back to half guard.
Howard moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Howard working for a triangle but Akahi defends it easily.

Howard looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Howard has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Akahi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Howard is trying to control the position but Akahi postures up.
Akahi wants to stand but Howard is controlling his posture from full guard.
Akahi preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Howard looking for a guillotine here but Akahi defends easily.

Howard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Akahi wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
Akahi postures up.
Howard wants to sweep here but Akahi controlling him for the moment.

Howard looking for a guillotine here but Akahi defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Akahi manages to get himself to full guard.
Howard advances position into side control!
Howard looks up at the clock and then as Akahi takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Howard smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Howard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Akahi misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Howard in side control lands a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Howard dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Howard bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Akahi on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Howard landing strikes.
Howard tries to advance to mount but Akahi denies him.
Howard lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Akahi down.
Akahi parries the strikes from Howard easily there. Howard is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Akahi to escape.

Howard tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Howard scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Akahi to see if he's OK.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Akahi is working to avoid the ground and pound but Howard connects with a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard throws an elbow but Akahi slips to the side and avoids it well.
Howard connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Akahi some visible discomfort.
Sloppy strikes there by Howard.

Howard looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Howard creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Akahi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Howard throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Howard in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Mike Howard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Howard working the ground and pound but Akahi is defending the strikes.
Akahi is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Howard is controlling him well.
Akahi takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Check out the look on Howard's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Akahi takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Howard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Howard working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Akahi is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Howard in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Howard in side control lands a decent elbow.
Akahi dodges the ground and pound from Howard.
Akahi takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
An elbow from Howard crashes against the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Akahi some visible discomfort.
The ground and pound from Howard seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Howard tries to score with some ground and pound. Akahi controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Howard bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Howard tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Howard has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Howard tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Alika Akahi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Howard looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Akahi is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to advance to mount but Akahi denies him.
Howard advances nicely into full mount.
Howard is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Akahi can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Akahi is looking to get to half guard.

Howard is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Akahi can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Akahi tries to buck Howard off but he can't manage it.
Mike Howard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Akahi flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Howard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Howard, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Howard!