PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Antony Owen (ranked 8516 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Holloway (ranked 5775 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Owen
vs
Holloway

176 cm
26
140 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Antony Owen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Max Holloway!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Owen dives in for a single leg takedown but Holloway sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Holloway connects with a leg kick. Owen looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Holloway stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Holloway wants it to stay on the feet.
Owen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Holloway counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antony Owen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holloway throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Holloway throws a series of punches but Owen avoids them all with ease.
Holloway scores with a nice body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holloway scores with a spinning back kick!
Holloway throws a left and a right that both miss

and Owen counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Holloway!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Owen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Holloway has escaped the position, nice work there.
Holloway is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holloway is trying to control Owen's posture but Owen avoids it.

Owen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Owen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Holloway's waist but Holloway gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Owen off to one side.
Holloway is looking for the big counter here.

Holloway gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Owen fails to pull guard.

Owen gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Holloway is trying to maintain the position but Owen is very close to passing his half guard.
Holloway lands a couple of sideways elbows.
Holloway is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Owen controlling the action here.
Holloway trying to control here.
Owen looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Holloway is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owen prevents Holloway from improving his position.
Holloway is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Owen is controlling the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Holloway moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Holloway working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Holloway drags the fight down to the ground.
Owen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Holloway doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Holloway working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Owen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Owen drops back looking for a leg! Holloway is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Holloway manages to kick Owen off! Owen jumps back into Holloway's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Holloway wants to sweep here but Owen controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Holloway ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Holloway gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Holloway is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Owen can't fight it off and eventually Holloway manages to take the fight to the floor. Owen looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Holloway throws a big elbow that misses.
Owen controlling the position.

Owen working for submissions but it's allowed Holloway to get to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holloway wants to pass to mount but Owen is defending the position.
Owen is controlling Holloway's trapped leg to prevent Holloway from advancing to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holloway wants to lay and pray for a moment but Owen keeps working.
Owen keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Holloway stalling away here and it's allowed Owen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Owen pulls Holloway in close to his closed guard and prevents Holloway from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Holloway trying to control the position from guard on top but Owen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Owen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Holloway gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Owen to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Holloway tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Antony Owen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owen content to stall in guard here.
Holloway tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Owen connects with a couple of short punches.
Holloway looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Owen puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Holloway tries to get to full guard but Owen has control of the leg.
Owen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Owen prevents Holloway from improving his position.
Owen takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Owen prevents Holloway from improving his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Owen passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Max Holloway will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Holloway scores with a decent looking hook.

Holloway instigates a clinch.
Owen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Holloway looking to stall.
Holloway is pressed up against the cage. Owen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Holloway down to the mat. Holloway avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Holloway forces Owen back against the cage and clinches.

Holloway gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Holloway sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Owen is positioning himself well to prevent Holloway advancing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Holloway seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Owen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Owen actively working from the bottom here.
Owen is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Owen controlling the position for now.
Owen regains full guard. Nicely done.

Owen looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Holloway passes into half guard.
Owen trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Owen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Holloway lands a nice short elbow.
Owen tries to get to full guard but Holloway has control of the leg.
Owen wants to control but Holloway is keeping busy.
Holloway wants to take a breather but Owen is having none of it.
Owen wants to control but Holloway is keeping busy.
Owen is refusing to be controlled, as Holloway sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Owen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Owen is staying active underneath Holloway, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Owen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Owen wants to get back to full guard.
Owen keeping hold of Holloway's head, controlling as best he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Holloway scores with a push kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Holloway comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Holloway 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Holloway!