PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Hardin (ranked 3743 p4p, 3358 weight class) and Luke Venderag (ranked 462 p4p, 424 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Hardin
vs
Venderag

187 cm
27
189
9 - 14 - 1

181 cm
28
185
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Big right hand

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Core Combat
KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, John Hardin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Luke Venderag!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Hardin.
Venderag looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hardin swings for the body but Venderag moves out of range.

Venderag has closed the distance and engaged Hardin in a clinch.

Venderag drags the fight down to the ground.
Hardin trying to control the position from guard on top but Venderag is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardin throws a strike but Venderag rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Venderag trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Venderag passes into half guard.
Venderag is looking to advance position but Hardin won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Venderag tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Hardin wants to control but Venderag is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardin is looking for a sweep. Venderag is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Venderag tries to stand but can't do so whilst Hardin controls his leg.
Hardin is trying to stand up here but Venderag is controlling him well.
Hardin is trying to control but Venderag passes into side control!
Hardin is not content to let Venderag control the position.
Hardin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hardin dodges the ground and pound from Venderag.
Venderag tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Hardin is looking for a sweep.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin struggling a bit here.
Venderag advances nicely into full mount.
Venderag thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Venderag controlling his opponent.
Hardin is trying desperately to improve position.
Hardin is working hard here to advance position.
Hardin tries to hold on but Venderag pushes him away.
Venderag throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Venderag scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hardin?
Venderag wants to control the pace but Hardin is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hardin sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Hardin wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Venderag sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Venderag decides to stand and escape the position.
Hardin misses with a body kick.
Hardin looks to land a right hand but Venderag moved out of range.
Venderag closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardin circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardin gets tackled into the cage by Venderag. Venderag maintains the clinch.
Hardin misses with a punch on the inside.
Hardin stalling in the clinch but Venderag improves position.
Hardin is trying to maintain a safe position but Venderag gets an underhook and turns Hardin into the cage.
Hardin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Venderag lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like John Hardin has been cut.
Venderag has Hardin pressed against the cage, preventing Hardin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hardin takes an elbow to the temple.

Hardin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Venderag shoots for a takedown but Hardin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hardin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hardin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
John Hardin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luke Venderag.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardin misses with a head kick.
Venderag darts in looking for a takedown but Hardin gets double underhooks and turns Venderag into the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Venderag moves into range and clinches up with Hardin.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Venderag dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Hardin's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Venderag moves in looking to clinch but Hardin pushes him off.
Hardin fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Venderag checks it well.
Venderag looks for a takedown but Hardin sprawls well.
John Hardin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luke Venderag seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Venderag shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hardin is trying to maintain the position but Venderag is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Venderag looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venderag keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hardin wants to get back to full guard.
Venderag wants to free his trapped foot but Hardin is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hardin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Venderag moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Hardin.
Venderag controls the position.
Hardin tries to buck Venderag off but Venderag is having none of it.
Hardin trying to control but Venderag flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Venderag looking to break Hardin's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Hardin remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Venderag will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Venderag has good solid back control here.
Hardin breaks Venderag's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hardin won't allow Venderag to sweep him here.
Venderag being controlled here, momentarily.

Venderag throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hardin looking to sit in guard and control but Venderag gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Venderag content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Venderag must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Hardin looking for a guillotine here but Venderag defends easily.
Hardin wants to sweep but no luck.

Venderag decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hardin, up you get!
Venderag closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardin circles away.
Hardin throws a lazy uppercut
letting Venderag counter with a right hand.

Venderag has closed the distance and engaged Hardin in a clinch.
Hardin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Venderag breaks from the clinch.

Venderag closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Venderag just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hardin's brow.
Venderag tries to pull guard but Hardin holds him up against the cage and eventually Venderag drops back down to his feet.
John Hardin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luke Venderag.
Hardin misses with the head strike.
Venderag is working for takedown but Hardin is calmly controlling the position for now.

Venderag breaks from the clinch.
Luke Venderag is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Venderag closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hardin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Venderag is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hardin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Venderag throws a sloppy head kick and Hardin moves out of range easily.
Venderag fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Venderag showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Hardin's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hardin throws a right hand that misses
enabling Venderag to counter with a crisp jab.
Venderag wants to clinch.
Venderag blocks a head kick by Hardin.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Venderag! But no joy.

Venderag gets a double leg takedown into Hardin's guard.

Hardin has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Venderag doesn't defend quickly enough and Hardin has managed to lock this one up! Can Venderag escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Hardin on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). John Hardin!