PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Deis Knutz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harold Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy has chosen Ant WILD's Takeover as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Knutz
vs
Hardy

200 cm
22
270 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Rivers Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Deis Knutz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Harold Hardy!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knutz looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Knutz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hardy circles away quickly and effectively.
Knutz drops Hardy with a left right combo! Knutz follows him down to the ground into side control.

It looks like Harold Hardy has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knutz is looking to take a break and control but Hardy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hardy can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hardy can't do much from the bottom here.
Hardy trying to remain calm as Knutz controls from the top position.
Knutz trying to control the position but Hardy is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hardy sneaks out the side door and pushes Knutz away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Knutz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Hardy has eaten all the pies!
Hardy swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hardy tries for a takedown but Knutz manages to get underhooks.

Knutz gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Knutz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hardy is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knutz is looking to advance position but Hardy won't allow it.
Hardy is looking to improve his position.
Hardy is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Knutz is trying to control. Hardy wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
No joy there for Knutz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Knutz dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hardy looks gassed!

Knutz instigates a clinch.

Knutz breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knutz has a takedown stuffed.
Knutz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Knutz misses with a few strikes there.
Knutz throws a jab when Hardy was well out of range.

Hardy scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Hardy stands up.
Knutz misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy closes the distance but Knutz moves to the side
and Knutz counters with a two punch combo.

Hardy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
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!
Hardy not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knutz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hardy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Hardy stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Knutz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hardy takes the fight into the clinch.
Hardy taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Knutz breaks the clinch.

Hardy closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Knutz to the mat! Knutz manages to get full guard.
Hardy sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy trying to control but Knutz is working from the bottom.
Knutz looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hardy puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Still in half guard, Hardy seems content to control.
Knutz wants to control but Hardy is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Knutz wants to get back to full guard.
Knutz is trying to maintain the position but Hardy is very close to passing his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deis Knutz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Harold Hardy's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hardy fails with an attempt to clinch.

Knutz has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hardy keeps control of Knutz as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Knutz has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Knutz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hardy fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Knutz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A head kick misses from Knutz.
Hardy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Deis Knutz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Knutz gets caught flat footed, as Hardy shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knutz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hardy controls the pace.
Knutz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy trying to control but Knutz is working from the bottom.
Knutz working a defensive guard here.
Hardy looking to sit in guard and control but Knutz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hardy looking for a sweep. Not yet Hardy, not yet.
Knutz is fighting to break Hardy's control of his arms but Hardy is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Knutz trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

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.
Knutz prevents Hardy from breaking the clinch.
Hardy is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Knutz gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Knutz is pressed up against the cage. Hardy has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Knutz down to the mat. Knutz avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Knutz misses with a takedown

and Hardy counters with a single leg into guard. Knutz didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Deis Knutz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knutz can't keep his opponent in guard - Hardy advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Knutz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Knutz is looking to control Hardy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Knutz avoid being mounted?
Knutz is trying to get back to full guard.
Hardy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knutz is in trouble now - Hardy has advanced to mount!
Hardy controlling his opponent.
Hardy wants to control the pace but Knutz is squirming around nicely.
Hardy thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Knutz is working to get back to half guard.
Hardy avoids the attempt from Knutz to control.
Knutz is just holding on here. Hardy manages to take his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hardy misses with punches from the back.
Hardy has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Knutz's body.

Knutz is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Hardy working for the choke.
Knutz rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Hardy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Harold Hardy's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Knutz misses with a two punch combination.
Hardy doesn't manage to clinch there - Knutz circles away.

Knutz gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Knutz missing with knees to the body.

Hardy drags the fight down to the ground.

Hardy pushes Knutz off and scrambles back to his feet.
Knutz throws a right hand that Hardy ducks under and follows up with a left that Hardy also avoids with ease.
Knutz tries for a takedown but Hardy circles away easily

and Hardy counters with a takedown into side control.
Hardy taking a breather here.

Hardy is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Knutz is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy throws a strike aimed at the side of Knutz's head but Knutz avoids it well.
Knutz is trying to improve his position.
Knutz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hardy on the ground.
Knutz trying to control but Hardy flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Hardy throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Knutz trying to control the action but Hardy just sinks the hooks in.
Knutz staying busy and making it hard for Hardy to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Knutz holding both Hardy 's hands and preventing any damage.
Knutz looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Hardy working for the choke.
A lull in the action here.
Knutz turns into Hardy and is now in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knutz preventing the sweep.
Knutz trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy pulls Knutz in to control the position.
Hardy trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Knutz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Knutz being controlled here momentarily.
Knutz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hardy is keeping the position for now.
Knutz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Hardy looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Knutz has picked Hardy up and slammed him! Hardy can't keep hold of the triangle and Knutz manages to pass to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Hardy is not content to let Knutz control the position.
Hardy tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hardy is trying to escape the position but Knutz is controlling the position.
Knutz tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hardy is not content to let Knutz control the position.
Knutz wants to take a breather but Hardy manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Knutz.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harold Hardy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hardy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harold Hardy!