PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zurabi Vakhtangishvili (ranked 1380 p4p, 951 weight class) and Grant Harklie (ranked 155 p4p, 103 weight class). Harklie is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Holycrud. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Vakhtangishvili
vs
Harklie

195 cm
27
235
7 - 5 - 0

177 cm
21
263
11 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Savage Fightwear

Knock Out Sups

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Zurabi Vakhtangishvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Grant Harklie!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Ben Watson and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vakhtangishvili slaps away a takedown attempt from Harklie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Vakhtangishvili wants to clinch.
Harklie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vakhtangishvili sprawls well. Vakhtangishvili wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Harklie gets slowly back to his feet.
Harklie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zurabi Vakhtangishvili has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Grant Harklie.

Vakhtangishvili closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Harklie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vakhtangishvili lands an elbow inside that Harklie shrugs off.

It looks like Grant Harklie has been cut.
Vakhtangishvili digs a right hand underneath Harklie's ribcage. Harklie let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vakhtangishvili lands a body punch in the clinch.
Harklie looks winded!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Vakhtangishvili lands an elbow inside that Harklie shrugs off.
Vakhtangishvili tries to throw a body punch but Harklie avoids it by throwing Vakhtangishvili back against the cage.
Harklie wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili lands an elbow that stopped Harklie in his tracks for a moment.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vakhtangishvili.
Nice elbow from Vakhtangishvili.
Vakhtangishvili lands a nice elbow.
Harklie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Harklie drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vakhtangishvili lands a nice elbow.
Vakhtangishvili is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Harklie is defending well for now.
Harklie looking for a takedown.
Vakhtangishvili tries to work over Harklie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Harklie has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Vakhtangishvili after a bit of a struggle.
Harklie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vakhtangishvili struggles to land a body shot inside as Harklie controls his hands.
Harklie prevents a body shot from Vakhtangishvili.
Vakhtangishvili comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vakhtangishvili doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a body punch.
Vakhtangishvili misses with a punch to the body.
Harklie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Vakhtangishvili pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vakhtangishvili tries to keep at a distance but Harklie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vakhtangishvili lands a nice elbow.
Vakhtangishvili can't find room to land a body shot as Harklie controls the action.
Vakhtangishvili pushes off an throws an elbow but Harklie leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Harklie wants to take the fight to the mat but Vakhtangishvili manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Harklie drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vakhtangishvili gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Harklie is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Vakhtangishvili is defending well.
Harklie tries to score a body lock takedown but Vakhtangishvili shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Harklie avoids the elbow strike from Vakhtangishvili, against the cage.
Harklie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Vakhtangishvili pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Harklie avoids a wild elbow strike from Vakhtangishvili.
Harklie can't get the takedown.
Vakhtangishvili tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harklie's elbow.
Vakhtangishvili can't find room to land a body shot as Harklie controls the action.
Vakhtangishvili tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Vakhtangishvili definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili lands a damaging elbow.

That has opened up Grant Harklie's cut even more.
Vakhtangishvili leaning against his opponent.
Harklie avoiding damage as Vakhtangishvili throws knees to the body.

Vakhtangishvili is fighting off a takedown attempt but Harklie is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Vakhtangishvili to the mat. Vakhtangishvili regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Harklie wants to pass the guard but Vakhtangishvili is keeping the position.
Harklie postures up.
Harklie looking to pass the guard.
Harklie won't allow Vakhtangishvili to sweep him here.
Vakhtangishvili looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Harklie won't allow Vakhtangishvili to sweep him here.
Harklie works over Vakhtangishvili with some ground and pound from guard.
Vakhtangishvili is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Harklie is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harklie has gone for a leg lock! Vakhtangishvili slips out almost immediately though and dives into Harklie's guard.

Harklie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vakhtangishvili gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vakhtangishvili controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Harklie wants to sweep but no luck.
Harklie working a defensive guard here.
Harklie wants to sweep here but Vakhtangishvili controlling him for the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zurabi Vakhtangishvili dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Grant Harklie's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Vakhtangishvili tries to close the distance and clinch up but Harklie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harklie shoots in looking for a takedown. Vakhtangishvili tries to sprawl out of it but Harklie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Vakhtangishvili manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Harklie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Harklie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Vakhtangishvili knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Harklie on the ground.
Harklie trying to control the action but Vakhtangishvili is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harklie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Vakhtangishvili's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harklie fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Vakhtangishvili is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Harklie is controlling him well.
Vakhtangishvili on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Vakhtangishvili tries to get out of the position.
Harklie wants to take a breather but Vakhtangishvili manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Harklie.
Harklie trying to control the position from guard on top but Vakhtangishvili is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harklie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vakhtangishvili swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vakhtangishvili is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harklie can do to turn this around?
Vakhtangishvili keeping moving, preventing Harklie from controlling successfully.
Harklie wants to pass the guard but Vakhtangishvili is keeping the position.

Harklie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harklie won't allow Vakhtangishvili to sweep him here.
Harklie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vakhtangishvili will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Vakhtangishvili wants to stand up but Harklie is controlling him.
Harklie forces his way into half guard.
Harklie wants to pass the guard but Vakhtangishvili is defending well.
Harklie is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili is looking to improve his position.
Harklie moves nicely into side control.
Vakhtangishvili prevents Harklie from improving position.
Harklie tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Harklie wants to control but Vakhtangishvili is keeping him busy.
Vakhtangishvili can't do much from the bottom here.
Harklie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vakhtangishvili keeps working.
Vakhtangishvili wants to control but Harklie postures up.
Harklie tries to advance to mount but can't.
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.
Harklie lands a decent elbow from side control.
Vakhtangishvili is trying to control Harklie's posture but Harklie avoids it.
Harklie just content to control the position.
Harklie in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Harklie staying calm.
Harklie working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harklie slows the pace down.
Harklie works to advance to full mount. Vakhtangishvili defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Harklie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Grant Harklie's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Harklie darts in looking for a takedown but Vakhtangishvili gets double underhooks and turns Harklie into the cage.
Harklie shoots for a takedown but Vakhtangishvili saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Harklie feints and as Vakhtangishvili raises his hands in defense, Harklie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Harklie wants to control from the top but Vakhtangishvili keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vakhtangishvili is on top in guard.

Grant Harklie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Harklie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Vakhtangishvili postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harklie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Harklie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vakhtangishvili pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harklie is keeping the position for now.
Harklie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vakhtangishvili controls the pace.
Vakhtangishvili trying to control the position from guard on top but Harklie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vakhtangishvili trying to move into half guard but instead Harklie has managed to sweep!

Vakhtangishvili keeping moving, preventing Harklie from controlling successfully.
Harklie wants to pass the guard but Vakhtangishvili is keeping the position.
Harklie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Harklie crashes against the mat.

Harklie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Vakhtangishvili takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Harklie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Vakhtangishvili rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Harklie's guard! Nice work there by Vakhtangishvili!
Vakhtangishvili stays in close to Harklie's body and controls the position.
Vakhtangishvili won't allow Harklie to sweep him here.

Harklie has his foot on Vakhtangishvili's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Vakhtangishvili works his way back into a safe position though.
Vakhtangishvili preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harklie is trying to control the position but Vakhtangishvili postures up.

Harklie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Vakhtangishvili defends well.
Harklie wants to sweep but no luck.

Harklie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vakhtangishvili trying to stand up but can't free himself from Harklie's guard.
Vakhtangishvili wants to pass the guard but Harklie is keeping the position.
Vakhtangishvili preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Harklie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Vakhtangishvili defends well.
Harklie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Harklie is still trying to improve position.
Vakhtangishvili stays in close to Harklie's body and controls the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harklie shoots in for a takedown but Vakhtangishvili shows good takedown defense.
Zurabi Vakhtangishvili has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Grant Harklie.
Vakhtangishvili wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Grant Harklie.
I think Harklie 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Grant Harklie!
Grant Harklie decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.