PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chad Hart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Xenophon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hart
vs
Xenophon

180 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Boondock Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Hart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Xenophon!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xenophon thuds his right hand into Hart's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Xenophon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Xenophon throws a leg kick but Hart sees it coming and moves out of range.
Xenophon throws and low kick but Hart moves out of range easily.
Hart keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Xenophon scoring well with a low kick there.

Hart gets a takedown into half guard.
Xenophon looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hart controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xenophon tries to kick Hart off but Hart keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hart controlling the action here.
Xenophon is trying to stand.
Xenophon desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Hart is looking to take a break and control but Xenophon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.

Hart is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Xenophon is just riding it out for now. Hart eventually gives up the hold.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hart wants to pass to mount but Xenophon is defending the position.
Xenophon is trying to stand back up but Hart is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xenophon is looking to improve his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Xenophon throws a right and a left that Hart avoids nicely.
Xenophon looks gassed!
Xenophon circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hart fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Xenophon wants to clinch but Hart slips to the side

and Hart counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hart moves nicely into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hart working away.
Hart trying to control the position but Xenophon is working away.
Xenophon is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hart is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart in side control lands a decent elbow.
Xenophon is pushing Hart's head away, looking to escape. Hart manages to hold on to the position though.
Hart happy to just control the position for now.
Xenophon is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hart is controlling him well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Xenophon scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hart showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Xenophon.
Hart misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chad Hart will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Xenophon.
Chad Hart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hart shoots in and drives through. Xenophon sprawls well.
Hart fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hart will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chad Hart. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xenophon throws a series of strikes that have Hart backpedaling.

Xenophon gets caught flat footed, as Hart shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Xenophon trying to control the position here.
Xenophon keeping moving, preventing Hart from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xenophon wants to stand up but Hart is controlling him.
Hart trying to control the position from guard on top but Xenophon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Xenophon is on top in guard.
Hart can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Xenophon controls the pace.
Hart is pulling down on Xenophon's head. It's preventing any offense from Xenophon, at least for the moment.
Xenophon wants to stand and escape but instead Hart has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Xenophon is breathing heavily.

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.
Hart is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Hart decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Hart fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Xenophon, pushing him back against the cage.
Hart has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Xenophon is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hart wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Xenophon has him pressed against the cage.
Xenophon goes for a takedown attempt but Hart pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Xenophon shoots in but Hart avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hart gets a takedown into half guard.
Xenophon wants to get back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Hart seems content to control.
Hart tries to pass to full mount but Xenophon defends it.
Xenophon is pressing down on Hart's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart trying to control but Xenophon is working from the bottom.

Xenophon pushes Hart off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Xenophon drops Hart with a right and a left! Xenophon comes rushing in but Hart regains his composure and manages to keep Xenophon in guard.

Hart is rocked!
Hart lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Xenophon!
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!
Hart controlling from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hart can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Xenophon is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Xenophon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hart looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hart missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Xenophon is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Xenophon on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Xenophon tries to get out of the position.
Xenophon slows the pace down in half guard.
It looks like Xenophon is going to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xenophon prevents Hart from improving his position.
Xenophon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hart has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Xenophon is working away from the top position though.
Hart tries to get to full guard but Xenophon has control of the leg.
Hart wants to get back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Xenophon seems content to control.
Hart has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Xenophon is working away from the top position though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Xenophon throws a right and a left that Hart avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hart misses with a body kick.
Xenophon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Hart darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Xenophon is looking to control Hart's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Xenophon avoid being mounted?
Xenophon wants to get back to his feet.
Hart sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Xenophon has one foot on Hart's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Xenophon fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hart, pushing him back against the cage.
Xenophon wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Xenophon's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Xenophon breaks the clinch.
Xenophon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hart tries for a takedown but Xenophon circles away easily
and Xenophon counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hart avoids a punch combination nicely.
Chad Hart is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xenophon swings for the body but Hart moves out of range.
Xenophon doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Xenophon stuffs the takedown.
Nick Xenophon seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Hart closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hart in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Hart stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Hart drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Xenophon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chad Hart overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Xenophon looking for a sweep. Not yet Xenophon, not yet.
Xenophon is looking to stand up but Hart isn't so interested in that idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Hart showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hart has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Hart!