PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tank Thunderclap (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladamir Harkonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thunderclap comes to the cage accompanied by ThunderStruck. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thunderclap
vs
Harkonen

183 cm
24
250 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

191 cm
24
285 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Rivers Edge Nutrition
Crashforce Voodoo Labs

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tank Thunderclap!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vladamir Harkonen!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Steve Montenegro and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harkonen gets caught flat footed, as Thunderclap shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Thunderclap drops back, looking for a kneebar! Harkonen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Harkonen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Harkonen!
Harkonen wants to control but Thunderclap is keeping him busy.
Thunderclap is trying to improve his position.
Thunderclap gets back to half guard.
Harkonen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thunderclap manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Harkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Thunderclap is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunderclap looking for a sweep. Not yet Thunderclap, not yet.

Thunderclap working for a triangle but Harkonen defends it easily.
Harkonen passes into half guard.
Harkonen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Harkonen is looking to take a break and control but Thunderclap is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Thunderclap is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harkonen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harkonen's back!

Harkonen preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Thunderclap.
Thunderclap punches the canvas rather than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thunderclap is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Thunderclap looking for the choke but no joy.
Harkonen is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunderclap is striking well from the back but Harkonen escapes and manages to control the positon and works his way to half guard. A much better position - the crisis is over for the time being.
Harkonen wants to control but Thunderclap is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Thunderclap is looking to advance position but Harkonen won't allow it.
Harkonen is looking to improve his position.

Thunderclap is looking for a kimura here.
Harkonen missing with punches from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Thunderclap is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thunderclap looks to land a right hand but Harkonen moved out of range.

Harkonen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Thunderclap sneaks back into half guard.
Harkonen working the head and body with strikes.
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 Tank Thunderclap will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Harkonen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thunderclap.
Thunderclap fails with the takedown

and Harkonen counters by clinching up.

Harkonen drags the fight down to the ground.
Thunderclap looking to pass the guard.
Thunderclap postures up.
Harkonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thunderclap has gone for a leg lock! Harkonen slips out almost immediately though and dives into Thunderclap's guard.
Thunderclap trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harkonen looking to pass the guard.
Harkonen throwing strikes but missing.

Thunderclap is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Harkonen tries to free his leg and advance position but Thunderclap is retaining full guard.

Thunderclap working for a triangle but Harkonen defends it easily.
Harkonen trying to control but Thunderclap is working from the bottom.
Thunderclap preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Harkonen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thunderclap tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Harkonen trying to move into half guard but instead Thunderclap has managed to sweep!
Harkonen can't keep his opponent in guard - Thunderclap advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Thunderclap missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Thunderclap has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Thunderclap has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Harkonen's face.
Thunderclap thowing shots but they're missing.

Thunderclap moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Harkonen has worked his arm free - good work by Harkonen!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thunderclap tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Thunderclap has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Thunderclap working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Thunderclap is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Harkonen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Thunderclap here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

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.
Thunderclap tries to advance to mount but Harkonen instead regains half guard.
Thunderclap controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tank Thunderclap dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Harkonen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Thunderclap to score with a decent uppercut.
Thunderclap misses with a body shot

and Harkonen counters with a nice double leg into side control. Thunderclap won't be happy with that.
Thunderclap tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Harkonen wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Harkonen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thunderclap keeps working.
Harkonen in side control, throwing shots but Thunderclap defends.
Harkonen tries to advance to mount but Thunderclap denies him.
Thunderclap manages to work his way to half guard, despite Harkonen's best efforts.
Harkonen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Thunderclap looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Harkonen is looking to advance position but Thunderclap won't allow it.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harkonen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Harkonen fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Thunderclap is trying desperately to improve position.
Thunderclap regains half guard.
Thunderclap is trying to maintain the position but Harkonen is very close to passing his half guard.
Thunderclap is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harkonen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harkonen's back!

Thunderclap is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Harkonen is defending well though. Thunderclap let's go of the attempt for now.

Thunderclap is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Harkonen has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thunderclap is looking for a choke. Harkonen gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Harkonen manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.
Thunderclap avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thunderclap keeping full guard, as Harkonen tries to pass.

Thunderclap is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Harkonen defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunderclap wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Thunderclap is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Harkonen is aware though and is defending well.
Harkonen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Thunderclap throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Harkonen looking to sit in guard and control but Thunderclap gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thunderclap working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thunderclap accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harkonen wants to stand up but Thunderclap is controlling him.

Thunderclap 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.
Thunderclap is looking to work some ground and pound but Harkonen has wrist control.

Thunderclap drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Harkonen dives on top into guard.
Harkonen tries to free his leg and advance position but Thunderclap is retaining full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Vladamir Harkonen.
I think Thunderclap 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight for Tank Thunderclap!
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight for Tank Thunderclap!
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight for Tank Thunderclap!

Tank Thunderclap wins by unanimous decision!