PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Clarno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hardy's choice of entrance music: I shot the Sheriff. Joshua Clarno looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Clarno
vs
Hardy

192 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

193 cm
20
145 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Joshua Clarno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Ray Hardy!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clarno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Clarno displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hardy throws out the jab.
Ray Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardy tries to clinch but Clarno is having none of it.
Hardy avoids a punch combination nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Clarno.
Hardy is looking to clinch but Clarno is avoiding it.
Clarno throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Clarno darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Clarno slips a nice elbow through Hardy's hands, connecting with Hardy's forehead.

Hardy makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clarno paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Clarno tries to keep at a distance but Hardy has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hardy landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarno dodges an elbow strike from Hardy.
Hardy missing with knees to the body.
Hardy with a knee to the head.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clarno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hardy looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Clarno manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hardy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Clarno is on top in guard.
Clarno wants to stand but Hardy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Clarno really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy keeping full guard, as Clarno tries to pass.
Hardy 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.
Hardy wants to stand but Clarno is controlling the position.
Clarno tries to stand but Hardy is controlling from the bottom.
Clarno throws a strike but Hardy rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Clarno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Hardy forces Clarno back against the cage and clinches.
Clarno blocks an elbow strike from Hardy.
Hardy misses with a knee to the head.
Hardy lands a good knee to the midsection. Clarno won't want to take too many of those.
Clarno looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hardy lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Joshua Clarno has been cut.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Clarno is trying to break the clinch but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.
Hardy misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy prevents the takedown attempt.
Hardy scores with a knee to the head.
Clarno is breathing heavily.
Hardy misses with a knee strike.
Clarno tries to pull guard but Hardy holds him up against the cage and eventually Clarno drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Clarno. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hardy with a knee to the head.
Clarno tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hardy lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hardy misses with a knee strike.
Hardy is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Hardy lands a knee to the head.
Hardy misses with an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hardy just misses with a elbow thrown towards Clarno's brow.
Hardy landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hardy landing knees to the body.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Clarno avoids a wild elbow strike from Hardy.
Hardy lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Clarno tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hardy connects with a knee to the head.
Hardy working Clarno over with knees to the body.
Hardy lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Clarno blocks it.
Hardy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clarno blocks it with crossed arms.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Clarno breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Clarno tries to clinch up but Hardy circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardy takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hardy darts in trying to clinch
and Clarno counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to clinch
and Hardy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hardy tries to clinch
and Clarno counters with a stiff right hand.
Hardy clinches but Clarno breaks the clinch

and Clarno counters with a shoot takedown. Hardy fights it but they end up in guard.
Clarno throws and elbow that misses. Hardy uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Clarno's guard. Nice move by Hardy!
Hardy sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Clarno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Clarno is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hardy is controlling him.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Clarno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy stays in close to Clarno's body and controls the position.
Hardy pushing down on Clarno's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Hardy is looking for a kimura here.
Clarno on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Clarno tries to get out of the position.
Clarno trying to control but Hardy postures up.

That's eight 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.
Clarno is looking for a sweep. Hardy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Clarno is doing well to control the position and prevent Hardy from advancing to side control.
Clarno is looking to improve his position.
Hardy is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Clarno wants to improve his position but Hardy is controlling well.
Hardy perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Clarno is staying active underneath Hardy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hardy takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Clarno is refusing to be controlled, as Hardy sits in half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ray Hardy just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Clarno shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hardy but Hardy pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hardy wants to clinch.
Hardy closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hardy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Clarno counters with a single leg into guard. Hardy didn't expect that.
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 Joshua Clarno will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joshua Clarno'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.

Hardy tries to clinch there but Clarno circles away.
Clarno throws a head kick that misses.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Clarno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Clarno swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Clarno counters with a nice kick to the body.
Hardy closes the distance but Clarno moves to the side

and Clarno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardy's guard now.
Hardy wants to get back to his feet but Clarno is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hardy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Clarno is staying active underneath Hardy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Clarno wants to get back to full guard.
Clarno makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Clarno.
Hardy trying to control but Clarno is working from the bottom.
Hardy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hardy's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Clarno keeps moving.
Clarno is trying to keep Hardy in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Clarno looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hardy is one step ahead there.
Clarno keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardy closes the distance looking to clinch

and Clarno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardy's guard now.

Hardy looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Joshua Clarno overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Clarno passes Hardy's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clarno looks to land a strike but Hardy avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Clarno won't allow Hardy to sweep him here.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Clarno from controlling successfully.

Hardy kicks Clarno off and gets to his feet.
Hardy tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Clarno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardy's guard now.
Hardy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Clarno.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Clarno's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Clarno wants to stand but Hardy is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clarno trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy controls Clarno momentarily but Clarno frees himself.
Hardy might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Clarno kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Clarno trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy pulls Clarno in close to his closed guard and prevents Clarno from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Clarno circles away from the clinch attempt
and Clarno counters with a left and a right that stings Hardy.
Clarno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hardy paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hardy steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Clarno. That one must have hurt.
Hardy misses with a hook. Clarno ducked under it nicely.
Hardy tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Clarno counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Clarno.
Clarno throws a strike but Hardy rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hardy controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Hardy passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Clarno is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Clarno wants to get back to his feet but Hardy drags him back down.
Hardy wants to control for a moment but Clarno uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Hardy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Clarno keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Clarno is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hardy tries to pass to full mount but Clarno defends it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Clarno counters with a three punch combo that has Hardy backing up. Hardy nods at Clarno to acknowledge the strikes.

That's eight 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.
Hardy tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Clarno counters with a nice body kick.
Hardy leaves Clarno with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Clarno keeps the fight on the outside.
Hardy blocks the body kick.
Clarno swats away the attempt to clinch by Hardy.
No luck for Clarno with that takedown attempt.
Hardy tries to clinch
and Clarno counters with a right hand to the body.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Clarno swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy wants to clinch up but Clarno keeps it at a distance.
Ray Hardy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Hardy wants to clinch.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to clinch but Clarno moves out of range.

Clarno gets a clinch.
Hardy is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Clarno is defending well for now.
Hardy lands an elbow inside.
Hardy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clarno blocks it with crossed arms.
Hardy lands a damaging elbow.
Clarno is trying to drag Hardy to the mat but Hardy just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Clarno. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Clarno takes an elbow to the forehead.
Clarno tries to circle away but Hardy has him pinned against the cage.
Hardy just leaning against Clarno, taking a breather.
Hardy landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Clarno dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joshua Clarno's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Clarno doesn't manage to clinch there - Hardy circles away.
Clarno shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Hardy wants to clinch but Clarno slips to the side
and Clarno makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Hardy has closed the distance and engaged Clarno in a clinch.
Hardy lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hardy lands a knee to the head.

Joshua Clarno's cut is getting worse.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clarno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hardy using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Hardy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Clarno blocks it with crossed arms.
Hardy looking to throw knees to the head but Clarno is blocking nicely.
Clarno tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hardy lands an elbow inside.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Clarno jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hardy walks away with a smile on his face. Clarno gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Clarno. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Clarno misses with a body kick.
Joshua Clarno is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Clarno misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clarno closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardy circles away.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Clarno swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy wants to clinch up but Clarno keeps it at a distance.
Clarno throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hardy moves in looking to clinch but Clarno pushes him off.
Hardy closes the distance but Clarno moves to the side

and Clarno counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hardy!
Clarno throwing strikes but Hardy recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Hardy is trying to stand up here but Clarno is controlling him well.
Hardy is refusing to be controlled, as Clarno sits in half guard.
Hardy wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clarno missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hardy blocking the ground and pound attempt from Clarno.
Hardy wants to get back to his feet.
Clarno lands strikes from half guard.
Hardy taking some punishment here, with Clarno in his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hardy wants it to stay on the feet.
Hardy tries to clinch
and Clarno counters with a series of strikes. Hardy will be more careful next time no doubt.

Hardy darts in and clinches Clarno up against the cage.
Clarno avoids the elbow strike from Hardy, against the cage.
Clarno is working for takedown but Hardy is calmly controlling the position for now.
Clarno takes an elbow to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Clarno tries to pull guard but Hardy won't allow it.
Hardy creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Clarno's defenses.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Clarno blocks it.
Hardy trying to control the position but instead, Clarno has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hardy into the cage.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clarno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hardy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Clarno.
Hardy with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Clarno tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hardy crunches a lovely knee into Clarno's ribcage.
Hardy with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Clarno is trying to break the clinch but Hardy is controlling him.

That's four 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.
Clarno blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Clarno jumps guard.

Clarno pushes Hardy off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hardy moves in looking to clinch but Clarno pushes him off.
Hardy wants to clinch
and Clarno cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Clarno swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy wants to clinch
and Hardy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clarno throws a push kick but Hardy slaps the foot to one side.
Hardy slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Clarno connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Clarno circles away and keeps his distance.
Clarno throws the left hand but Hardy avoids the punch easily.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Clarno jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Clarno throws out a loose jab but Hardy uses good head movement to avoid it.

Clarno closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Clarno throws a strike but Hardy avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Hardy wriggles free and stands up.
Hardy looks to clinch
and Clarno makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hardy tries to clinch but Clarno moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Hardy as Clarno shoots in.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Hardy tries to clinch there but Clarno circles away.
Clarno keeps the fight on the outside.
Clarno shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardy pinned against the cage. Hardy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hardy is looking to clinch.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Clarno shoots in and drives through. Hardy sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hardy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Clarno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hardy darts in trying to clinch

and Clarno counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardy's guard now.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hardy is on top in guard.
Hardy content to stall in guard here.
Hardy's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Clarno keeps moving.
Clarno has control of Hardy's left arm, preventing Hardy from doing any damage.

That's eight 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.
Hardy trying to control but Clarno is working from the bottom.

Hardy gets to his feet. Clarno looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hardy tries to clinch up but Clarno circles away and keeps his distance.
Clarno closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardy circles away.

Hardy closes the distance and pushes Clarno back into the cage.
Hardy connects with a nasty looking knee right to Clarno's face.
Hardy is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Clarno is defending well for now.
Clarno managing to block the knees to the body from Hardy.
Clarno on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Clarno wants to break free but Hardy has control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Hardy lands an elbow that stopped Clarno in his tracks for a moment.
Hardy stalling.
Clarno has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hardy lands an elbow inside that Clarno shrugs off.
Ray Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hardy looking to throw knees to the head but Clarno is blocking nicely.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hardy just misses with a elbow thrown towards Clarno's brow.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clarno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hardy prevents Clarno from breaking the clinch.
Hardy misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clarno.
Clarno has had enough of the clinch but Hardy keeps him there for the moment.
Clarno wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.
Clarno is looking to break free of the clinch but Hardy has double underhooks.
Hardy trying to land knees to the body.
Hardy is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Clarno is trying to break the clinch but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Clarno has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Clarno showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Clarno, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Atkins scores the fight for Joshua Clarno!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Joshua Clarno!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Joshua Clarno!

Joshua Clarno wins by unanimous decision!