PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zach Hardgrave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lil James Thunderstruck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Hardgrave
vs
James Thunderstruck

186 cm
22
340 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

200 cm
25
299 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zach Hardgrave!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lil James Thunderstruck!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thunderstruck throws a series of punches but Hardgrave avoids them all with ease.
Thunderstruck throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A combination from Hardgrave does no damage.
Thunderstruck lands with a right hand.

Hardgrave throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thunderstruck was covering up waiting for the punch and Hardgrave finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hardgrave thows a big elbow that misses.
Hardgrave trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hardgrave postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Thunderstruck wants to stand but Hardgrave is controlling the position.
Thunderstruck wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Hardgrave trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thunderstruck can do anything to dispel that myth.
Thunderstruck tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hardgrave content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunderstruck tries to strike from the bottom.
Thunderstruck avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hardgrave throws a strike but Thunderstruck rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Thunderstruck is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hardgrave pulls Thunderstruck in close to prevent any damage.
Thunderstruck trying to control but Hardgrave is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Thunderstruck has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hardgrave is proving hard to escape from.
Hardgrave keeping moving, preventing Thunderstruck from controlling successfully.
Thunderstruck seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Hardgrave has his hands on Thunderstruck's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunderstruck slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hardgrave looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thunderstruck is one step ahead there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thunderstruck wants to get up but he can't break Hardgrave's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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.
Thunderstruck wants to control from the top but Hardgrave keeps moving.
Thunderstruck looking to sit in guard and control but Hardgrave gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Lil James Thunderstruck.
Hardgrave avoids the body shot from Thunderstruck.
Thunderstruck throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hardgrave sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Thunderstruck takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Thunderstruck throws a lazy right hand but Hardgrave sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thunderstruck digs a good body shot into Hardgrave's ribs.

Hardgrave takes the fight into the clinch.
Hardgrave looking for a takedown.
Hardgrave is breathing heavily.
Hardgrave tries a body shot but Thunderstruck blocks it.
Thunderstruck working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Thunderstruck fails to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lil James Thunderstruck 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.

Thunderstruck falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hardgrave counters by moving into the clinch.
Thunderstruck wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hardgrave has him pressed against the cage.
Thunderstruck trying to stall but Hardgrave improves his position.
Hardgrave keeps control of Thunderstruck as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Thunderstruck working hard to break the clinch.
Thunderstruck tries to break the clinch but Hardgrave is controlling the position.
Hardgrave has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Thunderstruck is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hardgrave is working for takedown but Thunderstruck is calmly controlling the position for now.
Thunderstruck blocks a body shot from Hardgrave.
Thunderstruck throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hardgraves head.
Thunderstruck is trying to maintain a safe position but Hardgrave gets an underhook and turns Thunderstruck into the cage.

Thunderstruck breaks from the clinch.
Thunderstruck scores with a one two! Hardgrave had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Zach Hardgrave has been cut.
Thunderstruck misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Thunderstruck misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Thunderstruck throws a combination that misses

and Hardgrave counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Thunderstruck's guard now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardgrave won't allow Thunderstruck to get back to his feet.
Thunderstruck pulls Hardgrave in close to prevent any damage.
Thunderstruck preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardgrave throws a big right hand that misses.
Thunderstruck lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hardgrave!
Hardgrave working to try and regain half guard.
Thunderstruck working the ground and pound effectively.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thunderstruck misses with a head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thunderstruck tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Thunderstruck throws some wild stikes that Hardgrave manages to avoid easily.
Hardgrave is trying to escape the mount.
Thunderstruck landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hardgrave might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thunderstruck trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thunderstruck sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thunderstruck tries to control but Hardgrave wriggling away.
Thunderstruck looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hardgrave wants to hold on but Thunderstruck pushes him away.

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.
Hardgrave is looking to get to half guard.
Thunderstruck controlling his opponent.
Hardgrave sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hardgrave is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Thunderstruck jumps into side control!
Thunderstruck in side control, throwing shots but Hardgrave defends.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lil James Thunderstruck showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Zach Hardgrave's cut.
That's time! Hardgrave's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Thunderstruck lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Thunderstruck clobbers Hardgrave with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
No joy there for Thunderstruck, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thunderstruck misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hardgrave.
Thunderstruck is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Thunderstruck swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Thunderstruck throws the left hand but Hardgrave avoids the punch easily.
Thunderstruck misses with a body shot.
Thunderstruck thows a body shot but no joy.
Hardgrave takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Thunderstruck digs a good body shot into Hardgrave's ribs.
Thunderstruck scores with a jab to the head.
Thunderstruck throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hardgrave moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Jab, jab by Thunderstruck - just one landing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thunderstruck misses with an uppercut. Hardgrave saw that one coming.
Thunderstruck misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thunderstruck lands with an overhand left.
Thunderstruck has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Thunderstruck fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Hardgrave is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thunderstruck takes a swing at Hardgrave's ribcage but misses.
Thunderstruck fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Thunderstruck throws a hook but Hardgrave avoids it easily.
Lil James Thunderstruck seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thunderstruck walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hardgrave checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lil James Thunderstruck is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardgrave takes one to the chin there.
Hardgrave takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Thunderstruck jabs at Hardgrave's body.
Decent striking displayed by Thunderstruck there.

Thunderstruck lands a left and a right that send Hardgrave crashing to the mat, dazed. Thunderstruck thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Oh Hardgrave is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thunderstruck drops a shoulder and throws a monster hook that connects perfectly to the side of Hardgrave's head, knocking him out cold! Thunderstruck is extatic as he celebrates with his cornermen.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Lil James Thunderstruck!