PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bret Hart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Vice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hart kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Sharpshooter. Bret Hart has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hart
vs
Vice

185 cm
28
224 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

169 cm
25
215 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bret Hart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tommy Vice!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hart shoots in but Vice avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hart closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vice circles away.
Vice stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vice wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bret Hart. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vice fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hart has his takedown stuffed

and Vice counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hart!
Vice sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Vice is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hart can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Hart is squirming around, avoiding Vice's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hart manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Hart, under a barage of strikes from Vice.
Vice sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Vice thows a huge punch but Hart dodges it nicely.
Vice trying to mount his opponent but Hart defends it.
Vice controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tommy Vice wasn't active enough on the ground.
Vice will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
The fighters circling - Hart throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hart misses with a takedown

and Vice counters with a single leg into guard. Hart didn't expect that.
Vice won't allow Hart to get back to his feet.
Vice looking to pass the guard.
Vice wants to control from the top but Hart keeps moving.
Vice pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hart is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vice is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Vice throws a big right hand that misses.
Vice trying to control but Hart is working from the bottom.

Vice drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hart looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hart looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hart!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Vice sneaks back into half guard.
Vice gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vice avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Vice holds on and takes a little breather.
Vice avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hart throwing strikes from guard but Vice blocks nicely.
Vice tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vice pulls Hart in close to prevent any damage.
Vice working a defensive guard here.
Hart loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vice wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Vice dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Vice is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hart sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Vice will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hart misses with a takedown attempt

and Vice counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hart's guard now.
Vice is looking to work some ground and pound but Hart has wrist control.
Vice wants to control from the top but Hart keeps moving.
Vice postures up in Hart's guard and throws a big left but Hart blocks it.
Vice wants to control from the top but Hart keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tommy Vice.
Vice misses with a takedown attempt - Hart sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bret Hart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Vice.
Hart misses with a takedown attempt

and Vice counters with a takedown into side control.
Vice tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hart regains half guard there - taking advantage of Vice's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Vice slips a nice elbow through Hart's hands, connecting with Hart's forehead.
Hart is refusing to be controlled, as Vice sits in half guard.
Tommy Vice has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vice looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vice wants to take a breather but Hart is having none of it.
Vice tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hart knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Vice performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Vice trying to control from Hart's half guard. Hart has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hart is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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

Tommy Vice has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Vice shoots in and gets a takedown into Hart's guard.
Vice trying to control the position from guard on top but Hart is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vice passes Hart's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Vice missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vice is keen to just control but Hart is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Vice is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hart defends it well.
Vice is trying to control. Hart wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Vice is just content to waste time from the top position. Hart takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Vice showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Vice scores a takedown into full mount!
Vice throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Vice has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hart's face.
Vice trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Vice won't let Hart get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hart is squirming around, avoiding Vice's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vice controlling from mount.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Vice misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Vice controlling the position easily from mount.

Vice goes for an armbar but Hart turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hart.
Hart will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vice tries to land a sweep but no joy.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tommy Vice hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hart with a lazy takedown attempt

and Vice counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Vice.
Vice is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Vice looking to pass the guard.
Hart keeping moving, preventing Vice from controlling successfully.
Vice working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hart's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vice slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Vice advances to mount.
Vice controlling from the full mount.
Vice cracks Hart with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Vice looking to finish with strikes here!
Vice thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vice moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hart has worked his arm free - good work by Hart!
Vice happy to just control the position for now.
Vice throws a strike aimed at the side of Hart's head but Hart avoids it well.
Bret Hart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hart is not content to let Vice control the position.
Vice laying and praying for a moment but Hart takes advantage and regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommy Vice comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vice winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommy Vice!