PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Claude Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Lamotta (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.

Harper
vs
Lamotta

193 cm
20
193 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Boomerang! Boomeroids! 157 Muscle $50 PROOF

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Claude Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Lamotta!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Damien Edna and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harper takes the fight into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Lamotta has double underhooks.
Lamotta prevents Harper from breaking the clinch.
Harper wants to break the clinch but can't.
Harper gets through Lamotta's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Harper wants to break free but Lamotta has control.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Lamotta has him pressed against the cage.
Lamotta wants to break the clinch but can't.
Harper digs a right hand into Lamotta's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Lamotta's gas tank.

Harper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch combination from Harper misses.
Harper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Harper tries to bum rush Lamotta with a series of wild strikes but Lamotta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A nice combination there by Harper.
Lamotta takes one on the button.
Harper's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Harper duly obliges.

Harper clinches with his opponent.
Harper wants to break free but Lamotta has control.
Harper throws a head punch that misses.
Harper tries to circle away but Lamotta has him pinned against the cage.
Harper lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Harper fails to land.
Lamotta blocks an uppercut.

Lamotta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harper throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lamotta defending well as Harper loads up on a big left hand.
Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lamotta takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lamotta tries to bum rush Harper with a series of wild strikes but Harper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lamotta plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Harper clinches up against the cage.
Lamotta wants to break the clinch but can't.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Lamotta has double underhooks.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Harper.
Harper scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harper is trying to force a seperation but Lamotta has the dominant position.
Harper has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Lamotta breaks from the clinch.
Lamotta pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Harper has closed the distance and engaged Lamotta in a clinch.
Lamotta tries to stall but Harper uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Lamotta.
Harper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lamotta dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Harper slows down the pace here.
Harper lands with a right to the head.

Harper manages to break the clinch.
Harper lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lamotta lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harper circles away quickly and effectively.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lamotta keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harper shoots in but Lamotta avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Harper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Harper lands a two punch combo.
Lamotta thuds a left hand into Harper's body.
Harper moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harper takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper scores with a jab to the body.
Harper misses with a double jab
and Lamotta counters with a big head kick but Harper shrugs it off.
Harper throws a left and a right that both miss
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lamotta looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A left and a right from Lamotta both land. Nice combination.
Lamotta scores with a three punch combo!
Lamotta throws a nice inside leg kick.
Harper swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Lamotta counters with a head kick. That will keep Harper thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Lamotta misses with a series of wild punches.
Harper on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lamotta. Lamotta obviously looking to wear him down.
Harper misses with a double jab
and Lamotta counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Harper takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Tony Lamotta is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab from Lamotta.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harper scores with a jab. Lamotta acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Harper pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Lamotta back to the cage. Harper follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Harper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lamotta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harper avoids the head kick by Lamotta.
Lamotta misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lamotta throws a leg kick which misses Harper's front leg but catches the back leg as Harper tries to avoid it.
Lamotta throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Harper.
Lamotta ducks under a wild hook from Harper.

Harper has Lamotta up against the cage in a clinch.

Lamotta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lamotta fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Harper misses with a series of wild punches.
Lamotta throws a left and a right that both miss
and Harper cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Harper is working the combinations to good effect here.
The fighters circling - Harper throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lamotta plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Harper falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lamotta counters with a head kick. That will keep Harper thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Harper is rocked!
Lamotta lands a front kick.
Oh Harper is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Harper.
Harper seems to have got his legs back now.
Harper is breathing heavily.
Lamotta throws a nice inside leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Harper takes a kick to the side of the head.
Harper has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Claude Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lamotta fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Harper has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Lamotta will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A big left from Harper misses.
Lamotta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lamotta connects with a solid leg kick.
Lamotta misses with a few strikes there.
Lamotta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lamotta thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Harper if he has to take too many more of those.
Harper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lamotta circles away quickly and effectively.
Harper is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Lamotta avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Harper takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lamotta takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Lamotta throws a sloppy head kick and Harper moves out of range easily.
Nice defenses there by Lamotta.
Lamotta takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A big left from Harper misses.
Harper jabs Lamotta right on the nose. Lamotta blinks but takes it well.
Harper is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Lamotta lands a nice shot to the body.
Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lamotta scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Harper lands an overhand right.
Harper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lamotta circles away quickly and effectively.
Lamotta bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Harper's head.
Tony Lamotta seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Jab by Harper.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lamotta cracks Harper with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Harper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Harper is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A punch combination from Lamotta misses.

Harper has Lamotta up against the cage in a clinch.
Harper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Harper scores with a nice hook to the head.
Harper misses with the head strike.
Harper goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lamotta prevents it.
A shot in the inside from Harper.
Harper swings wildly with an uppercut but Lamotta uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harper wants to break free but Lamotta has control.
Harper lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lamotta backwards.
Harper tries to circle away but Lamotta has him pinned against the cage.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Lamotta has double underhooks.
Harper is trying to push Lamotta away but Lamotta has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lamotta is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper wants to break free but Lamotta has control.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lamotta.

Harper breaks the clinch.
Lamotta scores with a leg kick.
Harper fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lamotta scores with a head kick. Harper tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Harper moves into range and clinches up with Lamotta.
Harper can't break the clinch.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Lamotta is controlling him.

Lamotta breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lamotta cracks the inside of Harper's front leg.
A punch combination from Harper misses.
Harper tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Lamotta bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Lamotta ducks under a wild hook from Harper.
Lamotta misses with a series of wild punches.
Harper misses with a hook.
Harper avoids the body shot from Lamotta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper takes a kick to the side of the head.
Harper misses with a double jab
and Lamotta counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Lamotta.
Harper blocks a head kick by Lamotta.
Harper takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Harper misses with a double jab.
Lamotta lands a nice leg kick that just misses Harper's sensitive parts.
Lamotta takes one to the chin there.
Harper throws a series of punches but Lamotta avoids them all with ease.
Lamotta lands a head kick!
Lamotta throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fighters circle momentarily. Harper darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Lamotta listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Lamotta lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Harper takes one on the button.
Harper misses with a two punch combination.
Lamotta throws a sloppy head kick and Harper moves out of range easily.
Lamotta lands a nice looking kick to the body. Harper takes a step back to recover.
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!

Harper gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Lamotta has him pressed against the cage.
Lamotta stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Lamotta keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Harper's efforts to push away.
Lamotta takes a shot to the head.
Harper scores with a shoulder strike.
Harper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lamotta's efforts to push away.

Harper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lamotta lands with a kick to the temple. Harper shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Harper ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lamotta throws a body punch but Harper moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harper looks to clinch
and Lamotta counters with a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Lamotta.
Lamotta has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Lamotta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lamotta takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Harper takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Lamotta closes the distance and lands a one-two.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Lamotta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lamotta moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Harper will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Harper misses the jab.
Lamotta lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Lamotta looks to score with a jab to the body but Harper is just out of range.
Harper connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Lamotta momentarily.
Lamotta scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Lamotta lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Lamotta lands a nice looking body kick.
Lamotta displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harper throws out the jab.
Lamotta with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Harper moves out of range of the body kick.
A head kick misses from Lamotta.
Harper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harper misses with a few strikes there.

Harper instigates a clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harper.
Harper lands a left hand.
Harper lands with a left to the head.
Lamotta tries to break the clinch but Harper is controlling the position.
Harper has had enough of the clinch but Lamotta keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Harper avoiding damage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Harper prevents Lamotta from breaking the clinch.
Harper wants to break free but Lamotta has control.
Harper wants a takedown but no success here.
Lamotta blocks a body shot from Harper.
Lamotta is trying to push Harper away but Harper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Harper can't break the clinch.
Harper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lamotta blocking some punches.
Lamotta stalling in the clinch but Harper improves position.
Harper pushes Lamotta back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Harper is trying to break free.
Harper throws a punch but it's blocked by Lamotta.
Harper wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harper tries for a takedown. No joy.

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.
Harper lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Harper has Lamotta pressed against the cage, preventing Lamotta from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Lamotta breaks from the clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lamotta.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lamotta swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Lamotta lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Harper wants to clinch up but Lamotta keeps it at a distance.
Lamotta throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Harper looks to land a combination but Lamotta avoids it well.
Claude Harper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lamotta connects with a solid leg kick.
Lamotta throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Lamotta connects with a solid leg kick.
Lamotta throws a leg kick which misses Harper's front leg but catches the back leg as Harper tries to avoid it.
Lamotta delivers a nice body kick.
Lamotta scores with a jab. Harper acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Harper doesn't manage to clinch there - Lamotta circles away.
Lamotta lands a nice shot that snaps Harper's head back.
Lamotta tries to bum rush Harper with a series of wild strikes but Harper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lamotta swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lamotta keeps the fight on the outside.
Lamotta feints and then cracks Harper's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Harper down.
Harper tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Harper on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Lamotta throws a head kick but Harper moves out of range.
Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Lamotta throws a quick inside leg kick.
Harper misses with a hook. Lamotta ducked under it nicely.
Harper moves into range and connects with a jab.
Lamotta misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harper with a body punch. A glancing blow.
An inside leg kick lands from Lamotta.
Lamotta rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Harper takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harper looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lamotta staying out of range there.
Lamotta thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Harper if he has to take too many more of those.
Lamotta moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Harper fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Lamotta looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Good shot there by Harper.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Good leg kick by Lamotta there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lamotta tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lamotta swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lamotta doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Harper displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lamotta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lamotta lands with a nice combination. Harper backs away looking to recover.
Harper throws a series of punches but Lamotta moves out of range.
Lamotta rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Harper takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Claude Harper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harper fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lamotta manages to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lamotta throws a head kick but Harper moves out of range.
Harper sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Harper misses with a wild combination.
Tony Lamotta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lamotta throws a nice outside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Lamotta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lamotta 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Lamotta!