PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ben Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and William Slider (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harper comes to the cage accompanied by Welcome To Jamrock. William Slider will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Harper
vs
Slider

175 cm
24
165 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

190 cm
29
168 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ben Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, William Slider!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Slider.
Harper is looking to clinch but Slider is avoiding it.
Slider connects with a single shot there.
Harper misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Slider will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Harper clinches up against the cage.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Slider is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Slider prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Slider gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Harper.
Slider gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Harper.
Harper is trying to drag Slider to the mat but Slider just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Slider gets underhooks to prevent Harper's takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Slider wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harper tries for a takedown but Slider manages to get underhooks.
Slider is trying to break free.

Harper jumps guard.
Harper on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Harper tries to get out of the position.
Slider wants to stand but Harper has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Slider throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Harper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Harper seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Harper looking to control.

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.
Harper keeping full guard, as Slider tries to pass.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Slider trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Slider lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harper circles away quickly and effectively.
William Slider is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Slider swinging wildly here.
Slider tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Slider misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harper shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Slider sprawls well. Slider wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Harper gets slowly back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Slider. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slider swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Slider will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Slider looks gassed!
Harper tries for a takedown but Slider sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Harper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Slider circles away.
Harper has a takedown stuffed.
Slider misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Harper misses with a few strikes there.
Nice takedown defense from Slider. No joy for Harper on that attempt.
Slider misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Slider pushes him off.
A head kick misses from Harper.
Harper shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Slider as he avoids it easily.
Harper slips a jab and a cross from Slider.
Slider is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

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.
Slider avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some wild striking there from Slider.
Slider stuffs the takedown attempt from Harper. Harper gets slowly back to his feet.
Slider scores with a punch to the head.
Slider works over Harper's head and body with a nice combination.
Slider throws a right and a left that both miss.
Harper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Harper shoots in but no luck this time.
Slider tries to bum rush Harper with a series of wild strikes but Harper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slider will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Harper shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Slider pinned against the cage. Slider gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Harper misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

William Slider dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Slider scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Slider misses with a double jab.
Harper is looking to clinch.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Harper shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Slider defends it nicely.

Harper forces Slider back against the cage and clinches.
Harper is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Harper is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Slider smiles and moves away.
Some wild striking there from Slider.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slider defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Harper.
Harper misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Harper changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Slider tries to avoid it but Harper manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Slider to the ground. Slider escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Slider lands a jab to the head.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper walks into a straight right hand from Slider.
Slider fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Harper shoots in looking for a takedown. Slider tries to sprawl out of it but Harper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Slider manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Slider lands a really nice looking cross but Harper seems unphased.
Slider throws a series of punches but Harper avoids them all with ease.
Ben Harper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Slider misses.
Harper fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Slider throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Slider throws a nice looking combination but Harper bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harper.
Harper misses with a takedown attempt - Slider sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Slider misses with a jab, cross combination.
Slider will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Harper rushes Slider and presses him up against the cage.
Harper tries for a takedown. No joy.
Harper goes for a takedown in the clinch but Slider prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slider is trying to break free.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harper has Slider pressed against the cage, preventing Slider from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Slider smiles and moves away.
Harper slips a jab and a cross from Slider.
Slider throws a head kick that misses

and Harper counters with a takedown into side control.
Harper tries to advance to mount but Slider denies him.
Slider struggling a bit here.
Slider is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harper decides to stand up, so the ref orders Slider to his feet.

Slider tries to keep at a distance but Harper has taken the fight into the clinch.

Harper jumps into guard, dragging Slider to the mat.
Harper keeping moving, preventing Slider from controlling successfully.
Harper pulls Slider in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but William Slider will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Slider looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Harper has Slider up against the cage in a clinch.
Slider is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Slider gets underhooks to prevent Harper's takedown attempt.
Harper is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Slider pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Harper throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Slider blocks it with crossed arms.
Slider is pressed up against the cage. Harper has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Slider down to the mat. Slider avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Slider misses with a jab, cross combination.
Slider uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Harper.
Sloppy strikes from Slider. Those never looked like landing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Harper slips a jab and a cross from Slider.
Slider lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harper circles away quickly and effectively.
Harper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Slider is fending him off so far but Harper persists. Nope, Slider circles away and we're back to standing.
Slider avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper shoots in but Slider avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Slider misses with a series of wild punches.

Harper clinches up against the cage.
Slider wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harper has him pressed against the cage.
Slider stops a takedown attempt from Harper.

Slider breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harper shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Slider lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Harper shoots in for a double leg but Slider sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Slider misses with a few strikes there.

Harper rushes Slider and presses him up against the cage.
Harper throws a knee to the head but misses.

Slider's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Slider swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harper dodges the punch combination from Slider.
Harper fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Slider avoids it really well and circles away.
Slider misses with a jab, cross combination.

Harper shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Harper showed some decent athleticism there.
Harper is controlling the pace.
Slider tries to roll over but Harper keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slider is trying to maintain the position but Harper is very close to passing his half guard.
Harper controlling the action here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Slider stalks Harper and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Harper's face. Harper staggers backwards, shaken.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harper shoots in but no luck this time.
Slider misses with a series of wild punches.
No joy there for Slider, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Slider paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Slider throws a head kick that misses.

Harper bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Harper decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Harper shoots in looking for a takedown but Slider manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Harper's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ben Harper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Horrible takedown by Harper or perhaps it was just good defense by Slider which made him look bad.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Slider pushes him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Harper showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Slider has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 29:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!