PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Standa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy has chosen Knowledge Be The Key as his entrance music. Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. This should be fireworks!

Standa
vs
Hardy

174 cm
24
160 lbs
8 - 48 - 0

170 cm
22
175 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 48 - 0, fighting out of New York, Simon Standa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Daniel Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jonathan Paton and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy lands with a hook. Standa tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Standa defending well as Hardy loads up on a big left hand.
Hardy darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hardy jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A jab from Hardy finds it's way through Standa's defenses.
Standa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hardy misses with a hook
and Hardy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hardy lands a nice hook to Standa's body. Standa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Standa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hardy.

Standa drives through and clinches with Hardy against the cage.

Hardy turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Hardy decides to stand back up.
Standa gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A jab lands there for Hardy.
Hardy throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Standa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Standa has Hardy up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Standa shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hardy's guard.
Standa slips nicely into half guard.
Standa prevents Hardy from standing back up.

Hardy kicks Standa off and gets back to his feet.
Standa defending well as Hardy loads up on a big left hand.
Hardy might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Hardy dips to his left and cracks Standa with an uppercut!
Hardy scores with a nice strike.
Hardy throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hardy connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Standa momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Standa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hardy's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hardy can do anything to dispel that myth.
Standa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hardy is looking to escape.
Standa thowing shots but they're missing.
Standa looking to control but Hardy is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Standa controlling his opponent.
Hardy is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Standa misses with a head shot.
Standa controlling the pace for now.
Hardy wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Standa slips a straight right by Hardy.
Hardy smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Standa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hardy loads up on a big right hand but Standa slips the punch.

Standa rushes Hardy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Hardy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Standa throws a poor cross that misses
and Hardy counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Standa shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hardy manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Standa advances position into side control!
Hardy pushes Standa away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Standa gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Standa misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hardy is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Standa has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Standa is looking to take a break and control but Hardy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardy is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Standa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.
Standa wants to stand but Hardy has his arm trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy stops Standa from passing to mount.
Hardy wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Standa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hardy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.
Hardy tries to escape but Standa is in control.

Hardy throws Standa to one side and escapes!
Hardy slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Standa ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Hardy throws a jab when Standa was well out of range.
Standa gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hardy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Standa fails to land with a series of punches.

Standa moves into the clinch.

Hardy manages to break the clinch.
Hardy scores with a jab to the body.
Daniel Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Standa scores a takedown into full mount!
Hardy's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Standa sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hardy is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Standa dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Standa gets a takedown into half guard.
Hardy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Standa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Standa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Simon Standa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hardy is trying to stand back up but Standa is controlling him

Hardy pushes Standa off and gets back to his feet.
Hardy defending well as Standa loads up on a big left hand.
Hardy throws a looping overhand right but Standa ducks down to avoid it.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Standa here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Standa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy wants to get back to his feet but Standa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Standa from controlling successfully.
Hardy wants to stand up but Standa is controlling him.
Standa wants to stand but Hardy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Standa prevents Hardy from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

We're going to have a standup here because Simon Standa wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Standa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hardy!
Hardy is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Standa throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Hardy is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standa trying to control but Hardy is having none of it.
Standa throwing strikes here but Hardy is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Standa thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Hardy is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Standa looking to control but Hardy is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hardy squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Daniel Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Hardy bucks up and throws Standa to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Hardy throws a combination that misses
and Standa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Standa moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A combination from Standa does no damage.
Simon Standa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A telegraphed right hand from Hardy misses the target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Standa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Standa, 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Standa!