PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Harald Harfager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leto Atreides (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harfager kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Amon Amarth - Pursuit of Vikings. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Harfager
vs
Atreides

188 cm
30
180 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

178 cm
23
182 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good elbows
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 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harald Harfager!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leto Atreides!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Vladimir Khabensky and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harfager fails with an attempt to clinch.
Atreides shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harfager as he avoids it easily.
Atreides shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harfager as he avoids it easily.
Harfager looks to clinch

and Atreides counters with a shoot takedown. Harfager fights it but they end up in guard.
Atreides thows a big elbow that misses.
Harfager is trying to keep Atreides in close.
Harfager wants to stand and escape but Atreides is having none of it.
Atreides trying to control the position from guard on top but Harfager is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harfager pulls Atreides in to control the position.
Harfager preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Harfager not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harald Harfager has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Harfager darts in trying to clinch

and Atreides moves into the clinch.
Harfager wants to stall.
Maybe Harfager would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Atreides has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Harfager avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leto Atreides.
Harfager throws a knee to the head but misses.
Atreides takes an elbow to the forehead.
Atreides misses with a body punch.
Atreides is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harfager gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Atreides takes an elbow to the forehead.
Harfager gets underhooks to prevent Atreides's takedown attempt.
Harfager prevents a takedown attempt there.
Atreides tries for a takedown. No joy.
Atreides drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Harfager gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Atreides tries for a takedown. No joy.
Atreides looks gassed!
Harfager lands a body punch in the clinch.
Harfager utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Harfager lands an elbow that stopped Atreides in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Harfager.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Harfager.
Harfager landing knees to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harfager.
Harfager lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Harfager is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Atreides is defending well for now.
Harfager stalls.
Harfager landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harfager makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Harfager scores a nice knee to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Harfager takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Harfager prevents a takedown attempt there.
Harfager scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harfager is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Harfager lands a knee to the head.
A bit of stalling here from Harfager.
Harfager lands a good knee to the midsection. Atreides won't want to take too many of those.
Harfager has Atreides pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Harfager.
Harfager blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Atreides takes a knee right on the jaw!
Harfager slows down the pace here.
Atreides looking for a takedown.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Harald Harfager.

Harfager clinches up with Atreides and pushes him back against the cage.
Atreides missing with knees to the body.
Atreides letting Harfager take a breather here.
Harfager taking a breather.
Atreides drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harfager pulls his leg out and moves away.
Atreides lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harfager doesn't manage to clinch there - Atreides circles away.
Atreides circles away from the clinch attempt

and Atreides counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Atreides throwing strikes but missing.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Harfager is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Harfager wants to get back to his feet but Atreides is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harald Harfager dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Atreides fails with a takedown attempt.
Atreides stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Harfager.
Atreides gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Harfager counters by moving into the clinch.
Atreides goes for a takedown attempt but Harfager pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leto Atreides.
Harfager tries to clinch but Atreides moves away

and Atreides counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Atreides tries to pass to full mount but Harfager defends it.
Atreides is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Atreides is breathing heavily.
Harfager keeping moving, preventing Atreides from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Atreides stands up over Harfager, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Harfager preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Atreides throws a strike but Harfager rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Atreides is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Atreides being controlled here, momentarily.

We're going to have a standup here because Harald Harfager wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Harfager connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
The fighters circling - Atreides throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Atreides fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Harfager to the ground. Atreides is now in Harfager's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Harfager holds on and takes a little breather.
Atreides pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harfager is keeping the position for now.
Harfager looking for a sweep. Not yet Harfager, not yet.
Atreides throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Harfager works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Harfager keeping moving, preventing Atreides from controlling successfully.
Atreides loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

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.
Atreides postures up in Harfager's guard and throws a big left but Harfager blocks it.
Atreides trying to control but Harfager is working from the bottom.
Harfager preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Atreides trying to control the position from guard on top but Harfager is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Atreides has his takedown stuffed

and Harfager counters by clinching up.
Harfager landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Atreides drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harfager pulls his leg out and moves away.
Atreides circles away from the clinch attempt

and Atreides counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leto Atreides 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! And we move into the final round!

Harfager tries to clinch up.
Atreides fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Harfager avoids it really well and circles away.
Harfager is looking to clinch.
Atreides tries for a takedown but Harfager circles away easily
and Harfager counters with a thumping low kick.
Harfager wants to clinch
and Atreides counters with a stiff right hand.
Harfager throws a nice outside leg kick.
Harfager fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harfager doesn't manage to clinch there - Atreides circles away.
Atreides takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Atreides clinches with his opponent.
Atreides is working for takedown but Harfager is calmly controlling the position for now.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leto Atreides.
A left hand lands to the body for Harfager.
Harfager avoiding damage.
Harfager crunches a lovely knee into Atreides's ribcage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Nice body punch from Harfager.
Harfager pushes Atreides back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Harfager crunches a lovely knee into Atreides's ribcage.
Harfager tries to land knees in the clinch but Atreides avoids the damage to the body.
Knees to the body from Harfager.
Harfager tries to land knees in the clinch but Atreides avoids the damage to the body.
Harfager crunches a lovely knee into Atreides's ribcage.
Atreides tries to pull guard but Harfager holds him up against the cage and eventually Atreides drops back down to his feet.
Harfager creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Atreides's defenses.
A left hand lands to the body for Harfager.
Harfager pressing his opponent against the cage.
Harfager creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Atreides's defenses.
Harfager tries to land knees in the clinch but Atreides avoids the damage to the body.
Harfager lands a hook that snaps the head of Atreides backwards.
Atreides avoiding damage as Harfager throws knees to the body.
Harald Harfager has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Harfager misses with a knee strike.

Atreides has hold of one of Harfager's legs. Harfager is fighting the takedown attempt but Atreides gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Atreides cracks Harfager with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atreides wants to control from the top but Harfager keeps moving.
Atreides has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Atreides is looking to work some ground and pound but Harfager has wrist control.
Atreides slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Atreides throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Atreides scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atreides wants to control from the top but Harfager keeps moving.
Harfager utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Atreides wants to control from the top but Harfager keeps moving.
Atreides controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Atreides throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Atreides thows a big elbow that misses.
Harfager is trying to control the position but Atreides postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Atreides fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Harald Harfager seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Atreides misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Atreides doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Harfager moves into the clinch.
Atreides is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harfager gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Harfager lands a nice elbow.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Atreides blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Harfager lands a body punch.
Atreides fails to pull guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harald Harfager showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Harfager has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harald Harfager!