PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Cotton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Hartin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Cotton could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Eric Hartin's chin.

Cotton
vs
Hartin

199 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Cotton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Hartin!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cotton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cotton misses with a two punch combination.
Cotton stalks Hartin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hartin's face. Hartin staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Eric Hartin has been cut.
Hartin closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Cotton darts in trying to clinch

and Hartin counters with a takedown into side control.
Cotton gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hartin is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Cotton is staying active underneath Hartin, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cotton works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cotton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cotton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hartin trying to control the position from guard on top but Cotton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cotton throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Cotton manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cotton scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cotton cracks Hartin with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cotton working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cotton with good strikes from the mount here!
Hartin tries to reverse the position but Cotton maintains control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cotton trying to control but Hartin is having none of it.
Hartin is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Cotton lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartin wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Cotton goes for an armbar but Hartin turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hartin.
Cotton is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Hartin tries to stand but Cotton is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Hartin stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hartin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Cotton backs up against the cage.
Hartin throws a sloppy head kick and Cotton moves out of range easily.
Cotton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hartin counters with a big head kick but Cotton shrugs it off.
Cotton tries to clinch but Hartin moves away

and Hartin counters by moving into the clinch.
Cotton tries for a takedown but Hartin manages to get underhooks.
Hartin tries to stall but Cotton uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hartin scores with a shoulder strike.

Hartin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cotton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cotton scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hartin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cotton counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hartin looks gassed!
Cotton cracks the inside of Hartin's front leg.
Cotton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Cotton dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eric Hartin's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hartin closes the distance and clinches up with Cotton, looking for a takedown. Hartin pushes Cotton against the cage but Cotton circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cotton keeps the fight on the outside.
Cotton throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hartin counters by moving into the clinch.

Hartin manages to break the clinch.
Cotton takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cotton throws a leg kick

so Hartin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cotton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cotton striking off his back but it's not causing Hartin any problems.
Hartin is pushing down on Cotton's leg trying to pass to half guard. Cotton is fighting to maintain full guard but Hartin has managed to sneak the leg through.

Cotton pushes Hartin off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Cotton clinches up with Hartin and pushes him back against the cage.
Cotton works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Hartin lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hartin has a couple of punches blocked by Cotton.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hartin breaks from the clinch.
A thudding body kick lands there by Cotton!
Cotton throws a leg kick

and Hartin counters by clinching up.
Hartin has had enough of the clinch but Cotton keeps him there for the moment.
Hartin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Good body shot from Cotton.
Hartin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hartin misses with a knee to the head.
Cotton drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hartin pulls his leg out and moves away.

Hartin gets the takedown into side control.
Hartin connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cotton some visible discomfort.
Hartin prevents Cotton from escaping the position.
Cotton taking punishment in the form of punches.
Hartin lands a nice forearm strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cotton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hartin advances to full mount.
Hartin punishing his opponent with strikes.
The referee warns Cotton that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hartin landing shots from mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hartin working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartin with shots to the head and body - Cotton looks very uncomfortable down there.
Eric Hartin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hartin working the ground and pound effectively.
Hartin with a couple of short strikes.
Hartin prevents Cotton from getting the reversal.
Hartin landing shots from mount.
A nice elbow there by Hartin.
Cotton slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Hartin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cotton defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cotton keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Hartin gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Hartin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Hartin pushes Cotton up against the cage in a clinch.
Cotton stops a takedown attempt from Hartin.
Hartin connects with a knee to the head.
Hartin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cotton has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cotton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hartin.
Joe Cotton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Hartin.

Cotton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hartin drives through with a takedown into guard.

Hartin stands and steps away. Cotton gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hartin throws a front kick that sends Cotton stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hartin thuds his right hand into Cotton's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Hartin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Eric Hartin's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Cotton fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cotton falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hartin counters with a left to the body.
Cotton throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hartin counters with a shoot takedown. Cotton fights it but they end up in guard.
Cotton wants to hit a switch here but Hartin passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Cotton there!
Cotton throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hartin throws a sloppy strike and Cotton uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Cotton has ended up in Hartin's guard.
Cotton trying to move into half guard but instead Hartin has managed to sweep!
Cotton keeping full guard, as Hartin tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cotton wants to get back to his feet but Hartin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Cotton keeping moving, preventing Hartin from controlling successfully.
Cotton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hartin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cotton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hartin wants to get up but he can't break Cotton's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

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.
Cotton bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hartin's guard.
Hartin wants to stand up but Cotton is controlling him.
Hartin keeping full guard, as Cotton tries to pass.
Hartin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hartin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hartin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hartin wants to hit a switch here but Cotton passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Hartin there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Cotton scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hartin?
Cotton lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hartin sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cotton works his way into full mount!
Hartin working to try and regain half guard.
Cotton landing shots from mount.
Cotton landing strikes from the mount.
Cotton looking to control but Hartin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eric Hartin.
I think Hartin 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Hartin!