PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jim Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miroslav Foka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jim Harding has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Harding
vs
Foka

200 cm
21
276 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
242 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jim Harding!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miroslav Foka!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Foka shoots in for a takedown but Harding shows good takedown defense.

Foka gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Foka is trying to keep Harding in close.
Foka keeping moving, preventing Harding from controlling successfully.
Harding loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Foka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Harding accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Harding postures up and lands a big shot to Foka's brow.
Harding is pushing down on Foka's leg trying to pass to half guard. Foka is fighting to maintain full guard but Harding has managed to sneak the leg through.
Harding is thwarting Foka's attempts to control the position.
Foka is looking for a sweep. Harding is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Harding sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Foka defending well though.
Harding not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Foka trying to get back to full guard but Harding takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Foka is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Harding throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Foka wants to hold on but Harding pushes him away.
Foka in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Harding lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Harding lands a big shot there that rocks Foka but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Harding is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Foka is surviving well by controlling Harding's body position as best he can.
Harding is breathing heavily.
Foka tries to hold on but Harding postures up.
Harding will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Harding throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Foka is looking to improve his position but Harding isn't that keen on the idea.
Harding landing strikes, looking to finish!
Foka is wriggling around trying to escape.
Foka tries to hold on but Harding postures up.
Foka is trying desperately to improve position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Harding sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harding can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Foka is looking to escape.
Foka is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Foka is trying desperately to improve position.
Harding cracks Foka with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Foka is working to get back to half guard.
Harding with shots to the head and body - Foka looks very uncomfortable down there.
Harding has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Harding prevents Foka from getting the reversal.

Foka somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Some wild striking there from Harding.
Harding jabs at Foka's body.
Harding misses with a two punch combination.

Foka scores a takedown into full mount!
Harding tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harding taking shots to the head.
Foka working Harding over with strikes here.
Harding is looking to get to half guard.
Harding manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Harding is looking to improve his position.
Foka sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Foka uses his free foot to push down on Harding's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Harding.
Harding is desperately trying to improve his position but Foka has a good base and remains in mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harding regains half guard.
Foka is keen to just control but Harding is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harding moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Foka controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Foka wants to control from the top but Harding keeps moving.
Harding wants to sweep but no luck.

Harding escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Foka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Foka wants to control from the top but Harding keeps moving.
Foka wants to pass the guard but Harding is keeping the position.
Harding wants to stand but Foka is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A combination from Harding does no damage.

Foka decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Foka has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jim Harding will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Foka fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Harding sprawls well initially but Foka persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Harding avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Foka.
Harding wants to get back to full guard.
Harding regains full guard. Nicely done.

Foka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Harding working a defensive guard here.
Foka in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jim Harding overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Harding keeping busy on the bottom but Foka has passed one foot through into half guard.
Foka performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Harding moves into full guard.
Harding can't keep his opponent in guard - Foka advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding wants to get back to his feet.
Foka passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Harding!
Harding swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Foka is landing with some decent strikes but Harding is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Foka scoring with strikes but Harding is staying in there.
Foka prevents Harding from getting the reversal.
Harding is in a horrible position here. Foka smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Foka takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The referee warns Harding that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Harding is looking to improve his position but Foka isn't that keen on the idea.
Harding is working hard here to advance position.
Harding tries to hold on but Foka postures up.

That's two 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.
Harding throwing hammer fists to the chest of Foka. What's that going to do exactly?
Harding slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Harding gets back to full guard.
Harding lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Foka!
Foka tries to hold on but Harding postures up.
Harding content just to control the position here.
Harding in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Harding with a couple of short strikes.

Harding is working for a guillotine from mount but Foka frees his head quite easily.
Harding is landing with some decent strikes but Foka is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Foka is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harding lands a nice shot to the head.
Harding landing strikes from the mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Foka can do anything to dispel that myth.
Foka is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Harding lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Foka is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Foka holds on for dear life.
Foka is wriggling around trying to escape.
Foka bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Foka stays in close to Harding's body and controls the position.
Foka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Harding. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Let's hope that Foka has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Foka trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.
Foka slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foka postures up and lands a big shot to Harding's brow.

Foka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Foka preventing the sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Harding keeps the fight on the outside.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Foka.
Harding sneaks back into half guard.
Harding wants to get back to full guard.
Foka is keen to just control but Harding is a slippery customer.
Harding wants to improve his position but Foka is controlling well.
Harding regains full guard. Nicely done.
Harding wants to stand but Foka is controlling the position.
Foka trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Miroslav Foka will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Foka fails with the takedown.
Foka slips a jab and a cross from Harding.
Harding wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Harding throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Harding misses with the combination.

Foka changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Harding looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Harding tries to buck Foka off but Foka is having none of it.
Foka controlling the position.
Harding sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Harding looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Foka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harding makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Harding.
Harding looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Foka trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.
Harding looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harding is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Foka wants to control from the top but Harding keeps moving.
Foka passes into half guard.
Foka controlling the pace.
Harding is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Foka takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Harding gets full guard.
Foka trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harding trying to keep a closed guard but Foka is proving a slippery customer.
Foka won't allow Harding to get back to his feet.
Foka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harding is keeping the position for now.
Harding throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Foka trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harding trying to keep a closed guard but Foka is proving a slippery customer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A punch combination from Harding misses.
Foka shoots in but no luck this time.
Harding doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Foka counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Harding trying to control the position.
Harding being controlled here, momentarily.
Harding is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foka pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harding is keeping the position for now.
Harding bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Foka's guard.
Harding trying to control the position from guard on top but Foka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harding with a flurry of punches that miss.
Foka keeping moving, preventing Harding from controlling successfully.
Foka is trying to control the position but Harding postures up.
Foka pulls Harding in close to prevent any damage.
Foka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Harding is one step ahead there.
Foka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Harding misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A combination from Harding does no damage.
Jim Harding is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Foka shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Foka showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foka sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Foka is looking to take a break and control but Harding is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Harding moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Harding is looking for a triangle but Foka pushes his legs off easily.
Foka preventing the sweep.

Harding has his foot on Foka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Foka works his way back into a safe position though.
Harding is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Foka missing with punches from the bottom.
Harding tries to stand and escape but Foka is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Miroslav Foka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Foka 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miroslav Foka!