PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Scott Pilgrim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Scott Pilgrim has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pilgrim
vs
Harper

190 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scott Pilgrim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Josh Harper!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Elvis Blanc and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pilgrim misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Harper rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Pilgrim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Harper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pilgrim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harper wants to slow Pilgrim down by chopping away at his legs.
Harper tries to clinch but Pilgrim is having none of it.
Pilgrim dives in and grabs Harper's left leg, looking for a takedown. Harper pushes down on Pilgrim's head and hops out.
Pilgrim swats away the attempt to clinch by Harper.
Pilgrim is trying hard to land a takedown here. Harper sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Pilgrim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper misses with a lunging right hand
and Harper takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Harper on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Pilgrim moves into the clinch successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pilgrim with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Pilgrim wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Pilgrim pulls guard successfully.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Pilgrim working for a triangle but Harper defends it easily.
Pilgrim controls Harper momentarily but Harper frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pilgrim is trying to hold Harper in close to prevent damage but Harper has managed to pass into half guard.
Pilgrim is pressing down on Harper's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pilgrim is on top in guard.
Harper looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pilgrim is one step ahead there.
Pilgrim content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pilgrim gets to his feet - Harper follows without any prompting.
Harper chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Pilgrim keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper throws a hook to the side of Pilgrim's head but Pilgrim sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pilgrim is looking to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Harper.
Harper tries to clinch there but Pilgrim circles away.

Pilgrim has closed the distance and engaged Harper in a clinch.
Harper working hard to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim wants a takedown but no success here.

Pilgrim drags the fight down to the ground.
Pilgrim wants to sweep but no luck.
Harper looking to pass the guard.

Pilgrim looking for a guillotine here but Harper defends easily.
Pilgrim wants to sweep but no luck.
Harper wants to stand but Pilgrim is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Harper tries to stand but Pilgrim is controlling from the bottom.

Pilgrim has his feet on Harper's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pilgrim misses with a takedown attempt - Harper sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Josh Harper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harper fakes the leg kick and cracks Pilgrim in the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Pilgrim dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Pilgrim pushes him off.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pilgrim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pilgrim has a takedown stuffed.
Pilgrim fails to land the takedown.
Josh Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pilgrim changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Harper tries to avoid it but Pilgrim manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Harper to the ground. Harper escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Pilgrim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pilgrim circles away quickly and effectively.
Pilgrim staying out of range there.
Pilgrim steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Harper.
Harper stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Harper wants it to stay on the feet.
Harper throws a hook to the side of Pilgrim's head but Pilgrim sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Scott Pilgrim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pilgrim avoids the body shot from Harper.
Pilgrim throws a right hand that Harper ducks under and follows up with a left that Harper also avoids with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pilgrim bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Harper swings widly with a right hand
and Pilgrim counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pilgrim really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Harper scores with a jab to the head.
Harper fails in his attempt to clinch.
Josh Harper seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pilgrim takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Pilgrim pivots, looking for a leg kick but Harper is out of range and Pilgrim settles back down.
Harper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pilgrim.
Pilgrim is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper misses with a wild combination.
Pilgrim shoots in but Harper avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Harper rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pilgrim moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Harper. Pilgrim does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pilgrim looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Harper is fending him off so far but Pilgrim persists. Nope, Harper circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper wants to clinch up but Pilgrim keeps it at a distance.
Pilgrim looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pilgrim.
Harper lands with a shot to the body.
A combination from Harper does no damage.
Harper with a jab.
Pilgrim will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice defenses there by Pilgrim.
Harper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pilgrim.
Harper thows a body shot but no joy.
Harper catches Pilgrim with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Harper ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Pilgrim tries to clinch up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pilgrim tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Harper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim misses with a low kick as Harper jumps back.
A chopping leg kick lands by Harper.
Harper misses with a straight left.
Harper throws a nice looking combination but Pilgrim bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pilgrim shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Harper but Harper pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Harper misses with a straight right.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A big right from Pilgrim misses.
Harper dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Pilgrim instigates a clinch.
Pilgrim tries for a takedown. No joy.
Pilgrim blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pilgrim wants a takedown but no success here.
Harper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pilgrim has him pressed against the cage.
Pilgrim jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Harper walks away with a smile on his face. Pilgrim gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Harper throws a quick inside leg kick.
Harper misses with a looping right.
A nice inside leg kick there by Harper. That's going to slow Pilgrim down.
Pilgrim tries to close the distance and clinch but Harper swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harper swinging wildly here.
Pilgrim on the wrong end of a nice hook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harper misses the jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Harper.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Harper looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Harper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Harper throws a jab but it's blocked by Pilgrim.
Pilgrim fails with the takedown.
Harper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pilgrim.
Harper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pilgrim shoots in looking for a takedown but Harper manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pilgrim's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Pilgrim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pilgrim tries to clinch but Harper is having none of it.
Harper misses with a lunging right hand
and Pilgrim counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Harper throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pilgrim avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pilgrim takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Pilgrim!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper throws a combination. Pilgrim tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Harper throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Pilgrim ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harper moves away.
Harper moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Pilgrim circles away from the clinch attempt
and Pilgrim counters with a nice uppercut.
Harper lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Harper is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Harper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pilgrim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pilgrim fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Harper misses with a double jab.
Harper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Harper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pilgrim.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harper tries to clinch but Pilgrim moves out of range.
Pilgrim doesn't manage to clinch there - Harper circles away.
Harper leaves Pilgrim with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Harper works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Harper throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Pilgrim stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
An inside leg kick lands from Harper.
Harper ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pilgrim moves away.
A good leg kick by Harper.
No joy there for Harper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A jab from Harper misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Pilgrim gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pilgrim pulls guard successfully.

Pilgrim escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Harper gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Harper wants to control from the top but Pilgrim keeps moving.
Harper wants to stand but Pilgrim has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Harper trying to control but Pilgrim is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper postures up.
Pilgrim keeping moving, preventing Harper from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Josh Harper hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Harper throws a combination that misses
enabling Pilgrim to counter with a crisp jab.
Harper throws a nice looking combination but Pilgrim bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pilgrim closes the distance and clinches up with Harper, looking for a takedown. Pilgrim pushes Harper against the cage but Harper circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Harper fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pilgrim is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch but Pilgrim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harper throws a series of punches but Pilgrim moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Harper there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Harper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Harper 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Harper!