PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Howland Reed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxwell Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Reed
vs
Hardy

150 cm
28
145 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

164 cm
22
144 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

5th Round Clothing

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Howland Reed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Maxwell Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy throws a wild body kick that Reed sees coming a mile off.
Reed takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Reed chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hardy can pounce on him.
Reed fails in his attempt to clinch.
Reed tries to clinch there but Hardy circles away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hardy.
Reed lands a jab to the head.
Hardy tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Reed was well out of range. Poor timing from Hardy.
Reed takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Hardy tries to work over Reed's front leg with a kick but Reed checks it.
Hardy misses with a shot to the body

and Reed counters by clinching up.
Hardy misses with a body punch.
Reed wants a takedown.
A nice right hand lands inside from Reed.
Hardy slows down the pace here.
Hardy trying to control the position but instead, Reed has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hardy into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy scores with a shot to the side of Reed's head.
Hardy lands a nice shot to the body.
Hardy swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Reed as Hardy tries to tie him up.
Reed tries to land knees in the clinch but Hardy avoids the damage to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Reed fails to land.
Hardy throws a punch but it's blocked by Reed.
Hardy will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Reed up against the cage.
Hardy misses with a punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hardy works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Reed throws a punch but it's blocked by Hardy.
Reed drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hardy pulls his leg out and moves away.
Reed tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reed takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hardy lands a lovely overhand right.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hardy.
Reed wants to clinch.
Reed tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reed has Hardy up against the cage in a clinch.
Hardy throws a punch but it's blocked by Reed.
Hardy throws a head punch that misses.
Reed trying to land knees to the body.
Reed with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Reed lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Come on Hardy - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Reed misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hardy lands a left hand.
Reed blocks a body shot from Hardy.
Hardy lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hardy stalling in the clinch.
Hardy is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed lands with a short shot to the head.
Hardy doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short uppercut from Reed.
Hardy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hardy throws a punch but it's blocked by Reed.
Reed letting Hardy take a breather here.
Hardy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Reed's elbow.
Hardy is trying to break the clinch but Reed has him pressed against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reed with a knee to the head.

It looks like Maxwell Hardy has been cut.
Hardy managing to block the knees to the body from Reed.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy tries a body shot but Reed blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hardy.
Reed throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hardy lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxwell Hardy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maxwell Hardy's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Reed tries to clinch up but Hardy circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardy lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Reed uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hardy.
Howland Reed is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy connects with a body shot that sends Reed's belly button to the back.
Hardy throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Reed rushes Hardy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Reed fails to land.
Hardy stalls.
Nice body punch from Reed - that landed with a thud.

Hardy breaks the clinch.
Reed looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hardy is fending him off so far but Reed persists. Nope, Hardy circles away and we're back to standing.
Hardy throws a hook but Reed blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reed is looking to clinch but Hardy is avoiding it.
Reed moves out of range as Hardy throws a body kick.
Hardy throws a leg kick
and Reed counters with a nice uppercut.
Reed avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Reed checks a leg kick.
Reed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardy looks to throw the jab but Reed is out of range.
Reed gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hardy lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Reed backs up against the cage.
Hardy throws a nice head kick!
Hardy throws a leg kick but Reed checks it.
Hardy lands with a right hand.
Hardy loads up on a big right hand but Reed slips the punch.
Hardy turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Maxwell Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed wants to clinch up but Hardy keeps it at a distance.
Reed tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hardy manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Reed tries to clinch up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hardy misses with a wild body shot.
Reed looks for a takedown but Hardy sprawls well.
Reed on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hardy. Hardy obviously looking to wear him down.
Hardy misses with a leg kick.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Hardy in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Reed tries to clinch up but Hardy circles away and keeps his distance.
Reed tries to clinch but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Reed is out of range.
Reed is looking to clinch.
Hardy moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Maxwell Hardy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Reed is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy misses with a looping left.

Hardy forces Reed back against the cage and clinches.
Reed with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Reed blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hardy tries a body shot but Reed blocks it.
Hardy misses with a punch on the inside.
Hardy lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Reed backwards.
Hardy fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Reed tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hardy's elbow.
Reed tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Reed doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Reed prevents a body shot from Hardy.

Hardy manages to break the clinch.
Hardy feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Reeds jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed defending well as Hardy loads up on a big left hand.
Reed moves out of range as Hardy throws a body kick.
Reed takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hardy misses with a low kick.
Hardy lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Reed forces Hardy back against the cage and clinches.
Reed prevents a body shot from Hardy.
Hardy has a couple of punches blocked by Reed.
Maxwell Hardy seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Reed misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hardy just leaning against Reed, taking a breather.
Reed blocks a punch to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Reed swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hardy blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxwell Hardy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maxwell Hardy's cut.
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!

Hardy throws a head kick that misses

and Reed counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hardy!
Reed looking to control but Hardy is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hardy is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Reed looking to control but Hardy is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Reed takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy is looking to get to half guard.
Reed wants to take Hardy's back here but Hardy is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Hardy is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Reed thowing shots but they're missing.
Hardy looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Hardy trying to control the action but Reed just sinks the hooks in.
Hardy tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed tries to get the hooks in deep but Hardy pushed the leg off.
Hardy rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Hardy wants to improve his position but Reed is controlling well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Maxwell Hardy is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Reed trying to mount his opponent but Hardy defends it.
Hardy gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Reed trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Howland Reed just wasn't active enough.
Hardy throws a nice inside leg kick.
Howland Reed has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reed is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hardy fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Reed is out of range.
Hardy cracks the inside of Reed's front leg.
Reed checks a low kick from Hardy.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Howland Reed.
I think Hardy 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxwell Hardy!