PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Brais Punk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Punk
vs
Harper

170 cm
21
145 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

177 cm
27
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Insanely flexible

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Cyclone Nutrition Company

Wolfpack Threadz

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brais Punk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Josh Harper!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Daniel Blasius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Punk tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Harper throws a combination. Punk tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Harper throws a front kick that sends Punk stumbling back into the cage.
Harper misses with the combination.
Harper throws a right and a left that Punk avoids nicely.
Harper lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Harper dodges the punch combination from Punk.
Harper misses with a wild combination.

Punk drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Harper wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Punk manages to pass to side control.
Harper keeping hold of Punk's head, controlling as best he can.
Punk throwing shots but Harper is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper looks like he's trying to stand up.
Punk is trying to control. Harper wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Punk is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Harper really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Punk. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Harper pushes Punk off looking to stand but Punk dives back in and keeps control.
Punk seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Harper does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Harper is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Harper is not content to let Punk control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A bone on bone clash there as Harper blocks the leg kick.
Josh Harper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harper connects with a leg kick. Punk looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Punk turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Punk looks for a takedown but Harper sprawls well.

Punk gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harper is trying to break free.
Punk is looking for a takedown.
Punk has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Harper is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brais Punk. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Punk decides to pull guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harper would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Punk uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Punk looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Harper looks for the body kick but Punk saw that one coming.
Harper misses with a double jab.
Punk throws a right hand that Harper ducks under and follows up with a left that Harper also avoids with ease.
Harper throws a right and a left that both miss.
No joy there for Harper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Harper throws a right and a left that Punk avoids nicely.

Punk lands a big head kick that sends Harper tumbling to the mat! Punk takes a step backwards and waves Harper back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Harper is rocked!

It looks like Josh Harper has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Punk moves into range and clinches up with Harper.
Harper is still on wobbly legs! Can Punk finish him?

Punk jumps guard.
Harper wanted to stand there but Punk had control of the position.
Harper wants to stand and escape but instead Punk has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Punk sitting in guard here, content to control.
Harper seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.
Harper working a defensive guard here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Harper can do anything to dispel that myth.
Harper wants to stand up but Punk is controlling him.
Punk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harper is keeping the position for now.
Punk is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Brais Punk has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Harper lands with a nice combination. Punk backs away looking to recover.
Crunch! Harper slams his shin into Punk's torso.
Harper works over Punk's head and body with a nice combination.
Harper misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brais Punk dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Josh Harper's cut.
That's time! Punk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Harper fails to land with a series of punches.
Harper lands a slapping body shot.
Punk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harper displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Punk.
A punch combination from Punk misses.
Harper swats away the attempt to clinch by Punk.
A punch combination from Harper misses.
Punk swinging wildly here.
Punk throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sloppy strikes from Harper. Those never looked like landing.
Harper swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Punk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Harper but Harper pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper throws out a leg kick but Punk moves out of range and Harper only half commits.
Punk tries to score a power double leg takedown but Harper sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Punk somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brais Punk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Punk slips a jab and a cross from Harper.
Josh Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Punk shoots for a double leg takedown but Harper sprawls well. He's pushed Punk's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A thudding body kick lands there by Harper!
Harper throws a right and a left that Punk avoids nicely.
Harper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Harper lands the left hand.
Punk closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harper circles away.
Punk is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Harper fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper misses with a jab, cross combination.
Harper misses with a two punch combination.
Punk will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A head kick misses from Harper.
Punk throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Punk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper looks to land a combination but Punk avoids it well.
Harper tries to bum rush Punk with a series of wild strikes but Punk uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice sprawl there from Harper as Punk shoots in.

Punk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harper wants to break free but Punk has control.
Punk is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harper to keep the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Punk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Punk thumps Harper with a low kick.
Punk thumps Harper with a low kick.
Harper throws a nice outside leg kick.
Harper swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Punk has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Punk dodges the punch combination from Harper.
Punk blocks the body kick.
Harper lands with a right hand.
Harper misses with the combination.
Josh Harper seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harper swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Punk looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Harper falls off balance throwing a combination

so Punk counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Harper is breathing heavily.
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!
Punk sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Harper's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harper is staying active underneath Punk, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Punk content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Harper keeps control of the position for the meantime.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harper wants to control but Punk is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Brais Punk will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Josh Harper's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Harper slaps away a takedown attempt from Punk, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Harper shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Punk eats them both and turns towards Harper to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Punk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Punk is controlling him.

Harper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Punk misses with a hook. Harper ducked under it nicely.
Harper throws a right and a left that Punk avoids nicely.
Punk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Punk avoids the head kick by Harper.
Harper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Punk scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Punk passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Harper!
Brais Punk overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Harper is trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harper takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper is wriggling around trying to escape.
Harper is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Punk has taken his back!
Harper prevents Punk from getting a body triangle.
Punk is not going to allow Harper to sit and survive in this position.
Harper tries to break free.

Punk has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Harper is in real trouble here. Punk gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Harper is tapping out! Punk wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Brais Punk!