PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jason Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andry Nikol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy's entrance music is Coming home -Dirty money. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hardy
vs
Nikol

180 cm
28
160 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
165 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry
Hopkins Athletics

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jason Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andry Nikol!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Hardy fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Some wild striking there from Nikol.
Nikol throws a series of punches but Hardy moves out of range.
Nikol misses with a body shot.
Hardy thows a left - swing and a miss!

Nikol moves into the clinch.
Nikol is trying to break the clinch but Hardy is controlling him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hardy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy has a couple of punches blocked by Nikol.
Hardy can't find room to land a body shot as Nikol controls the action.

Hardy breaks the clinch.
Hardy takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hardy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Nikol avoids it really well and circles away.
Hardy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hardy swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nikol throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hardy.
Nikol thows a body shot but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nikol.
Nikol slips a jab and a cross from Hardy.
Jason Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardy misses with a hook.
Hardy on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hardy is looking to clinch but Nikol is avoiding it.
Nikol throws a hook but Hardy blocks it.
Nikol lands a nice shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nikol misses with a double jab

and Hardy moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hardy.
Nikol prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Hardy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hardy misses with a punch on the inside.
Nikol's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hardy drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nikol pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hardy misses with a takedown attempt - Nikol sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nikol connects with a body shot.
Nikol throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy has closed the distance and engaged Nikol in a clinch.
Nikol misses with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Hardy.
Hardy content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hardy swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Nikol blocks an uppercut.
Hardy has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nikol after a bit of a struggle.

Hardy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nikol throws a combination. Hardy tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nikol lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nikol throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hardy.
Hardy throws a right hand that misses
and Nikol connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andry Nikol 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.

Nikol ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hardy moves away.
Hardy tries to move into range but Nikol moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Hardy throws a jab when Nikol was well out of range.
Hardy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hardy displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Nikol.
Hardy fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nikol misses with a jab, cross combination.

Hardy shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hardy was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy throwing strikes but Nikol recovers to half guard. A much better position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy is nestled in close to Nikol, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nikol really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hardy. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Nikol keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardy is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hardy thows a huge punch but Nikol dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nikol is trying to stand.
Nikol taking some punishment here, with Hardy in his half guard.
Hardy seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Nikol is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hardy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nikol defending well though.
Hardy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hardy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Nikol is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hardy throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Nikol to regain full guard.
Hardy throws a big elbow that misses.
Hardy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nikol swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nikol keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.
Hardy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hardy is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hardy 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikol keeping full guard, as Hardy tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Hardy dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Nikol misses with a jab to the body
and Hardy counters with a stiff right hand.
Nikol is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hardy rather than just go for the knockout.
Nikol tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nikol was well out of range. Poor timing from Hardy.
Hardy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nikol tries to avoid it but Hardy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nikol to the ground. Nikol escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hardy tries to clinch but Nikol moves out of range.
Hardy throws a jab when Nikol was well out of range.
Hardy misses with a straight right.
A punch lands to the side of Nikol 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nikol throws a series of punches but Hardy moves out of range.
Hardy moves to clinch but Nikol breaks away
and Nikol cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Andry Nikol seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikol misses with an uppercut. Hardy saw that one coming.
Hardy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A telegraphed right hand from Hardy misses the target.
Nikol loads up on a big right hand but Hardy slips the punch.
Hardy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nikol swats away the attempt to clinch by Hardy.
Nikol tries to clinch up but Hardy circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Hardy lands.
Nikol lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hardy circles away quickly and effectively.
Hardy moves in looking to clinch but Nikol pushes him off.
Hardy looks to land a right hand but Nikol moved out of range.
Nikol lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hardy fails to land with a series of punches.
Hardy takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Hardy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nikol.
Nikol 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nikol misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hardy.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hardy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nikol avoids the body shot from Hardy.

Hardy shoots in and gets a takedown into Nikol's guard.
Hardy working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hardy's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy postures up and lands a big shot to Nikol's brow.
Nikol is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nikol works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hardy passes Nikol's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hardy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nikol defending well though.
Hardy wants to take a breather but Nikol is having none of it.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nikol is trying to stand up here but Hardy is controlling him well.

Nikol kicks off Hardy and gets to his feet.

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 Jason Hardy.
I think Hardy has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jason Hardy!
Jason Hardy really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Hopkins Athletics logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.