PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dan Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeremy Striker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Hardy
vs
Striker

165 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jeremy Striker!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Striker shoots in and drives through. Hardy sprawls well.

Hardy fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Striker to the ground. Hardy is now in Striker's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Hardy gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Striker will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Hardy feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Striker 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.
Hardy has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Striker is proving hard to escape from.
Hardy pushes down on Striker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hardy trying to control the action but Striker is working from the bottom.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardy content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Striker wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy controlling the action here.
Hardy could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

We're going to have a standup here because Dan Hardy wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Hardy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Striker parries the strikes from Hardy easily there. Hardy is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Striker to escape.
Striker is trying to get back to his feet.
Hardy wants to control but Striker is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy controlling from side mount.

Hardy tries for a kimura but Striker is defending well.
Striker is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Striker avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hardy.
Striker looking for a sweep but Hardy has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Striker is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Hardy thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Striker is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Striker is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Striker can do anything to dispel that myth.
Striker wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Hardy tries to control but Striker wriggling away.
Striker tries to lock up and control but Hardy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Striker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy looking to finish with strikes here!
Hardy avoids the attempt from Striker to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hardy dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Striker looks for a takedown but Hardy sprawls well.

Striker changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hardy looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Striker goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Hardy rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Striker's guard! Nice work there by Hardy!

Hardy decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Striker, up you get!
Hardy misses with a combination
and Striker counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Striker is defended easily by Hardy.
Striker shoots in for a takedown but Hardy shows good takedown defense.
Dan Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeremy Striker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Striker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Striker is breathing heavily.
Striker dives in and grabs Hardy's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hardy pushes down on Striker's head and hops out.
Striker tries to clinch up but Hardy circles away and keeps his distance.

Hardy drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hardy is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Striker wants to stand but Hardy is controlling the position.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Striker keeps moving.
Striker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hardy looking to pass the guard.
Dan Hardy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dan Hardy just wasn't active enough.
Hardy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Striker.
Striker misses with a wild body shot.

Hardy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Striker sprawls well initially but Hardy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardy wants to control but Striker is keeping him busy.
Striker wants to control but Hardy is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Striker keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Hardy perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hardy tries to stand and escape but Striker is controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardy tries to clinch there but Striker circles away.
Striker throws a right and a left that both miss.

Hardy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Striker manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Striker keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.
Striker has his hands on Hardy's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Striker is trying to control the position but Hardy postures up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jeremy Striker wasn't active enough on the ground.
Striker shoots and misses

and Hardy counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Striker's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy preventing the sweep.
Hardy passes into half guard.
Striker is not content to let Hardy control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Striker is trying to maintain the position but Hardy is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hardy dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Hardy drives through with a takedown into Striker's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Striker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Striker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Striker trying to control the position.

Hardy stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Striker misses with a double jab.

Hardy is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Striker's half guard.
Hardy tries to pass the half guard into mount. Striker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Striker kicks off Hardy and gets to his feet.

Hardy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hardy is trying to control the action in half guard but Striker is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Striker wants to improve his position but Hardy is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Striker keeping hold of Hardy's head, controlling as best he can.
Hardy is keen to just control but Striker is a slippery customer.

We're going to have a standup here because Dan Hardy wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Striker throws out a leg kick but Hardy moves out of range and Striker only half commits.

Striker clinches.
Striker tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hardy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Striker swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Striker goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hardy prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Striker looking for a takedown.
Dan Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeremy Striker.

Hardy gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Striker regains guard.
Striker wants to sweep here but Hardy controlling him for the moment.
Hardy wants to pass the guard but Striker is keeping the position.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Striker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dan Hardy.
Hardy is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Striker misses with a few strikes there.

Hardy decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hardy working Striker over with strikes.
Striker is refusing to be controlled, as Hardy sits in half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Striker is trying to stand.
Jeremy Striker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dan Hardy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hardy, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

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