PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pehr Erik Liljestrand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Harden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Erik Liljestrand
vs
Harden

190 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pehr Erik Liljestrand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Harden!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harden takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Harden fails to land the takedown.
Liljestrand throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Liljestrand lands with a thumping leg kick.
Harden fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Harden gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Liljestrand escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice body kick there by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Liljestrand takes the fight into the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Harden.

Liljestrand escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Liljestrand clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harden is trying to pull guard but Liljestrand has him pressed against the cage.
Pehr Erik Liljestrand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Harden.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Liljestrand manages to break the clinch.
Pehr Erik Liljestrand is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Liljestrand throws a shot to the body.
Liljestrand misses with a kick to the body.
Liljestrand lands with a nice body kick.
Liljestrand lands a head kick. Harden smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Harden changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Liljestrand tries to avoid it but Harden manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Liljestrand to the ground. Liljestrand escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Liljestrand keeps Harden at a distance using the push kick.
Liljestrand stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Liljestrand wants it to stay on the feet.
Harden looks winded!
Harden on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Liljestrand throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Liljestrand throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand throws a nice inside leg kick.
Liljestrand connects with an inside leg kick.
Harden is trying desperately to land a takedown but Liljestrand is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Harden.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Liljestrand. Liljestrand obviously looking to wear him down.
Liljestrand lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
An inside leg kick lands from Liljestrand.
Harden's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Liljestrand connects with a solid leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Liljestrand, right into the meat.
Pehr Erik Liljestrand seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harden blocks a head kick by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Liljestrand feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Harden's calf.
Harden has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Liljestrand, right into the meat.
Liljestrand fakes the leg kick and cracks Harden in the body.
Liljestrand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Liljestrand moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Liljestrand fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Harden has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Harden on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Liljestrand thumps Harden with a low kick.
Harden blocks a head kick by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand lands with a thumping leg kick.
Liljestrand feints and then cracks Harden's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Harden down.
Liljestrand misses with a head kick.
Liljestrand throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Liljestrand throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Harden's head.
A head kick from Liljestrand lands but Harden takes it in his stride.
Liljestrand throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liljestrand lands a nice looking kick to the body. Harden takes a step back to recover.
Liljestrand scores with a head kick.
Harden takes a kick to the side of the head.
Harden avoids the head kick by Liljestrand.
Liljestrand lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Liljestrand thumps Harden with a low kick.
Harden on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Liljestrand throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harden tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Liljestrand lands with a thumping leg kick.
Liljestrand lands a nice leg kick that just misses Harden's sensitive parts.
Crunch! Liljestrand slams his shin into Harden's torso.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pehr Erik Liljestrand dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Liljestrand throws a head kick that misses.
Liljestrand misses with a head kick.
Harden throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Harden shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Liljestrand as he jumps to the side.

Harden instigates a clinch.
Liljestrand wants to stall.
Harden fails to pull guard.

Liljestrand pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Harden tries to clinch up but Liljestrand circles away and keeps his distance.
Liljestrand throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harden is breathing heavily.
Liljestrand throws a nice outside leg kick.
Liljestrand connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Harden has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Liljestrand.
Harden avoids a kick to the body.
Harden falls off balance throwing a combination
and Liljestrand counters with a low kick, right behind Harden 's knee.
Liljestrand fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Harden has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Liljestrand lands a nice leg kick that just misses Harden's sensitive parts.
Liljestrand is looking to slow Harden down with leg kicks.
Liljestrand lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Liljestrand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harden can do to turn this around?
Liljestrand scores with a push kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Harden crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Liljestrand - the referee stops the clock and Harden gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Liljestrand. Harden manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Liljestrand throws a nice head kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Harden takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Liljestrand throws a leg kick which misses Harden's front leg but catches the back leg as Harden tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liljestrand scores with a nice strike.

Liljestrand pushes Harden up against the cage in a clinch.
Liljestrand lands an elbow inside that Harden shrugs off.
Liljestrand misses with an elbow over the top.

Liljestrand breaks from the clinch.
Harden shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Liljestrand pinned against the cage. Liljestrand gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pehr Erik Liljestrand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Harden.
Liljestrand lands with a kick to the temple. Harden shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Harden is rocked!
Liljestrand throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Harden is still on wobbly legs! Can Liljestrand finish him?
Liljestrand lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Whack! Liljestrand lands a heavy head kick that drops Harden. The ref tackles Liljestrand to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because Harden was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Pehr Erik Liljestrand!