PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Colin Booth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Colin Booth has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Booth
vs
Hardy

182 cm
19
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

191 cm
21
195 lbs
4 - 5 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

KAISER Nutrition (160!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Colin Booth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chris Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy tries to clinch but Booth moves away
and Booth counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Booth gets tackled into the cage by Hardy. Hardy maintains the clinch.
Booth keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hardy's efforts to push away.

Booth turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Booth manages to end up in side control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Booth is trying to get an arm triangle but Hardy is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hardy bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Booth counters with an inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Booth paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Booth fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hardy on the side of the head.
An inside leg kick lands from Booth.
Hardy just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy looks to clinch

and Booth decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hardy's guard.
Booth pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hardy is keeping the position for now.
Booth pushes down on Hardy's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Booth is looking for a kimura here.

Booth is working for a kimura but Hardy is defending it quite comfortably.

Booth moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Hardy.
Hardy pushes Booth away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Booth gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to bench press Booth off him but Booth keeps the position.

Booth tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Booth has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Booth tries for a kimura but Hardy is defending well.
Booth tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hardy's legs.

Booth is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hardy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Booth is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hardy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is pushing Booth's head away, looking to escape. Booth manages to hold on to the position though.

Booth thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Booth tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Booth has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hardy is trying to control Booth's posture but Booth avoids it.

Booth tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is looking to reverse the position.
Hardy is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Hardy is trying to control Booth's posture but Booth avoids it.
Hardy is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Hardy manages to get back to half guard.
Booth tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hardy knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Booth is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hardy sees it coming and defends easily.

Booth is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Colin Booth dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hardy tries to clinch up.
Hardy tries for a takedown but Booth sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hardy darts in trying to clinch
and Booth counters with a thumping low kick.
Hardy chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Booth can pounce on him.
Hardy ducks right into an uppercut from Booth.
Hardy smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Booth counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Booth avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Booth swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Booth throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hardy stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hardy takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Booth circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Booth circles away from the clinch attempt
and Booth counters with a low kick, right behind Hardy 's knee.
Hardy fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardy is breathing heavily.
Hardy tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Booth counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Booth circles away from the clinch attempt
and Booth makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Hardy really felt that one!
Booth connects with an inside leg kick.
Booth lands a leg kick that knocks Hardy off balance momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Booth lands the left hand.
Booth connects with a solid leg kick.
Booth scores with a leg kick.
Booth throws a leg kick which misses Hardy's front leg but catches the back leg as Hardy tries to avoid it.
Hardy tries to clinch up
and Booth counters with a solid body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Booth fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hardy sprawls well initially but Booth persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Booth is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Booth is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Booth is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Booth is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hardy is just riding it out for now. Booth eventually gives up the hold.
Colin Booth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Booth is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Hardy!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Booth is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hardy has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Booth wants to finish this one by submission but Hardy is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Booth.
Hardy is controlling an arm, preventing Booth from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Booth is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hardy can do to turn this around?
Hardy can't escape the position.

Booth working for a guillotine from mount but Hardy is in no mood to give up.
Hardy is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hardy is trying to stand.
Hardy is controlling an arm, preventing Booth from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.

Booth is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hardy can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Booth looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Hardy wants to hold on but Booth pushes him away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Booth working for a guillotine from mount but Hardy is in no mood to give up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Booth working for a submission but Hardy is keeping him at bay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Colin Booth dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hardy closes the distance looking to clinch
and Booth counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hardy wants to clinch up but Booth keeps it at a distance.
Booth lands the left hand.
Booth fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Chris Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Booth scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hardy doesn't seem bothered though.
Booth lands a jab to the nose.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Booth counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Booth stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hardy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hardy is trying to keep Booth in close.

Booth is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy looking to control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Hardy was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Hardy moves out of range of the body kick from Booth.
Booth is looking to slow Hardy down with leg kicks.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Hardy tries to clinch but fails miserably
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hardy steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Booth. That one must have hurt.
Booth throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Booth feints and then cracks Hardy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hardy down.
Hardy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hardy is looking to clinch but Booth is avoiding it.
Hardy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Booth. Booth obviously looking to wear him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy darts in trying to clinch
and Booth counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Chris Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Booth feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hardy's calf.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A slapping leg kick lands for Booth.

Booth shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hardy manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Booth stands and throws Hardy's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hardy gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Booth seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Hardy is holding on tight.

Booth looking to secure an arm triangle but Hardy defends it well.
Hardy tries to lock up and control but Booth gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hardy is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Booth has taken his back.

Hardy showing good submission defense here.

Booth working for the choke.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Booth tightening his grip on Hardy, looking for the choke.
Hardy can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Hardy showing good submission defense here.
Colin Booth is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Chris Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

And that's the end of the fight!
Colin Booth showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Booth, 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Colin Booth!
A victorious Colin Booth thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.