PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dan Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gus Frane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy comes into the arena with England Belongs to Me-Cock Sparrer blaring out of the sound system. Gus Frane has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Dan Hardy's chin.

Hardy
vs
Frane

183 cm
18
174 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

176 cm
24
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

Tab Out Clothes

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 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dan Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gus Frane!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Aafke Stam and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hardy is defended easily by Frane.
Hardy shoots in but Frane avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Frane keeps the fight on the outside.

Frane gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hardy is staying active underneath Frane, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hardy scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Frane manages to mount him!
You get the feeling that Hardy really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Frane looking for a guillotine from mount but Hardy is having none of it.
Frane can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hardy is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Frane might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Hardy haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Hardy stops Frane from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Frane trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Frane working for a submission but Hardy is keeping him at bay.
You get the feeling that Hardy really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Frane goes for an armbar but Hardy turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hardy.
Hardy won't allow Frane to get back to his feet.
Hardy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hardy scoring with some ground and pound.
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Frane avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Frane looks winded!
Hardy throwing strikes from guard but Frane blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hardy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Frane on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hardy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hardy won't allow Frane to get back to his feet.
Hardy throwing strikes but missing.
Frane is looking to stand up but Hardy isn't so interested in that idea.
Hardy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Hardy stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Hardy takes the fight into the clinch.

Hardy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Frane circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hardy tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Frane manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Frane moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gus Frane will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hardy is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Frane fails with the takedown.
Hardy throws a nice looking combination but Frane bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
No joy there for Hardy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hardy throws a right and a left that Frane avoids nicely.
Hardy fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hardy is looking to clinch.
Dan Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Frane shoots in and drives through. Hardy sprawls well.
Hardy wants to clinch.

Frane gets tackled into the cage by Hardy. Hardy maintains the clinch.
Frane is breathing heavily.

Frane pulls Hardy into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy wants to get up but he can't break Frane's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Frane kicks Hardy off and gets to his feet.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Frane swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Frane shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

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

Hardy is defending against the submission attempts here by Frane.
Frane stops Hardy from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Frane is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Frane is looking to take a break and control but Hardy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Frane is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hardy doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Frane.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy won't allow Frane to pass to mount.
Hardy looks like he's trying to stand up.
Frane wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Frane is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Frane seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hardy does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hardy is trying to stand back up but Frane is controlling him
Frane trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy looks like he's trying to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Frane wants to pass to mount but Hardy is defending the position.
Frane wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gus Frane showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hardy throws a series of punches but Frane moves out of range.
Hardy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hardy lands with a kick to the temple. Frane shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Frane swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Frane shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hardy sprawls well. Hardy wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Frane gets slowly back to his feet.
Frane stuffs the takedown.

Frane drives through with a takedown into Hardy's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Frane trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Frane stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hardy swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Frane postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hardy is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Frane, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hardy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Frane pushes Hardy off and gets back to his feet.
Hardy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Frane dodges the punch combination from Hardy.
Hardy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Frane sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hardy somewhat.

Hardy gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Frane to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Frane is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hardy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hardy has escaped and now he's on top!
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Frane is looking to stand up but Hardy isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Frane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hardy.
Frane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hardy.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Frane can do anything to dispel that myth.
Frane utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hardy with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy stops Frane from standing up.
Hardy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hardy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Frane is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Frane utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hardy throws a big right hand that misses.
Gus Frane is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Frane is looking to stand up but Hardy isn't so interested in that idea.
Hardy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hardy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hardy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Frane wants to get back to his feet but Hardy is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy postures up in Frane's guard and throws a big left but Frane blocks it.

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 Dan Hardy.
I think Frane has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gus Frane!