PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ultimate Damage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chad Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Damage comes to the cage accompanied by http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ysdbj-WzvI. Hardy has chosen Run this town as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Damage
vs
Hardy

175 cm
24
185 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

184 cm
24
181 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ultimate Damage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chad Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damage throws a nice outside leg kick.
Damage takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hardy thuds his right hand into Damage's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Damage throws a head kick but Hardy moves out of range.
A jab from Hardy misses.
Hardy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Damage circles away.
Damage moves out of range of the strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Damage is defended easily by Hardy.
Hardy misses with an attempted mid kick.
Damage tries to clinch but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy throws a leg kick that misses.
Hardy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Damage moves away.
Hardy displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Damage.
Chad Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardy lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy with a jab.
Hardy looks to score with a jab to the body but Damage is just out of range.

Damage shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Damage showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Damage in particular looking to stall.
Hardy is controlling Damage's position as best he can from this difficult position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Damage tries to stand but can't do so whilst Hardy controls his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy keeps control of the position for the meantime.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chad Hardy.
Hardy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hardy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hardy misses the jab.
Hardy has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Damage instigates a clinch.
Hardy has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Damage is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Damage gets a trip takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Damage is keen to just control but Hardy is a slippery customer.
Hardy is trying to stand back up but Damage is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damage prevents Hardy from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Damage trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.

Ultimate Damage has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Damage tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hardy blocks a head kick by Damage.
Damage defending well as Hardy loads up on a big left hand.
Hardy throws a lazy uppercut

so Damage counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hardy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damage decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Damage tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hardy manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy throws a leg kick that is checked
and Damage counters with a right hand to the body.
Damage's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hardy connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Damage scrambles back to his feet.
Hardy darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hardy lets loose with a powerful body kick. Damage will feel that in the morning.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy throws a hook to the side of Damage's head but Damage sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hardy tries to land a front kick but Damage steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Damage fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ultimate Damage. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Damage walks into a left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ultimate Damage will probably get the nod.
That's time! Damage's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damage moves into the clinch successfully.

Hardy gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Damage regains guard.
Hardy stands up over Damage, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Damage lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hardy!
Damage working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hardy is in all sorts of trouble here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hardy is squirming around, avoiding Damage's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damage looking to control and managing it successfully.
Damage thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Damage goes for an armbar but Hardy turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hardy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Hardy looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy scoring with punches to the head and body.
Damage throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Damage working a defensive guard here.
Damage avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hardy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Hardy trying to control but Damage is working from the bottom.
Hardy throwing strikes but missing.

Damage looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy slips nicely into half guard.
Damage is looking for a sweep. Hardy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Damage keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Damage tries to roll over but Hardy keeps him under control.
Damage moves into full guard.

Damage has an active guard here but Hardy has managed to pass into half guard.
Hardy not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damage trying to control here.
Hardy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hardy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ultimate Damage overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Damage trying to control here.
Damage is staying active underneath Hardy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Damage defending well though.
Damage taking some punishment here, with Hardy in his half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hardy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Hardy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hardy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hardy tries to land a body kick
and Damage counters with a nice body kick.

Damage closes the distance and clinches.
Damage goes for a takedown attempt but Hardy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Damage doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hardy counters with a left to the body.
Hardy misses with a looping left.
Hardy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hardy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hardy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hardy.
Sloppy strikes there by Hardy.
Hardy cracks Damage with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hardy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damage takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Hardy landing a few strikes.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Damage is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Damage wants to control but Hardy postures up.
Damage taking punishment in the form of punches.
Damage struggling a bit here.
Damage is not content to let Hardy control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Damage to see if he's OK.
Hardy tries to score with some ground and pound. Damage controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
An elbow from Hardy crashes against the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Damage tries to bench press Hardy off him but Hardy keeps the position.
Hardy misses with the ground and pound.
Damage is trying to improve his position.
Damage is not content to let Hardy control the position.
Hardy throws a strike aimed at the side of Damage's head but Damage avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy lands a decent elbow from side control.
Damage tries to buck Hardy off but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy scoring with punches and elbows.
Hardy controlling the position from side mount.
Hardy throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Hardy misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Damage takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Damage tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Damage defending against the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy working the ground and pound but Damage is defending the strikes.
Hardy lands an elbow.
Damage can't do much from the bottom here.
Damage wants to get back to his feet.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
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!
Damage taking a bit of punishment here - Hardy scoring with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Damage takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Damage takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Damage struggling a bit here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Hardy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hardy 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Hardy!
Chad Hardy decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.