PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Phil Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Romano Redz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Harris
vs
Redz

185 cm
28
187 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

180 cm
23
187 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Phil Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Romano Redz!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Redz throws a nice looking combination but Harris bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Harris looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Harris fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Redz to the ground. Harris is now in Redz's guard.
Harris wants to pass the guard but Redz is keeping the position.
Harris is working hard here to advance position.
Harris postures up.
Harris trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Redz has Harris pulled in close to control his posture.
Harris keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Redz's head.
Redz wants to sweep but no luck.
Redz is pulling down on Harris's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Redz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harris throws a strike but Redz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Redz preventing the sweep.
Redz postures up.
Harris utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Redz won't allow Harris to sweep him here.
Harris can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Redz controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Redz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harris is keeping the position for now.
Redz trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Redz slips nicely into half guard.
Harris is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Redz's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Redz's back!
Redz tries to break free.

Harris looking for the choke from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Harris is looking for a choke. Redz gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Redz manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.
Harris has his hands on Redz's head, controlling the position.
Redz trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Redz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Harris haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Harris is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris keeping moving, preventing Redz from controlling successfully.
Redz tries to free his leg and advance position but Harris is retaining full guard.

Romano Redz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Redz lands a jab.
Crunch! Harris slams his shin into Redz's torso.
Redz misses with an uppercut

and Harris counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Redz's guard now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Harris passes Redz's left leg - he's now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Harris looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jab from Redz.
Romano Redz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Redz checks a leg kick.
Harris is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Harris with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Redz to score with a decent uppercut.
Redz lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Redz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Harris under the eye.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Harris enables Redz to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Harris manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harris keeping moving, preventing Redz from controlling successfully.
Redz is looking to work some ground and pound but Harris has wrist control.
Harris looking to hit a scissor sweep but Redz is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Redz trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
Redz sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Romano Redz wasn't active enough on the ground.
Redz avoids the body shot from Harris.

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

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris working the ground and pound but Redz is defending the strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Harris is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Redz is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Redz prevents Harris from moving into mount.
Redz tries to bench press Harris off him but Harris keeps the position.
Redz sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Redz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Redz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Redz is working for a kimura but Harris is defending it quite comfortably.
Harris is refusing to be controlled, as Redz sits in half guard.
Redz moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris is looking to regain half guard here but Redz keeps moving and retains side control.
Redz working the ground and pound but Harris is defending the strikes.

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

Redz is looking for a triangle but Harris pushes his legs off easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harris tries to free his leg and advance position but Redz is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romano Redz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Redz thuds a left hand into Harris's body.
Redz fails with the takedown.
Redz getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Harris tries to clinch there but Redz circles away.
Redz shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Redz on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Redz's jab looks to have found its range, popping Harris under the eye.

Harris fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Redz, pushing him back against the cage.
Harris throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Redz blocks it with crossed arms.
Harris working aggressively here.
Harris being controlled against the cage.
Harris stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Harris for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Redz content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Redz tries to pull guard but Harris won't allow it.
Phil Harris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Romano Redz.

Harris manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Harris.
Redz is trying to improve his position.
An elbow from Harris crashes against the mat.
Redz is trying to control Harris's posture but Harris avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harris wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Redz, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Redz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Redz regains half guard there - taking advantage of Harris's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Redz is looking for a sweep. Harris is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Redz is defending against the submission attempts here by Harris.
Harris trying to mount his opponent but Redz defends it.
Redz tries to get to full guard but Harris has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Redz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harris's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harris's back!

Redz is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Redz just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Redz tries to keep control of the position but Harris is staying busy.
You can see the frustration on Harris's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Redz is looking for a rear naked choke here but Harris reverses the position brilliantly into Redz's guard!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Romano Redz.
I think Redz 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Romano Redz!
After winning the bout, Romano Redz thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.