PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abel Hardin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Ravencourt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hardin
vs
Ravencourt

174 cm
24
215 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

194 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Abel Hardin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Josh Ravencourt!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Ravencourt as Hardin shoots in.
Josh Ravencourt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ravencourt.
Hardin is trying to improve his position.

Ravencourt looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ravencourt is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Hardin's shoulder. That is not cool.
Ravencourt trying to control the action but Hardin is working from the bottom.
Hardin tries to bench press Ravencourt off him but Ravencourt keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ravencourt wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardin keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Josh Ravencourt has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Ravencourt tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ravencourt lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ravencourt misses with a body kick.
Ravencourt doesn't manage to clinch there - Hardin circles away.

Ravencourt looking to score a takedown here. Hardin is defending well but Ravencourt drives through and ends up in Hardin's guard.
Ravencourt looking to sit in guard and control but Hardin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hardin postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hardin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ravencourt working a defensive guard here.
Ravencourt pulls Hardin in to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ravencourt wants to hit a switch here but Hardin passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Ravencourt there!
Hardin with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Hardin wants to control the pace but Ravencourt is squirming around nicely.
Hardin thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin controlling his opponent.
Ravencourt is bucking up trying to escape but Hardin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hardin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hardin lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hardin lands a big shot there that rocks Ravencourt but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hardin really is a fat lump.
Hardin connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hardin controlling from the full mount.
Hardin throwing strikes here but Ravencourt is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ravencourt in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hardin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hardin lands with some strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ravencourt is controlling an arm, preventing Hardin from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Hardin unloads with some shots from mount but Ravencourt bucks and avoids them well.
Hardin landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hardin thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Ravencourt is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardin trying to control but Ravencourt is having none of it.
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 Abel Hardin will probably get the nod.
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.

Hardin gets caught flat footed, as Ravencourt shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hardin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Hardin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ravencourt wants to control from the top but Hardin keeps moving.

Hardin is looking for a triangle here but Ravencourt uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Ravencourt wants to control but Hardin is keeping him busy.

Ravencourt decides to take the fight back to the feet.
A head kick misses from Ravencourt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ravencourt drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ravencourt tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Hardin is trying to improve his position.
Hardin stops Ravencourt from passing to mount.
Hardin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ravencourt wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ravencourt is looking to take a break and control but Hardin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hardin is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin looking for a sweep but Ravencourt has passed into full mount! Oh no!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ravencourt looking to ground and pound but Hardin is blocking nicely.
Hardin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ravencourt misses with a head shot.

Ravencourt is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hardin can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Ravencourt sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Hardin is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ravencourt looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hardin is working hard here to advance position.
Ravencourt trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hardin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Hardin defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Ravencourt.
Ravencourt is breathing heavily.
Hardin gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardin wants to improve his position but Ravencourt is controlling well.

Hardin actively working from the bottom here.
Ravencourt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ravencourt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Ravencourt decides to return to a standing position.
Ravencourt throws a body punch but Hardin moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hardin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ravencourt to the mat! Ravencourt manages to get full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardin trying to control but Ravencourt is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Ravencourt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Hardin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hardin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ravencourt.

Hardin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Hardin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hardin working away.
Abel Hardin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hardin takes a little break here. Ravencourt wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Ravencourt holding on.
Hardin working the ground and pound but Ravencourt is defending the strikes.
Hardin slows the pace down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ravencourt is looking for a sweep.
A lull in the action here.
Hardin working the body and head with strikes.
Ravencourt is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hardin is controlling him well.
Hardin landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Hardin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Ravencourt looks to move to half guard but instead Hardin has passed into mount! Damn!
Ravencourt tries to reverse the position but Hardin maintains control.
Ravencourt takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin lands a big shot there that rocks Ravencourt but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Ravencourt keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hardin lands a big shot there that rocks Ravencourt but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hardin is landing with some decent strikes but Ravencourt is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The referee warns Ravencourt that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
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!
Hardin controlling from mount.
Hardin scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hardin controlling the pace for now.
Hardin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin landing strikes from the mount.
Hardin landing shots from mount.
Ravencourt is squirming around, avoiding Hardin's attempts to control the action.
Hardin looking to finish Ravencourt with some ground and pound. This is bad for Ravencourt!
BOOM! Hardin connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hardin dominating with strikes here.
Hardin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ravencourt looks a forlorn figure.
Ravencourt wants to hold on but Hardin pushes him away.
Hardin is landing with some decent strikes but Ravencourt is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Hardin controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardin tries to control but Ravencourt wriggling away.
Hardin controlling his opponent.
Hardin looking to control but Ravencourt is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ravencourt is in a horrible position here. Hardin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hardin controlling from the full mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abel Hardin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hardin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abel Hardin!
In defeat, Josh Ravencourt stepped up to the mic, saying 'I fought my heart out here tonight, but my opponent just had my number. Congrats to him, but this will not be the last you hear of me!'.