PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Craig Ekart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sindri Haraldsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ekart
vs
Haraldsson

165 cm
26
143 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

156 cm
26
144 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Alcatraz Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Craig Ekart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Sindri Haraldsson!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, David Hoff and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekart circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Ekart. No joy for Haraldsson on that attempt.
Haraldsson fails with a takedown attempt.
Haraldsson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Haraldsson lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ekart's sensitive parts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haraldsson tries to clinch up.
Haraldsson tries to clinch up

and Ekart counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekart loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ekart stands and throws Haraldsson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Ekart works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Haraldsson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Haraldsson is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ekart working the head and body with strikes.
Haraldsson is looking for a sweep.
Haraldsson is trying to escape the position but Ekart is controlling the position.
Ekart working the head with strikes.
Ekart lands a few punches from side control.
Haraldsson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Haraldsson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ekart wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Haraldsson, who protects the arm well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Ekart passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Haraldsson!
Ekart scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Haraldsson?
Ekart working Haraldsson over with strikes here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haraldsson is bucking up trying to escape but Ekart cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ekart controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haraldsson is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ekart working for a submission but Haraldsson is keeping him at bay.
Haraldsson is desperately trying to improve his position but Ekart has a good base and remains in mount.
Ekart tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Haraldsson is bucking up trying to escape but Ekart cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ekart landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekart controlling from mount.
Ekart looking to control but Haraldsson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Haraldsson is in a horrible position here. Ekart smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Haraldsson tries to lock up and control but Ekart gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ekart lands a big elbow.
Ekart trying to control but Haraldsson is having none of it.
Ekart is really struggling to control Haraldsson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Haraldsson is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Ekart dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Haraldsson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ekart manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Haraldsson goes for a double leg but Ekart avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ekart continues to drive forward.
Haraldsson moves in looking to clinch but Ekart pushes him off.
Ekart changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Haraldsson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Haraldsson shoots in looking for a takedown. Ekart tries to sprawl out of it but Haraldsson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ekart manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ekart feinted with a counter takedown.
Craig Ekart has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sindri Haraldsson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haraldsson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ekart throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekart fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Haraldsson darts in and clinches Ekart up against the cage.
Ekart is working for takedown but Haraldsson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Haraldsson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ekart is keeping busy.

Haraldsson jumps guard.
Ekart is working Haraldsson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ekart is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ekart's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Haraldsson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ekart.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekart with a nice head shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ekart's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ekart scoring with punches to the head and body.
Haraldsson keeping moving, preventing Ekart from controlling successfully.
Ekart content to stall in guard here.
Ekart passes into half guard.
Ekart is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ekart lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ekart lands a nice short elbow.
Ekart is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ekart lands strikes from half guard.
Haraldsson trying to control here.
Ekart working Haraldsson over with strikes.
Nice strikes from Ekart there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekart scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Haraldsson is trying to control but can't.
Ekart is keen to just control but Haraldsson is a slippery customer.
Ekart lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ekart is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ekart slips a nice elbow through Haraldsson's hands, connecting with Haraldsson's forehead.
Ekart looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ekart working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ekart is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Haraldsson can do to turn this around?
Ekart uses his free foot to push down on Haraldsson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Haraldsson.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A nice elbow there by Ekart.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ekart lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Ekart dominated that second round.
That's time! Ekart's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ekart lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Haraldsson goes for a double leg but Ekart avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ekart continues to drive forward.
Ekart feinted with a counter takedown.
Haraldsson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Haraldsson looks to land a combination but Ekart avoids it well.
Ekart appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ekart on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Haraldsson. Haraldsson obviously looking to wear him down.
Haraldsson dives in and grabs Ekart's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ekart pushes down on Haraldsson's head and hops out.
Ekart tries to counter with a takedown but Haraldsson is quick to defend against it.
Sindri Haraldsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haraldsson throws a poor cross that misses

and Ekart counters with a takedown into side control.
Ekart advances nicely into full mount.
Haraldsson is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ekart controlling the pace for now.
Ekart landing strikes from the mount and Haraldsson is in trouble!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekart is landing with some decent strikes but Haraldsson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Ekart landing strikes, looking to finish!
Ekart working Haraldsson over with strikes here.
Ekart lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ekart controlling the position easily from mount.
Haraldsson taking shots to the head.
Ekart landing strikes from the mount and Haraldsson is in trouble!
Ekart working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ekart working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Haraldsson is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekart content just to control the position here.
Haraldsson is still in real trouble! Can Ekart finish him?
Ekart trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Haraldsson seems to have recovered his senses.

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

Ekart wants to finish this one by submission but Haraldsson is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ekart.
Ekart has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ekart has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Haraldsson's face.
Ekart lands a big shot there that rocks Haraldsson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekart putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Haraldsson wants to control but Ekart is having none of it.
The referee warns Haraldsson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Haraldsson wants to control but Ekart is having none of it.
Ekart looking to finish Haraldsson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Haraldsson!
Sindri Haraldsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ekart controlling the position easily from mount.
Haraldsson is looking to improve his position but Ekart isn't that keen on the idea.
Ekart trying to control but Haraldsson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Ekart connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Haraldsson is bucking up trying to escape but Ekart cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ekart trying to control but Haraldsson is having none of it.
Ekart lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Haraldsson hang on?
Craig Ekart is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ekart raining down shots from the mount!
Haraldsson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Ekart showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ekart, 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:25
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 30:25
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Ekart!