PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between New Guy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nial Hardie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Guy
vs
Hardie

170 cm
18
144 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, New Guy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Nial Hardie!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Guy throws a right hand that misses
and Hardie counters with a straight right hand.
Hardie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Guy throws a big shot that misses.
Guy slips a straight right by Hardie.
Nial Hardie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardie throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hardie misses with an uppercut. Guy saw that one coming.
Hardie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Guy.
Guy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Guy missing with a left hand there. Hardie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hardie throws an overhand right that lands on Guy's shoulder, as Guy tries to avoid the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guy slips a straight right by Hardie.
Hardie misses with a body shot.
Hardie lands a nice shot to the body.

Guy closes the distance and clinches.
Hardie prevents a body shot from Guy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hardie's elbow.
Guy struggles to land a body shot inside as Hardie controls his hands.
Hardie wants to stall.
Guy tries to work over Hardie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Guy lands a shoulder strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Guy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hardie's elbow.
Guy throws a punch but it's blocked by Hardie.
Guy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hardie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Guy pushes Hardie back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Guy presses Hardie against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guy throws a head punch that misses.
Hardie wants to stall.
Guy swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Guy misses with a body punch.
Hardie has Guy pressed against the cage.
Guy working aggressively here.
Hardie being controlled against the cage.
Guy doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Guy misses with some punches.
Still in the clinch, Guy scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guy struggles to land a body shot inside as Hardie controls his hands.
Guy working aggressively here.
Guy swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Guy misses with a punch to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hardie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Guy misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hardie misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hardie stalling in the clinch but Guy improves position.
Guy working aggressively here.
A short uppercut from Guy.
Guy misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Guy fails to land.
Hardie looking to stall.
Guy lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Guy tries a body shot but Hardie blocks it.
Guy misses with the head strike.

Hardie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Guy misses with a right hand
and Hardie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hardie sizes up Guy with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Guy takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hardie scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Guy throws a jab but it's blocked by Hardie.
Guy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hardie.
Hardie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Guy wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A jab from Hardie misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

New Guy dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hardie scores with the left hand. Guy knows he should have avoided that one.
Guy takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Guy misses with a right hand
and Hardie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hardie jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hardie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hardie looks to score with a jab to the body but Guy is just out of range.
Hardie has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Hardie with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Guy throws an off balance right hand
and Hardie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Guy has managed to clinch.
Guy swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hardie tries to stall but Guy uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Guy.
A short right from Guy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guy lands with a light punch inside.
Guy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Guy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hardie's elbow.
New Guy has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hardie blocks a body shot from Guy.
Good body shot from Guy.
A right hook to the body lands for Guy.
Guy swings wildly with an uppercut but Hardie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hardie blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hardie stalling.
Guy misses with a punch to the body.
Guy misses with a punch on the inside.
Hardie blocking some punches.
Guy tries to throw a body punch but Hardie avoids it by throwing Guy back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Guy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hardie's elbow.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Guy here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Hardie is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Guy working aggressively here.

Hardie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hardie misses the jab.
Hardie lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hardie lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Guy scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice body punch from Hardie.
A telegraphed right hand from Guy misses the target.
Hardie cracks Guy with an open hand slap.
Hardie throws a nice looking combination but Guy bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Guy was well out of range. Poor timing from Hardie.
Guy throws a looping overhand right but Hardie ducks down to avoid it.
Hardie misses with a shot to the body
and Guy counters with a stiff right hand.
Hardie misses with a body shot
and Guy counters with a stiff right hand.
Hardie lands with a good body shot.
Guy loads up on a big right hand but Hardie slips the punch.
Hardie takes a swing at Guy's ribcage but misses.
Hardie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Guy on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hardie misses with an uppercut
and Guy counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Guy looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardie is just out of range.
Hardie scores with a hook.
Guy slips a jab and a cross from Hardie.
Guy was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Hardie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Guy was well out of range. Poor timing from Hardie.
A counter left hand to the body from Guy misses its target.
Guy misses with a straight left.
Hardie swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Guy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Guy throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hardie misses the shot to the body.
Guy is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Guy cracks Hardie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hardie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Guy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Guy uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hardie.
Guy appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Guy closes the distance and pushes Hardie back into the cage.
Guy lands a left hand.
Nice body punch from Guy - that landed with a thud.
Guy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Guy misses with some punches.
Hardie prevents a body shot from Guy.
Guy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that New Guy will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Guy is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Hardie throws an off balance right hand
and Guy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hardie drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Hardie is rocked!
Hardie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Guy.
Hardie is still on wobbly legs! Can Guy finish him?
Guy lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Guy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hardie throws a body punch but Guy moves out of range.
Nial Hardie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hardie scores with a hook to the body. Guy takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hardie on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hardie ducks under a wild hook from Guy.
Guy uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardie.
Guy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hardie seems to have recovered his senses.
Guy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hardie looks to throw the jab but Guy is out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hardie. Guy does a little dance to reset his feet.
A quick step to the side and Guy tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hardie looks to land a left hand but Guy moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guy tries to clinch but Hardie moves out of range.
Guy tries to move into range but Hardie moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A big left from Hardie misses.
Hardie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A swing and a miss from Hardie.
Hardie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Guy slips a straight right by Hardie.
Hardie throws a one two combo.

Guy clinches up against the cage.
Guy tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hardie wants to break the clinch but can't.
A head punch on the inside from Guy fails to land.
Hardie prevents a body shot from Guy.
Nial Hardie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guy lands a left hand.
Guy can't find room to land a body shot as Hardie controls the action.
Guy misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hardie wants to stall.
Hardie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
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!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Guy creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Guy throws a punch but it's blocked by Hardie.
Guy lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hardie backwards.

Hardie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Guy. Hardie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Guy misses with a hook to the body
and Hardie counters with a nice uppercut.
Guy misses the jab.
Hardie looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Guy comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guy misses the shot to the body.
Guy takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hardie throws a lazy right hand but Guy sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Guy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Guy looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardie is just out of range.
Guy throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Guy jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Guy defending well as Hardie loads up on a big left hand.
Guy with a hook.
Guy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hardie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Guy.

Guy closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hardie wants to get back to striking at distance but Guy won't allow it.
Guy tries to throw a body punch but Hardie avoids it by throwing Guy back against the cage.
Guy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Guy working aggressively here.
Hardie slowing the pace effectively.
Guy throws a punch but it's blocked by Hardie.
Hardie stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Guy misses with a punch to the body.
A short right from Guy.
A body shot lands from Guy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Guy lands a body shot in the clinch.
Guy goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
New Guy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Guy, 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... New Guy!
New Guy seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.