PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ruarc Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kocoa Ebone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Harris
vs
Ebone

194 cm
24
218 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

194 cm
21
197 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Grand Champion Apparel

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ruarc Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kocoa Ebone!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harris wants to clinch.
Ebone throws out a leg kick but Harris moves out of range and Ebone only half commits.

Harris clinches up against the cage.

Harris has picked Ebone up - he's going for a ride! Harris dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harris wants to control but Ebone is keeping him busy.
Ebone is trying to control but can't.
Harris controlling the action here.
Harris wants to free his trapped foot but Ebone is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ebone has hold of Harris's hands but Harris slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Harris wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ebone keeps working.
Harris is really struggling to control Ebone but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Harris missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Harris is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Harris trying to pass the guard but Ebone defending well.
Ebone is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ebone is looking to control Harris's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ebone avoid being mounted?

Harris is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ebone doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Harris.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Harris wants to pass to mount but Ebone is defending the position.
Ebone wants to get back to full guard.
Ebone won't allow Harris to pass to mount.

Harris is trying to work for a kimura but Ebone is defending well.
Harris throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Harris wants to pass to mount but Ebone is defending the position.
Harris is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ebone's head.
Ebone is looking to escape.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Harris pushes Ebone up against the cage in a clinch.
Harris looking for a takedown.

Harris tightens his grip and picks Ebone up, before dumping him to the ground. Ebone manages to land in guard.
Harris working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ebone pulls Harris in to control the position.
Harris is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Harris wants to control from the top but Ebone keeps moving.
Harris controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ebone working a defensive guard here.
Ebone lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ebone trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
Harris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ebone must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

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

Harris is looking for a triangle but Ebone pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ruarc Harris dominated that round.
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.

Harris misses with a wild combination.
Harris swings for the body but Ebone moves out of range.
Ebone closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Harris is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ebone can do to turn this around?
A head kick misses from Ebone.
Harris changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ebone misses with a wild body shot.
Harris fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice shot lands for Ebone.
Harris connects with a body shot that sends Ebone's belly button to the back.
Harris avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A good leg kick by Ebone.
Harris has a takedown stuffed.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ebone swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Harris clinches up with Ebone and pushes him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris jumps guard but Ebone turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruarc Harris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A right hand to the body from Ebone.
Ebone scores with a hook to the body.
Ebone tries to throw a body punch but Harris avoids it by throwing Ebone back against the cage.
Ebone is leaning against Harris and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ebone just misses with a elbow thrown towards Harris's brow.
Harris is trying to pull guard but Ebone has him pressed against the cage.
Harris jumps guard but Ebone stands there with Harris around his waist. Harris gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ebone lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ebone works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ebone misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ebone makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Harris manages to pull guard.
Ebone wants to control from the top but Harris keeps moving.
Ebone controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ebone looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harris has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ebone can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Harris has an active guard here but Ebone has managed to pass into half guard.
Harris is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ebone's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ebone's back!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ebone defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ebone is really stuck here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Harris gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Harris gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Harris apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Ruarc Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ebone gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Harris jumps guard and drags Ebone to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Harris had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ebone defends it easily.
Ruarc Harris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Harris working for a triangle but Ebone defends it easily.
Ebone trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ebone working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ebone trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harris not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ebone trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ebone really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Harris. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Harris is looking for a triangle but Ebone pushes his legs off easily.

Harris looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ebone looking to pass the guard.

Harris has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Ebone is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Harris.
Harris tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kocoa Ebone will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ebone keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Harris checks the leg kick nicely there.
Harris moves away from the strike by Ebone.
Nice defenses there by Harris.
Harris feinted with a counter takedown.
Ebone misses with a body shot.
Ebone scores with a leg kick.

Harris rushes Ebone and presses him up against the cage.
Ebone tries a body shot but Harris blocks it.
I was talking to Harris's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Harris successfully pulls guard.
Ebone throws a big right hand that misses.
Harris keeping moving, preventing Ebone from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Harris has his foot on Ebone's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ebone works his way back into a safe position though.
Harris keeping moving, preventing Ebone from controlling successfully.
Harris keeping full guard, as Ebone tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ebone tries to stand but Harris is controlling from the bottom.

Harris is looking for a triangle but Ebone pushes his legs off easily.

Harris is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ebone defends well.
Ebone stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Harris swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Harris working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ebone doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ebone manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Harris had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ebone defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris trying to control the position here.
Ebone is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Ebone looking to pass the guard.

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

Harris escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ebone gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Ebone avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ebone postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Harris not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Harris is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Harris trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ebone with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ebone tries to stand but Harris is controlling from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Harris shoots in but Ebone avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ebone stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kocoa Ebone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ebone lands with a shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Ebone. No joy for Harris on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ruarc Harris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harris shoots in and drives through. Ebone sprawls well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kocoa Ebone.
I think Ebone 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kocoa Ebone!
Kocoa Ebone managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Grand Champion Apparel , into his post fight interview.
Ruarc Harris spoke after the fight, saying 'I lost this match because i had a injured heart you see someone ran over my dog earlier today. If it where not for that i would have kicked this guys ass.'.