PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jere Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hardy's choice of entrance music: Coming home -Dirty money. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stephens
vs
Hardy

185 cm
31
164 lbs
11 - 16 - 0

180 cm
41
160 lbs
20 - 11 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 11 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jere Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Jason Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens looks to land a combination but Hardy avoids it well.
Stephens will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stephens misses with a double jab.
Hardy wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hardy moves into range and connects with a jab.
Hardy scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Stephens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Hardy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Stephens manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Stephens manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
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!

Hardy breaks the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Hardy misses the target.
Stephens throws a big counter combination but Hardy scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Sloppy strikes from Stephens. Those never looked like landing.

Hardy gets the takedown into side control.

Stephens explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Jere Stephens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stephens throws a combination that misses
and Hardy counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Stephens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Hardy. No joy for Stephens on that attempt.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hardy darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Hardy misses with a wild combination.
Stephens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hardy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stephens throws a combination. Hardy tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hardy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Stephens throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hardy looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hardy throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Stephens on the side of the head.
Stephens takes one to the chin there.
Stephens misses with a double jab
letting Hardy counter with a right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stephens jabs at Hardy's body.
Hardy lands a slapping body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens misses with a series of wild punches.
Stephens has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Stephens there as he acknowledges the shot.
Hardy connects with a good right hand that stumbles Stephens. Stephens circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Stephens misses with a few strikes there.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Stephens moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Stephens.
Stephens rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hardy moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stephens looks to land a combination but Hardy avoids it well.
Hardy lands a jab.
Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Stephens throws a combination that misses
and Hardy counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hardy connects with a crisp jab.
Stephens throws a right and a left that Hardy avoids nicely.
Stephens throws a series of punches but Hardy moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens throws a right and a left that Hardy avoids nicely.
Hardy moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Nice uppercut there from Hardy.
Stephens misses with a wild combination.
Hardy lands with a straight right. Stephens didn't see that one coming.
Stephens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hardy is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Stephens had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Stephens rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hardy moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stephens throws a series of punches but Hardy avoids them all with ease.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hardy! But no joy.
Stephens is breathing heavily.
Hardy lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hardy connects with a jab.

Hardy looking to score a takedown here. Stephens is defending well but Hardy drives through and ends up in Stephens's guard.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet but Hardy passes into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Stephens taking some punishment here, with Hardy in his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Hardy is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Stephens has hold of Hardy's hands but Hardy slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Stephens on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy prevents Stephens from improving his position.
Hardy lands with a punch from half guard.

Stephens is rocked!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hardy connects with a nice short shot to Stephens's temple.
Oh Stephens is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Stephens throws a strike from the bottom but Hardy passes into side control!

Hardy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hardy connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Stephens some visible discomfort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jason Hardy will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hardy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stephens.
Stephens seems to have got his legs back now.
Stephens throws a series of punches but Hardy avoids them all with ease.
Nice jab there from Hardy.
Stephens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hardy throws a hook but Stephens blocks it.
Jason Hardy seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stephens slips under a jab from Hardy.
No joy there for Stephens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hardy misses with a low kick.
Some wild striking there from Stephens.
Hardy connects with a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hardy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephens is not content to let Hardy control the position.
Hardy has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Sports Fitness $50. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Stephens struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stephens tries to roll over but Hardy keeps him under control.
Hardy passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Stephens!
Stephens just holding on.
Hardy with a couple of short strikes.
Stephens working to try and regain half guard.
Hardy lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Stephens that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hardy dominating with strikes here.
Hardy prevents Stephens from getting the reversal.
Hardy loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Stephens scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Hardy land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Hardy stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jason Hardy!
After the fight, Jason Hardy was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.