PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cleveland Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Munenori Ono (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Munenori Ono has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Cleveland Harding's chin.

Harding
vs
Ono

154 cm
19
278 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

196 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cleveland Harding!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Munenori Ono!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Ren Mimura and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ono clinches up against the cage.
Ono on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Ono.
Harding wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ono jumps guard but Harding turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Ono breaks from the clinch.

Ono darts in and clinches Harding up against the cage.
Harding has had enough of the clinch but Ono keeps him there for the moment.
Ono is pushing Harding up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Ono drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harding displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ono up against the cage.
Harding stops a takedown attempt from Ono.
Cleveland Harding has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Munenori Ono.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ono manages to break the clinch.
Ono misses with a few strikes there.
Harding really is a fat lump.
Harding fails to land with a series of punches.
Ono scores with a decent looking hook.

It looks like Cleveland Harding has been cut.
Ono lands a jab to Harding's midsection.

Ono darts in and clinches Harding up against the cage.
Harding slowing the pace effectively.

Ono breaks from the clinch.

Ono bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harding can't do much from the bottom here.
Ono working the ground and pound from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Ono tries to move into full mount but can't pass Harding's legs.
The strikes coming from Ono are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Ono wants to lay and pray for a moment but Harding keeps working.
Harding is trying to get back to half guard.
Ono trying to control the position but Harding is working away.
Ono working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ono trying to control the action but Harding is working from the bottom.
Harding keeping his opponent close.
Ono working away.
Ono trying to control the action but Harding is working from the bottom.

Ono wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Harding, who protects the arm well.
Harding tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ono wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Harding might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Harding is working hard here to advance position.
Harding is trying to control Ono's posture but Ono avoids it.
Ono content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Harding tries to clinch but Ono is having none of it.
Ono shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Harding sprawls well. Harding wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ono gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Harding forces Ono back against the cage and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Munenori Ono dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cleveland Harding's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Harding stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Harding wants it to stay on the feet.
It looked like Harding was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Ono.

Ono closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ono prevents Harding from breaking the clinch.

Ono breaks from the clinch.
Ono connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Ono fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Harding avoids it really well and circles away.
A counter left hand to the body from Harding misses its target.

Harding gets a double leg takedown into Ono's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ono is looking for a triangle here but Harding uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Harding scoring with punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ono tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Harding wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ono looking for a sweep but Harding has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Ono has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Harding is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Ono to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Ono shrugs it off.

Harding has control of Ono's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Ono regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Ono has given up his back here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ono rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Ono is looking to improve his position.
Ono keeps trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harding working Ono over with strikes.
Ono tries to roll over but Harding keeps him under control.

Harding is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ono has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ono is looking for a sweep. Harding is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Harding is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ono has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ono tries to get to full guard but Harding has control of the leg.

Harding is looking for a kimura but Ono is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Harding to get the leverage.
Ono is positioning himself well to prevent Harding advancing to mount.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Munenori Ono 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!
Ono shoots in for a takedown but Harding shows good takedown defense.
Cleveland Harding has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Munenori Ono.

Ono pushes Harding up against the cage in a clinch.
Harding struggles to land a body shot inside as Ono controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleveland Harding dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Cleveland Harding's cut.
That's time! Harding'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!

Harding stuffs the takedown.
Ono looks for a takedown but Harding sprawls well.

Ono closes the distance and pushes Harding back into the cage.
Harding looking to stall.
Ono drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harding pulls his leg out and moves away.
Cleveland Harding has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Munenori Ono.
Harding swings for the body but Ono moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ono instigates a clinch.
Ono cracks Harding with a nice body shot.

Ono's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ono swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ono blocks the body kick.

Harding gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ono has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Harding is trying to keep an underhook but Ono manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Harding manages to get to full guard.
Harding seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Harding's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ono trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harding managing to control the position.
Ono wants to pass the guard but Harding is keeping the position.
Ono is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harding is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Ono moves into range and clinches up with Harding.
Ono tries to pull guard but Harding holds him up against the cage and eventually Ono drops back down to his feet.
Harding throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ono blocks it with crossed arms.
The referee calls for Harding to work.
Harding has had enough of the clinch but Ono keeps him there for the moment.
Harding wants to break free but Ono has control.
Harding looking to slow down the pace here.

Ono's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ono shoots for a double leg takedown but Harding sprawls well. He's pushed Ono's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ono fails to land the takedown.
Ono takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Harding closes the distance and clinches.
Ono is trying to stall.
Harding tries to break free but Ono pushes him back against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harding is trying to break the clinch but Ono is controlling him.
Ono fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Harding tries to land a knee to the head but Ono blocks with his arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
Munenori Ono comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ono has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Munenori Ono!
Munenori Ono decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.