PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jonathan Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dao Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harding's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Bitch School. Dao Sonnen has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Harding
vs
Sonnen

182 cm
27
172 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

183 cm
21
198 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

MayheM sportswear

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jonathan Harding!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dao Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Franklyn Lucas and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harding with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sonnen to score with a decent uppercut.
A big right from Harding misses.
Sonnen has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Sonnen takes a swing at Harding's ribcage but misses.
Sonnen connects with a single shot there.
Sonnen slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Sonnen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harding fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sonnen manages to avoid it.
Sonnen throws a head kick that misses.
Harding was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Sonnen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sonnen lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Harding takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Harding takes a swing at Sonnen's ribcage but misses.
Sonnen scores with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harding misses with an uppercut. Sonnen saw that one coming.
Sonnen looks to clinch
and Harding counters with a nice body shot.
Dao Sonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harding misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tries to clinch up.
Harding is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

It looks like Dao Sonnen has been cut.
Jonathan Harding is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sonnen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sonnen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Harding's head backwards.
Sonnen tries to clinch up
and Harding counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sonnen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Harding throws a big shot that misses.
Sonnen throws out a powerful jab.
Sonnen lands with a right hand.
Sonnen looks to land a combination but Harding avoids it well.
Harding was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Harding throws a hook but Sonnen avoids it easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Sonnen as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sonnen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sonnen throws a big right hand that misses.
Harding on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Harding tries to get out of the position.
Harding is trying to keep Sonnen in close.
Sonnen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Harding looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Harding keeps moving.
Harding avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sonnen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Harding utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sonnen is pushing down on Harding's leg trying to pass to half guard. Harding is fighting to maintain full guard but Sonnen has managed to sneak the leg through.

Sonnen is working for a kimura but Harding is defending it quite comfortably.
Harding is not content to let Sonnen control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sonnen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Harding is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sonnen works his way into full mount!
Sonnen wants to control the pace but Harding is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dao Sonnen dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dao Sonnen's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Harding looks to land a right hand but Sonnen moved out of range.
We've been told by Harding's head coaches at LOD: Black Label that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sonnen. Harding does a little dance to reset his feet.
Harding moves out of range as Sonnen throws a body kick.
Sonnen throws a jab but it's blocked by Harding.
Sonnen goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sonnen ducks under a wild hook from Harding.
Sonnen flicks out a counter leg kick but Harding steps away.
Sonnen slips a straight right by Harding.
Sonnen tries to land a front kick but Harding steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sonnen lands a nice looking body shot.
Nice uppercut there from Sonnen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sonnen lands with an uppercut that bounces Harding off the cage and back into range.
Sonnen throws a body kick that misses.
Harding is looking to counter punch.
Sonnen connects with the punch.
Sonnen misses with a low kick as Harding jumps back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding needs to keep his hands up - Sonnen had a free shot at his head there.
Harding throws a body shot but no joy.
Harding throws a looping overhand right but Sonnen ducks down to avoid it.
Jab from Harding.
Harding takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sonnen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sonnen looks to score with a jab to the body but Harding is just out of range.
Harding checks a low kick from Sonnen.
A telegraphed right hand from Harding misses the target.
Sonnen only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Sonnen connects with a right hand. Harding shakes it off.
Harding drops his hands momentarily and Sonnen takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Sonnen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sonnen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Harding misses its target.
Sonnen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sonnen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Harding has time to react.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Harding is looking to counter punch.
Sonnen jabs Harding to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Sonnen dives in and scores a takedown into Harding's guard.
Sonnen throws a strike but Harding rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sonnen working a defensive guard here.

Sonnen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sonnen trying to control the position.

Harding got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sonnen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Harding has managed to get both his arms back between Sonnen's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen has his foot on Harding's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Harding works his way back into a safe position though.

Sonnen has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Harding doesn't defend quickly enough and Sonnen has managed to lock this one up! Can Harding escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Sonnen on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Dao Sonnen!
Dao Sonnen is the new middleweight champion!