PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andre Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Hendricks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy's entrance music is Ambitionz Az A Ridah. A fine choice. Tony Hendricks told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Hardy
vs
Hendricks

178 cm
38
202 lbs
25 - 17 - 1

190 cm
44
171 lbs
24 - 23 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 23 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Hendricks!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Ryoma Takatsuka and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy throws a body shot but no joy.
Hardy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hendricks defends well and Hardy ends up having to push Hendricks into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Nice jab there from Hardy.
Hardy steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hendricks.
Hardy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hardy swats away the attempt to clinch by Hendricks.
A counter left hand to the body from Hardy misses its target.
Hendricks is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hardy throws a right hand that misses
and Hendricks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Hendricks forces Hardy back against the cage and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hardy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hendricks waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hardy.
Hardy appears to be looking for a big counter.
Hendricks throws a head kick but Hardy moves out of range.
Hardy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hardy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hardy walks into a stiff left hand from Hendricks.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hendricks moves into the clinch.
Hendricks throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hendricks tries to pull guard but Hardy won't allow it.
We've been hearing reports that Hardy has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Hendricks is working for takedown but Hardy is calmly controlling the position for now.

Hendricks breaks from the clinch.
Hardy scores with a jab to the body.
Hendricks blocks a jab.
Hendricks is looking to clinch.
Hardy tried to counter with a leg kick but Hendricks avoided it.
Hendricks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hardy sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hendricks lands a nice looking kick to the body. Hardy takes a step back to recover.
Hardy fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hendricks is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hendricks is still trying to improve position.
Hendricks is pressing down on Hardy's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendricks working a defensive guard here.
Hardy slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Hendricks looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hardy passes into side control.
Hardy controls the position from side control.
Hendricks tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hardy wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hendricks gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hendricks trying to control from the bottom.
Hendricks is looking for a sweep. Hardy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hardy sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Hendricks gets full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hendricks is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hardy is aware though and is defending well.
Hendricks is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hendricks can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hardy controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Hendricks will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hendricks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hendricks throws a half hearted mid kick.
A quick step to the side and Hardy tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hendricks throws a head kick that misses
and Hardy counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hendricks thinking.
Hendricks is looking to score with low kicks.
Hardy throws a right hand that misses
and Hendricks counters with a nice leg kick.
Nice body punch from Hardy.
Hendricks misses with a looping left.
Hardy stuns Hendricks with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hardy!
Hendricks shoots in for a takedown but Hardy shows good takedown defense.
Hendricks avoids the body shot from Hardy.
Hendricks swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hardy counters with a series of strikes. Hendricks will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hardy throws a right hand that Hendricks ducks under and follows up with a left that Hendricks also avoids with ease.
A left lands for Hendricks.
Andre Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hendricks with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hardy counters with a straight right hand.
Hardy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hendricks can do to turn this around?
Hendricks looks to throw the jab but Hardy is out of range.
Tony Hendricks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hendricks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hardy chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hendricks can pounce on him.
Hardy lands a two punch combo.

Hardy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Hendricks!
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!
Hendricks is trying to control Hardy's posture but Hardy avoids it.
Andre Hardy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks tries to buck Hardy off but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy slows the pace down.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Hendricks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hendricks is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hardy content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy prevents Hendricks from improving his position.
Hendricks gets full guard.

Hardy got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hendricks has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hardy has managed to get both his arms back between Hendricks's legs - danger averted.
Hendricks looking for a sweep. Not yet Hendricks, not yet.

Hardy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Hendricks throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hardy uses it to pass to side control.

Hardy has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Hendricks tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Hardy duly obliges.
Hardy is looking to wear down Hendricks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Hendricks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Hardy gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Hardy pushes Hendricks off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardy throws a right and a left that Hendricks avoids nicely.
Hendricks throws a counter combo.
Hardy connects with a body shot that sends Hendricks's belly button to the back.
Hardy scores with a jab to the body.
Hendricks throws a poor cross that misses
and Hardy counters with a nice body shot.
Hardy stuffs the takedown attempt from Hendricks. Hendricks gets slowly back to his feet.
Andre Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Hendricks.
Hendricks has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Hardy dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hardy misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardy slips a straight right by Hendricks.
Hendricks looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardy is just out of range.
Hendricks throws a leg kick but Hardy moved away.
Hardy does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hendricks looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hendricks, as that shot connected.
Hendricks takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hendricks bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hendricks cracks Hardy with a big elbow.
Hendricks prevents Hardy from escaping the position.
Hendricks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Hardy is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Hendricks.

Hendricks goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Hardy rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Hendricks's guard! Nice work there by Hardy!
Hardy sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hendricks's guard.

Hendricks actively working from the bottom here.
Hendricks is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hendricks is looking to get back to full guard here but Hardy has managed to pass to side control instead.
Hendricks can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy decides to stand back up.
Hardy takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Hardy ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nice body punch from Hardy.
Hendricks tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy is looking for a counter combo.
Hardy takes a swing at Hendricks's ribcage but misses.
Hardy takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
A punch combination from Hardy misses.
It seemed like Hendricks was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hendricks instigates a clinch.
Hendricks lands a damaging elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks struggles to land a body shot inside as Hardy controls his hands.

Hardy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hendricks throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hardy appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Hardy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hendricks.
Hardy misses with a low kick.
Hendricks throws a leg kick but Hardy moved away.
Hendricks punishes Hardy's body with a nice straight punch.
Hendricks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hendricks scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A combination from Hardy does no damage.
Andre Hardy is winning the standup battle so far.
Hardy is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hendricks sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy tries to keep at a distance but Hendricks has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hardy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hardy wants to break free but Hendricks has control.
Hendricks misses with a body punch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Hendricks is trying to pull guard but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.
Hendricks tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hardy smiles and moves away.
Hardy misses the shot to the body.
Hendricks misses with an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tony Hendricks.
I think Hendricks 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a majority draw!