PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Randall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Randy Randall has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hardy
vs
Randall

182 cm
34
253 lbs
10 - 8 - 1

197 cm
38
277 lbs
21 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Powerful

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 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dan Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Randy Randall!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Dmitry Maklakov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Randall doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hardy counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hardy slaps away a takedown attempt from Randall, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hardy slips under a jab.

Randall darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Randall is looking to advance position but Hardy won't allow it.
Randall sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Randall frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Randall controlling his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Randall goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Hardy is on top in guard.
Randall wants to hit a switch here but Hardy passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Randall there!
Randall is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hardy tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Randall is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
Randall is looking to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Randall wants to hold on but Hardy pushes him away.
Hardy trying to control but Randall is having none of it.
Hardy avoids the attempt from Randall to control.
Randall is desperately trying to improve his position but Hardy has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Randall is still trying to improve position.
Randall sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Randall tries to get to full guard but Hardy has control of the leg.
Randall is looking to get back to full guard here but Hardy has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Randall is looking to reverse the position.
I wouldn't like to be where Randall is right now.
Randall is looking to reverse the position.
Randall can't do much from the bottom here.
Randall is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Randall wants to clinch but Hardy slips to the side
and Hardy counters with a left and a right that stings Randall.
Randall jabs Hardy to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Randall blocks a head kick by Hardy.
Hardy throws a head kick but Randall moves out of range.
Randall shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardy pinned against the cage. Hardy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Randall throws a push kick but Hardy slaps the foot to one side.
Hardy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Randall can do to turn this around?
Hardy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Randall misses with a wild body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Hardy on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Randall swings widly with a right hand
and Hardy counters with a three punch combo that has Randall backing up. Randall nods at Hardy to acknowledge the strikes.
Randall uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hardy has time to react.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Randall fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hardy sprawls well initially but Randall persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Randall is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hardy trying to control but Randall postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy won't allow Randall to pass to mount.
Randall moves into full mount! Hardy won't be happy about that!
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Hardy here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Randall moves to back control.

Randall patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
You can see the frustration on Hardy's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Hardy is holding onto Randall's left hand, preventing any choke attempts.
Well, with Randall on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Hardy is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

Randall working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Randall has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Hardy has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Randall is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Hardy has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Hardy defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Randall's arms.
My spies in Humboldt Park Elite Gym inform me that Randall has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Hardy is having to fend off submission attempts from Randall, who is looking to sink in the choke. Randall doesn't have the hooks in though and Hardy manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Hardy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Randall wants to sweep here but Hardy controlling him for the moment.
Hardy slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hardy is fighting to break Randall's control of his arms but Randall is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hardy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hardy won't allow Randall to sweep him here.
Randall pulls Hardy in close to his closed guard and prevents Hardy from doing any damage or advancing position.
Randall is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Randall is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Hardy reverses the position - he's now on top in Randall's guard.
Hardy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Randy Randall 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!

Nice takedown defense from Hardy. No joy for Randall on that attempt.
Hardy throws a right hand that Randall ducks under and follows up with a left that Randall also avoids with ease.
Randall ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Randall throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Randall takes a swing at Hardy's ribcage but misses.
Hardy is looking for a counter combo.
Randall shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hardy but Hardy pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Randall is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hardy rather than just go for the knockout.

Randall looking to score a takedown here. Hardy is defending well but Randall drives through and ends up in Hardy's guard.
Randall advances position into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Randall is trying to get an arm triangle but Hardy is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Randall goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Hardy rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Randall's guard! Nice work there by Hardy!
Randall not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Randall is pulling down on Hardy's head to control his posture.
Randall not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hardy preventing the sweep.
Randall wants to control the position but Hardy says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Randall wants to control but Hardy passes into side.
Randy Randall has got the better of the ground game so far.
Randall is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Hardy is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Hardy looking to control and managing it successfully.
Randall is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Randall is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Randall tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Randall keeps trying to improve his position.
Hardy controlling his opponent.
Randall is looking to improve his position but Hardy isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Randall is looking to escape.
Randall keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardy avoids the attempt from Randall to control.
Hardy looking to control and managing it successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hardy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Hardy!
An out of breath Dan Hardy thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.