PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zbermat Serlal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Serlal has chosen Mortal Kombat as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hardy
vs
Serlal

182 cm
35
253 lbs
12 - 8 - 1

205 cm
43
265 lbs
33 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 12 - 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 33 - 18 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zbermat Serlal!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy connects with a right hand. Serlal shakes it off.
Hardy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hardy slips under a jab from Serlal.
Serlal lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Serlal.

It looks like Dan Hardy has been cut.
Hardy will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Serlal on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Serlal has a takedown stuffed.
Serlal misses with a looping right.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Serlal.
Hardy tests Serlal's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Serlal connects with the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Serlal.
Serlal rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hardy counters with a nice body kick.
Dan Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hardy changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Serlal looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Serlal tries to bench press Hardy off him but Hardy keeps the position.
Serlal trying to remain calm as Hardy controls from the top position.
Serlal is looking to regain half guard here but Hardy keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Serlal is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Hardy is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Serlal is desperately trying to improve his position but Hardy has a good base and remains in mount.
Serlal keeps trying to improve his position.
Hardy controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serlal is working to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hardy controlling the pace for now.
Serlal is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hardy controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serlal really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serlal is still trying to improve position.
Hardy content just to control the position here.
Hardy seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Serlal for as long as he can get away with.
Serlal tries to hold on but Hardy pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hardy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Hardy's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hardy with a jab.
Serlal tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hardy defends well and Serlal ends up having to push Hardy into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Hardy lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Serlal backs up against the cage.
Dan Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Serlal lands an overhand right.
Hardy throws a front kick that sends Serlal stumbling back into the cage.
Hardy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Hardy.
Hardy clobbers Serlal with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Dan Hardy is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Serlal avoids a punch combination nicely.

Hardy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Serlal!
Hardy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Serlal can do to turn this around?
Serlal stops Hardy from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy gets to mount! Serlal was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Hardy controlling from the full mount.
Dan Hardy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Serlal is looking to improve his position but Hardy isn't that keen on the idea.
Hardy sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Serlal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy content just to control the position here.
Serlal tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serlal sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Hardy tries to pass the half guard into mount. Serlal knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Serlal is pressing down on Hardy's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Serlal tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Serlal throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Hardy escapes and throws Serlal's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Serlal is breathing heavily.
Serlal tries to buck Hardy off but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serlal is looking to reverse the position.
Serlal looking for a sweep but Hardy has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Serlal really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hardy tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Serlal can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hardy dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dan Hardy's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Serlal misses the shot to the body.
Hardy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hardy lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Serlal circles away quickly and effectively.
No luck for Hardy with that takedown attempt.
A little jabbing left from Serlal on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Hardy scores with a head kick.
Serlal misses with a double jab
and Hardy counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Serlal thinking.
Serlal takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Serlal takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Serlal blocks a head kick by Hardy.
Serlal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardy throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Hardy lands a jab to the nose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy swinging wildly here.

Hardy lands a head kick that stumbles Serlal and the fighters go to the mat.

It looks like Zbermat Serlal has been cut.
Hardy sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hardy won't allow Serlal to sweep him here.
Serlal wants to hit a switch here but Hardy passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Serlal there!
Hardy content just to control the position here.
Serlal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dan Hardy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hardy sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Serlal is working to get back to half guard.
Hardy controlling the position easily from mount.
Serlal is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Serlal really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Serlal tries to lock up and control but Hardy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hardy prevents Serlal from getting the reversal.
Serlal is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Serlal wants to hold on but Hardy pushes him away.
Serlal is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hardy content just to control the position here.
Serlal is trying to escape the mount.

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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Hardy!
A very excited looking Dan Hardy made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.