PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Erin Harrell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russ Wess (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russ Wess 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!

Harrell
vs
Wess

194 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erin Harrell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Russ Wess!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harrell lands with a kick to the temple. Wess shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Wess closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Harrell did well to prevent Wess getting side control.

Harrell manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Wess keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Wess ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Wess no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Harrell preventing the sweep.
Wess looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Harrell gets to his feet. Wess looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harrell throws a head kick that misses.

Harrell tries to sprawl but Wess drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Harrell manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Wess keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Harrell is looking to break free of the clinch but Wess has double underhooks.
Harrell tries to break the clinch but Wess is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harrell fails to pull guard.
Wess has Harrell pressed against the cage, preventing Harrell from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Wess breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wess scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wess misses with the combination.
Harrell shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Wess pinned against the cage. Wess gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Harrell tries a head kick but it misses.
Harrell throws a head kick but Wess moves out of range.

Harrell gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Wess to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Harrell working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wess doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wess manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Harrell is breathing heavily.
Harrell working a defensive guard here.

Wess gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Wess looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Harrell is refusing to be controlled, as Wess sits in half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Wess seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harrell tries to kick Wess off but Wess keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Harrell is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Wess pulls his head out easily.

Harrell actively working from the bottom here.

Harrell makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Wess gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Wess is looking to take a break and control but Harrell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Harrell actively working from the bottom here.
Harrell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Wess lands with a punch from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harrell wants to improve his position but Wess is controlling well.
Wess is nestled in close to Harrell, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Harrell tries to get to full guard but Wess has control of the leg.
Wess lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Wess seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Harrell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Wess seems to be working for a kimura but Harrell defends the submission attempt.

Harrell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Erin Harrell will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Wess tries to close the distance and clinch up but Harrell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harrell scores with a nice head shot.

Wess drives through with a takedown into Harrell's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Harrell wriggles free and stands up.
Wess tries to clinch up but Harrell circles away and keeps his distance.

Wess gets a takedown into half guard.

Harrell pushes Wess off and gets back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harrell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Wess.
Wess tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Wess leaves Harrell with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Wess throws a head kick that misses.
Wess just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHarrell.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wess tries to close the distance and clinch but Harrell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Wess closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Harrell did well to prevent Wess getting side control.

Harrell manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wess takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Wess drives through with a takedown into guard.

Harrell uses the cage to get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Wess changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Harrell looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Harrell sneaks back into half guard.

Harrell kicks off Wess and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wess throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Harrell tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Wess is in Harrell's guard.
Harrell wants to sweep but no luck.
Harrell looking to control.

Harrell looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wess wants to stand but Harrell is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wess avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Harrell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Harrell wants to sweep but no luck.
Wess controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Wess working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Harrell's head.
Wess stopping the sweep attempt from Harrell.
Wess controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Harrell wants to sweep here but Wess controlling him for the moment.

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.
Harrell is working hard here to advance position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Wess avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Harrell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wess is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Russ Wess seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Wess gets the takedown into side control.
Harrell tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Wess controlling from the full mount.
Harrell working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erin Harrell dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Wess throws a right and a left that Harrell avoids nicely.
Harrell appears to be looking for a big counter.
Wess doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Harrell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Harrell changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Harrell shoots in for a takedown but Wess shows good takedown defense.
Wess misses with a wild body shot.
Russ Wess is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harrell looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Wess decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Harrell has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Wess is on him like a limpet, forcing Harrell back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wess wants to stall.
Harrell tries to pull guard but Wess forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Wess decides to pull guard.
Erin Harrell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wess is pulling down on Harrell's head. It's preventing any offense from Harrell, at least for the moment.
Wess is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Wess wants to stand and escape but Harrell is having none of it.
Harrell connects with a couple of short punches.
Harrell keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Wess's head.
Wess wants to control but Harrell passes easily into half guard.

That's two 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.

Harrell is trying to work for a kimura but Wess is defending well.
Harrell working the head and body with strikes.
Wess trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Harrell is trying to work for a kimura but Wess is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wess is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Wess wants to control but Harrell is keeping busy.

Harrell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Wess doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Harrell.
Harrell working the head and body with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Harrell lands a nice short elbow.

Wess is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Harrell pulls his head out easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wess uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Harrell.

Wess shoots in and bounces Harrell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Harrell is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erin Harrell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Harrell 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erin Harrell!