PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Clair Black (ranked 5463 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Hardy (ranked 5796 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Black
vs
Hardy

173 cm
24
279 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

220 cm
25
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Clair Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Adam Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Bruno Hogan and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hardy closes the distance and clinches.

Black pulls guard effortlessly.
Black 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.
Hardy is looking to pass into half guard but Black pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Black is in guard.

Black really is a fat lump.
Black working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Black preventing the sweep.
Hardy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hardy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Black is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardy will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Black content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black being controlled here momentarily.
Black throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hardy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Black throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Black throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hardy is on top in guard.

Black manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hardy manages to get himself to full guard.

Hardy wants to sweep here but Black controlling him for the moment.
Hardy throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Black scoring with punches to the head and body.
Black has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Hardy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Black doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Black manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Black postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hardy looking for a sweep. Not yet Hardy, not yet.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Black drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hardy dives on top into guard.

Black throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy stopping the sweep attempt from Black.
Black is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Hardy slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hardy pushes down on Black's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hardy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Black does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hardy keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clair Black dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hardy wants to clinch

and Black counters with a shoot takedown. Hardy fights it but they end up in guard.

Hardy kicks Black off and gets to his feet.
Hardy wants to clinch.
Hardy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hardy moves in looking to clinch but Black pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hardy gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Black prevents a takedown attempt there.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Black smiles and moves away.
Hardy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hardy gets a clinch.
Black managing to block the knees to the body from Hardy.
Black tries for a takedown but Hardy manages to get underhooks.
Black has had enough of the clinch but Hardy keeps him there for the moment.
Hardy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Black.
Hardy unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hardy prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clair Black. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Black is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Black misses with a body punch.
Hardy trying to land knees to the body.
Black has Hardy pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hardy manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hardy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Black.
Black drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hardy gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hardy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black has had enough of the clinch but Hardy keeps him there for the moment.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Black just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hardy's brow.
Hardy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Black blocks it.
Hardy prevents a takedown attempt there.

Hardy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Black avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hardy shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Black pinned against the cage. Black gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Black drops down looking for a counter takedown but Hardy sprawls and moves away.

That's four 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.
Black tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardy wants to clinch.
Hardy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Adam Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Black rushes Hardy and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardy is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Hardy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Black dodges the punch combination from Hardy.

Hardy takes the fight into the clinch.

Hardy manages to pull guard.

Hardy is looking for a triangle but Black pushes his legs off easily.
Black stands up over Hardy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black chips away with some ground and pound.
Black might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hardy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Black.
Black trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy looking for a sweep. Not yet Hardy, not yet.
Black lands a couple of elbows.
Black landing some decent shots from guard.

Black drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Black jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Black distracts Hardy with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Black connects with a couple of short punches.
Black stands up over Hardy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Clair Black overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Black throwing strikes from guard but Hardy blocks nicely.
Hardy wants to improve his position but instead Black has moved into half guard.
Hardy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Hardy wants to get back to full guard.
Black trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.

Black is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hardy defends it well.
Black lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hardy has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Black is on him like a limpet, forcing Hardy back against the cage.
Black wants to break the clinch but can't.
Black can't get the takedown.
Black throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Black has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hardy stops a takedown attempt from Black.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Clair Black. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Hardy has him pressed against the cage.
Hardy lands a good knee to the midsection. Black won't want to take too many of those.
Black creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Hardy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy moves into range and clinches up with Black.
Hardy prevents a body shot from Black.

Hardy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hardy has taken the fight to the clinch.

Hardy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hardy throws a sloppy head kick and Black moves out of range easily.
Black half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A head kick misses from Hardy.
Hardy tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Black manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hardy tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Black counters with a takedown into side control.
Hardy tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adam Hardy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hardy 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 27:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adam Hardy!