PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Matt Sherk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Hari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matheus Hari has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sherk
vs
Hari

178 cm
22
159 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

170 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Sherk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Matheus Hari!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, James Atkins and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sherk clinches.

Hari has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Sherk clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Sherk breaks Hari's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hari looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hari wants to get back to his feet but Sherk is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hari keeping moving, preventing Sherk from controlling successfully.
Sherk stopping the sweep attempt from Hari.

Sherk drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hari dives on top into guard.
Sherk preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sherk looking for a sweep. Not yet Sherk, not yet.
Hari wants to pass the guard but Sherk is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk wants to get back to his feet but Hari is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sherk keeping moving, preventing Hari from controlling successfully.
Sherk tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sherk pushes Hari off and gets back to his feet.

Hari looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sherk tries to get to full guard but Hari has control of the leg.
Hari not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hari seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Hari stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sherk to get to his feet.
A head kick misses from Sherk.
Hari shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sherk pinned against the cage. Sherk gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hari looks gassed!
Sherk rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hari moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sherk is looking to clinch.

Sherk rushes Hari and presses him up against the cage.
Hari is pressed up against the cage. Sherk has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hari down to the mat. Hari avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Sherk closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hari tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherk lands a decent elbow from side control.
Hari is trying to improve his position.
Sherk working the head and body with strikes.
Sherk working the ground and pound.
Hari wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Sherk has knee on belly and moves into mount.
A nice elbow there by Sherk.
A nice elbow there by Sherk.
Sherk landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sherk lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Hari working to try and regain half guard.
Sherk with the ground and pound from mount.
Sherk unloading with bombs!
Sherk lands a heavy elbow.
Sherk lands a heavy elbow.
Sherk connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Sherk working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hari is wriggling around trying to escape.
A nice elbow there by Sherk.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Sherk dominated that round.
That's time! Sherk's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hari with a poor takedown

and Sherk counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sherk lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Hari looking for subs off his back but Sherk has passed one foot through into half guard.
Sherk wants to free his trapped foot but Hari is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hari trying to control here.
Hari wants to improve his position but Sherk is controlling well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sherk is tying to control. Hari wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk drops an elbow to the side of Hari's head.
Sherk takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hari is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sherk scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hari tries to kick Sherk off but Sherk keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Sherk clinches with his opponent.

Sherk breaks from the clinch.
Sherk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Hari gets caught flat footed, as Sherk shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hari trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Hari working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sherk.

Sherk drops back looking for a leg! Hari is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hari manages to kick Sherk off! Sherk jumps back into Hari's guard.
Hari wants to stand but Sherk is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherk makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hari trying to keep a closed guard but Sherk is proving a slippery customer.
Sherk lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sherk lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hari misses with a takedown

and Sherk counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sherk has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hari is trying to keep an underhook but Sherk manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hari works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sherk preventing the sweep.
Sherk looking to sit in guard and control but Hari gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hari trying to stand up but can't free himself from Sherk's guard.
Hari lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sherk not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Sherk wriggles free and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hari with a lazy takedown attempt

and Sherk decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hari's guard.
Matt Sherk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Hari.
Hari keeping moving, preventing Sherk from controlling successfully.

Sherk is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sherk trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Hari manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Sherk tries to strike from the bottom.

Hari drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hari jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sherk has a closed guard, preventing Hari from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Sherk dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hari shoots and misses

and Sherk counters with a shoot takedown. Hari fights it but they end up in guard.
Hari keeping moving, preventing Sherk from controlling successfully.
Hari has momentary wrist control but Sherk slips an elbow through the middle.
Sherk trying to control but Hari is working from the bottom.

Hari has his feet on Sherk's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Sherk clinches.

Sherk has picked Hari up - he's going for a ride! Sherk dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Sherk not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Matt Sherk overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hari is trying to maintain the position but Sherk is very close to passing his half guard.
Hari wants to improve his position but Sherk is controlling well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherk working over Hari with some ground and pound. Hari looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sherk not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hari gets back to full guard.

Hari kicks Sherk off and gets to his feet.
Sherk doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hari counters with a head kick.
Matt Sherk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hari throws a head kick that misses

and Sherk counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hari's guard now.
Hari controls Sherk momentarily but Sherk frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherk throws and elbow that misses. Hari uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sherk's guard. Nice move by Hari!
Sherk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hari is one step ahead there.
Sherk will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hari pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sherk is keeping the position for now.
Hari throws a strike but Sherk rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sherk postures up in Hari's guard and throws a big left but Hari blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hari working a defensive guard here.
Sherk trying to control but Hari is working from the bottom.
Sherk scoring with punches to the head and body.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sherk misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hari has his takedown stuffed

and Sherk counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hari works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hari preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hari wants to get back to his feet but Sherk is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hari doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Sherk decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hari, up you get!

Hari shoots in and bounces Sherk off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Hari stands up and waves to Sherk to follow him.

Sherk shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hari's guard.
Matheus Hari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Sherk is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sherk stops Hari from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Sherk showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sherk 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Sherk!