PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Harden (ranked 8798 p4p, 658 weight class) and Eren Onay (ranked 24700 p4p, 709 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Harden
vs
Onay

185 cm
19
192 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

183 cm
26
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Eren Onay!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Hugh Johnson and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harden wants to clinch up but Onay keeps it at a distance.
Harden has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Onay throws a right and a left that both miss.

Harden closes the distance and pushes Onay back into the cage.
Harden content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Harden fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Onay working hard to break the clinch.
Harden misses with the head strike.
Harden throws a punch but it's blocked by Onay.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A frustrated look appears on Onay's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Onay tries to circle away but Harden has him pinned against the cage.
Onay has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Harden pushes Onay back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Harden misses with a short punch on the inside.
Harden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short left from Harden.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden slowing the pace effectively.

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

Harden moves into the clinch.
Harden pushes Onay back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Harden softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Onay blocks a body shot from Harden.
A nice left hand lands by Harden.

Harden breaks the clinch.
Harden wants to clinch up but Onay keeps it at a distance.
As Harden backs off Onay throws a huge counter combo but Harden manages to avoid it all.

Harden gets a clinch.
Harden misses with a punch to the body.
Harden has Onay pressed against the cage.
Onay being controlled against the cage.
Harden seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Onay tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Harden fails to land.
Harden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Still in the clinch, Harden scores with a nice short uppercut.

Harden pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harden tries to clinch up but Onay circles away and keeps his distance.

Harden gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Onay's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Onay tries to break the clinch but Harden is controlling the position.
A right hook to the body lands for Harden.

Harden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Harden moves into the clinch.
Harden swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harden working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short right from Harden.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Onay wants to get back to striking at distance but Harden won't allow it.
Onay wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Onay blocks a body shot from Harden.
Harden misses with some punches.
Harden working aggressively here.

Harden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Harden moves into the clinch.
Harden working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
We've been informed that Onay has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Harden lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Onay is trying to break the clinch but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Harden has a couple of punches blocked by Onay.
Harden throws a punch but it's blocked by Onay.
Harden lands with a left to the head.
Onay wants to break free but Harden has control.

Harden manages to break the clinch.
Onay throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Harden.
Onay throws a combination that misses
and Harden connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harden moves into range and clinches up with Onay.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Onay blocks an uppercut.
Harden lands a shot to the body.
Harden pushes Onay back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Harden throws a punch but it's blocked by Onay.
Harden fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Onay tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Onay tries to circle away but Harden has him pinned against the cage.
Harden tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Onay's elbow.
Onay is trying to break free.
Harden lands a left hand.
Harden prevents Onay from breaking the clinch.
Harden has a couple of punches blocked by Onay.

Harden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Onay avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Harden dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Onay keeps the fight on the outside.
Harden moves to clinch but Onay breaks away
and Onay counters with a one-two to the body.

Harden moves into the clinch.
Harden working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Harden lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Onay blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Harden stalling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Onay's efforts to push away.
Harden lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Onay wants a takedown but no success here.
Onay is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Harden.
Harden lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden swings wildly with an uppercut but Onay uses good head movement to avoid it.
A bit of stalling here from Harden.
Harden lands with a light punch inside.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Onay blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Onay blocks a body shot from Harden.
Harden lands a left hand.
Onay has had enough of the clinch but Harden keeps him there for the moment.
Harden misses with a hook to the ribs.
Onay wants to break the clinch but can't.
Still in the clinch, Harden scores with a nice short uppercut.
Harden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Harden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Onay's efforts to push away.
Harden lands with a short shot to the head.
Harden is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Onay can do to turn this around?
Harden lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Onay is rocked!
Onay tries to circle away but Harden has him pinned against the cage.
Onay is still on wobbly legs! Can Harden finish him?
Harden lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Onay's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Onay drops to his knees and Harden pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:10 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Harden!
A relieved looking James Harden thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.