PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Harden (ranked 3291 p4p, 349 weight class) and Travis Mitchell (ranked 3383 p4p, 356 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harden
vs
Mitchell

185 cm
20
192 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

187 cm
21
190 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 4 - 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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Travis Mitchell!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Ben Hemmingworth and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harden tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mitchell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harden tries to clinch up but Mitchell circles away and keeps his distance.

Harden clinches up with Mitchell and pushes him back against the cage.
Harden misses with a knee strike.
Harden misses with a knee to the head.
Mitchell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mitchell lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mitchell misses with a body punch.
Mitchell managing to block the knees to the body from Harden.
Mitchell has Harden pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Harden manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Harden blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Harden throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mitchell blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden misses with a knee to the head.
Mitchell tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
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.
Mitchell working aggressively here.
Harden takes a shot to the head.
Harden is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mitchell manages to break the clinch.

Harden has closed the distance and engaged Mitchell in a clinch.
Harden is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Harden with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mitchell tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Harden slowing the pace effectively.
Mitchell misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Mitchell fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Mitchell fails to land.
Mitchell drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Harden gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Harden landing knees to the body.
Mitchell lands an uppercut.

It looks like James Harden has been cut.
Mitchell has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Harden seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Mitchell can turn it around.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mitchell avoids it.
Harden blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mitchell swings wildly with an uppercut but Harden uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mitchell wants to get back to striking at distance but Harden won't allow it.
Harden blocking some punches.
Harden using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mitchell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mitchell lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mitchell.
Mitchell lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mitchell swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harden landing knees to the body.
Harden blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Harden misses with a knee to the head.
Mitchell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Harden throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harden misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mitchell.
Mitchell is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Harden is defending well.
James Harden has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Travis Mitchell.
Harden blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mitchell misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mitchell misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harden lands a knee to the body.
Harden tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mitchell lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harden backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Mitchell fails to land.
Harden looking to throw knees to the head but Mitchell is blocking nicely.
Harden blocking some punches.
Harden misses with a knee to the head.
Mitchell working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Harden blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mitchell misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell looking for a takedown.

Mitchell breaks from the clinch.
Mitchell throws a predictable looking body shot
and Harden counters with a slapping leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harden walks into a straight right hand from Mitchell.
Mitchell misses with a body shot.
Harden wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.
Harden tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mitchell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mitchell misses with a shot to the body
and Harden counters with an inside leg kick.
Travis Mitchell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mitchell lands an overhand right.
Harden tries to clinch but Mitchell is having none of it.
Harden gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Mitchell.
Mitchell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harden wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.
Mitchell tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Mitchell connects with the punch.
Mitchell cracks Harden with an open hand slap.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Mitchell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Harden's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mitchell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mitchell with a nice cross.
Mitchell throws a body shot but no joy.
Harden appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Mitchell throws a body shot but no joy.
Travis Mitchell seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harden takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Mitchell throws a nice looking combination but Harden bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mitchell scores with a jab. Harden acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Harden tries to clinch up.
A shot to the liver by Mitchell. Beautiful body shot.
Harden showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mitchell.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Mitchell swats away the attempt to clinch by Harden.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mitchell! But no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Mitchell.
Harden tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mitchell manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A little jabbing left from Mitchell on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Harden moves forwards but Mitchell connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Mitchell keeps the fight on the outside.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mitchell! But no joy.
Mitchell misses with a wild body shot.

Harden moves into the clinch.
Mitchell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Mitchell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mitchell with a hook.
Mitchell scores with a nice strike.
Mitchell fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harden manages to avoid it.
Harden swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Mitchell connects with a body shot.
Donk. Mitchell catches Harden right on the button with a cross.
Nice shot lands for Mitchell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harden moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.
Harden fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harden doesn't manage to clinch there - Mitchell circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harden looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Harden drops his hands momentarily and Mitchell takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mitchell lands a head shot.
Mitchell lands a nice shot to the body.
Mitchell thuds a left hand into Harden's body.
Mitchell scores with a jab. Harden acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Mitchell connects with a jab.
Harden tries to clinch there but Mitchell circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell scores with a hook to the body. Harden takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Mitchell scores with a hook.

James Harden's cut is getting worse.
A left lands for Mitchell.
Harden fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mitchell lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Harden rushes Mitchell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Travis Mitchell seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Harden using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mitchell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Harden blocks an uppercut.
Harden blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mitchell misses with the head strike.
Mitchell misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harden looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Harden tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Harden throws a knee to the head but misses.
Harden blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mitchell misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a head punch that misses.
Mitchell misses with a punch on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mitchell has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Harden avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Mitchell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mitchell misses with a punch on the inside.
Harden lands a nice knee to the body.
Mitchell working aggressively here.
A knee to the head by Harden.
Harden with a knee to the head.
Harden tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mitchell avoids it.
Harden with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Travis Mitchell has been cut.
Harden misses with a knee to the head.
Mitchell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Harden misses with a knee strike.
Mitchell throws a punch but it's blocked by Harden.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Mitchell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Harden slips under a jab from Mitchell.
Harden appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Harden wants to clinch.
Mitchell looks to score with a jab to the body but Harden is just out of range.
Harden thinks about countering with a body kick.
Harden tries to clinch up.
Mitchell swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Harden.
Mitchell scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mitchell with a jab.
Mitchell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell lands a head shot.
Mitchell connects with a body shot that sends Harden's belly button to the back.
Mitchell scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Harden takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell misses with a body shot
and Harden counters with a slapping leg kick.
Harden fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harden doesn't manage to clinch there - Mitchell circles away.
Mitchell digs a good body shot into Harden's ribs.
Harden moves in looking to clinch but Mitchell pushes him off.
Harden tries to clinch

and Mitchell counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Harden!
Harden trying to remain calm as Mitchell controls from the top position.
Harden is not content to let Mitchell control the position.
Mitchell taking a breather here.
Mitchell is continuing to stall.
James Harden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Harden keeps working.
Mitchell postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Harden is being controlled here.
Mitchell working away.
Mitchell lands a few punches from side control.
Mitchell landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden seems a little lost for a moment, as Mitchell dominates the positioning.
Harden knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mitchell on the ground.
Mitchell advances to full mount.
Mitchell dominating with strikes here.

James Harden's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at James Harden's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Travis Mitchell!
A relieved looking Travis Mitchell thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
James Harden was interviewed post fight and said 'Back to the drawing board for me folks, this is just a bump in the road. I'll be back better than before soon!'.