PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anselmo Harris (ranked 767 p4p, 103 weight class) and Bessarion Alexius (ranked 1214 p4p, 164 weight class). Alexius has chosen A Country Boy Can Survive as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Harris
vs
Alexius

184 cm
37
184 lbs
23 - 12 - 1

178 cm
36
180 lbs
27 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Anselmo Harris!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bessarion Alexius!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Harris throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Alexius avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And Alexius tries to counter it with a takedown but Harris pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Harris scores with a punch to the head.
Alexius keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harris misses with a jab to the body
and Alexius makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Harris really felt that one!
Alexius misses the shot to the body.
Harris's corner calls for a 1-2. Harris obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Harris misses with a hook. Alexius ducked under it nicely.
Alexius cracks Harris with a right hand to the side of the head.
Harris dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Alexius circles away.
Harris digs a good body shot into Alexius's ribs.

Harris drives through and clinches with Alexius against the ropes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alexius prevents a body shot from Harris.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris tries to clinch up but Alexius circles away and keeps his distance.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Alexius paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alexius tries to counter with a clinch but Harris shakes him off and moves away.
Harris stuffs the takedown attempt from Alexius. Alexius gets slowly back to his feet.
Harris tries to clinch but Alexius moves out of range.
Alexius digs a good hook to Harris's body.
A big left from Harris misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Alexius! But no joy.
Alexius circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alexius throws out a counter right but Harris avoids it with no problem.
Anselmo Harris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Harris enables Alexius to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Harris manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Harris is trying to control the position but Alexius postures up.
Harris bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alexius's guard.

Harris won't allow Alexius to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris trying to control but Alexius is working from the bottom.
Alexius has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Harris has passed into side control.
Harris is looking to take a break and control but Alexius is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anselmo Harris dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Harris closes the distance looking to clinch

and Alexius counters with a takedown into side control.
Alexius wants to control but Harris is keeping him busy.
Alexius tries to advance to mount but Harris instead regains half guard.
Harris trying to hold on to Alexius's head to control him but Alexius postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris is refusing to be controlled, as Alexius sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexius wants to pass to mount but Harris is defending the position.
Alexius not doing much here.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Alexius wants to pass the guard but Harris is defending well.
Alexius is looking to take a break and control but Harris is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Harris clinches with his opponent.
Alexius tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Harris as Alexius tries to tie him up.
Alexius is trying to drag Harris to the mat but Harris just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Harris goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Alexius goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harris tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Alexius's elbow.
Alexius tries to stall but Harris uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Harris has a couple of punches blocked by Alexius.
Alexius wants a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bessarion Alexius showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Harris scores with a nice head shot.
Alexius shoots in for a takedown but Harris shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Alexius throws a low kick but it's checked well by Harris.
Harris tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alexius drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Harris defends it well.
Alexius throws a body kick that misses.
Harris throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harris looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alexius misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris scores with a crisp jab that stopped Alexius in his tracks.

Alexius gets tackled into the ropes by Harris. Harris maintains the clinch.
Harris struggles to land a body shot inside as Alexius controls his hands.
Nice body punch from Harris - that landed with a thud.
Harris prevents Alexius from breaking the clinch.
Alexius takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris tries to work over Alexius's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Alexius digs a right hand underneath Harris's ribcage. Harris let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Harris misses with a hook to the ribs.
Alexius throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Harris tries to work over Alexius's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Harris misses with a punch on the inside.
Harris misses with a short punch on the inside.
Harris blocks an uppercut.
Harris goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Harris scores with a shot to the side of Alexius's head.
Alexius looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Alexius manages to break the clinch.
Alexius misses with an attempted mid kick.
Harris wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Harris connects with a looping right hand.

Harris moves into the clinch.
Harris misses with a hook to the ribs.
Alexius wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harris has him pressed against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fighters circling - Harris throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Alexius swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Harris.
Harris checks a low kick from Alexius.
Harris takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Harris.
Harris blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Alexius manages to break the clinch.
Alexius bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Harris's head.
Harris tries to clinch up but Alexius circles away and keeps his distance.
Alexius doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Harris tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Alexius manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Harris darts in and clinches Alexius up against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anselmo Harris clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Harris is looking to clinch but Alexius is avoiding it.
Alexius misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harris tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Alexius counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Harris tests Alexius's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alexius keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harris is looking to clinch.
Harris misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexius ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Alexius pivots, looking for a leg kick but Harris is out of range and Alexius settles back down.
Harris bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A jab from Alexius does it's job there.
Harris throws a poor cross that misses

and Alexius moves into the clinch.
Alexius lands a body punch.
Alexius drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harris pulls his leg out and moves away.
Harris wants to clinch but Alexius slips to the side
and Alexius counters with a low kick, right behind Harris 's knee.
Alexius throws a sloppy head kick and Harris moves out of range easily.
Harris wants to clinch up but Alexius keeps it at a distance.
Anselmo Harris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alexius ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harris moves away.
Alexius steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Harris.
Harris is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexius scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Both fighters circling a little - Alexius finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Harris. Alexius does a little dance to reset his feet.
Alexius feints the counter takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alexius cracks the inside of Harris's front leg.
Harris misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Alexius.
Harris tries to clinch but Alexius moves out of range.

Harris closes the distance and clinches.
Alexius has a couple of punches blocked by Harris.
Harris stops a takedown attempt from Alexius.
Harris misses with a punch to the body.
Alexius lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Harris tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bessarion Alexius dominated that fourth round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Alexius keeps the fight on the outside.

Alexius gets tackled into the ropes by Harris. Harris maintains the clinch.
Alexius tries to circle away but Harris has him pinned against the ropes.
Alexius throws a head punch that misses.
Alexius blocks a body shot from Harris.
Harris swings wildly with an uppercut but Alexius uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harris is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Alexius is keeping busy.
Harris tries to throw a body punch but Alexius avoids it by throwing Harris back against the ropes.
Alexius lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
Alexius doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris tries a body shot but Alexius blocks it.
Harris working aggressively here.
Alexius misses with a hook from the clinch.

Alexius's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bessarion Alexius seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Alexius cracks Harris with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris tries to clinch there but Alexius circles away.
Harris digs a good body shot into Alexius's ribs.
Harris tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Alexius manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Harris moves into the clinch successfully.
Alexius is looking to break free of the clinch but Harris has double underhooks.
Harris is leaning against Alexius and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Alexius swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harris tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Alexius's elbow.

Alexius breaks the clinch.

Harris closes the distance and pushes Alexius back into the ropes.
Alexius lands a shoulder strike.
Alexius lands a right hand that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
Alexius misses with the head strike.
Still in the clinch, Alexius scores with a nice short uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Alexius.
Harris misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris throws a head punch that misses.
A short right from Harris on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alexius tries to throw a body punch but Harris avoids it by throwing Alexius back against the ropes.

Alexius's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Alexius takes one on the button.
Harris tries to clinch there but Alexius circles away.

Harris moves into the clinch.
Alexius misses with some punches.
A short left from Alexius.
Harris wants to stall.
Harris swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Harris goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Alexius stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Harris lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bessarion Alexius.
I think Alexius 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Anselmo Harris!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Bessarion Alexius!

The fight ends as a draw!
Anselmo Harris retains his title. It's always disappointing when a championship fight ends as a draw but that's what happens when you leave the fight in the judges hands!