PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between ZaDarius Haden (ranked 1167 p4p, 1129 weight class) and Sith Rebel (ranked 133 p4p, 126 weight class). Haden comes to the cage accompanied by Motörhead - Orgasmatron. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Haden
vs
Rebel

198 cm
22
249
7 - 1 - 0

191 cm
21
285
6 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Conviction

Hardcore Alchemy
HARDCORE

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, ZaDarius Haden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sith Rebel!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Donatello Bradman and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haden gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rebel counters with a takedown into side control.
Rebel grinds an elbow into Haden's temple.
Haden is looking for a sweep.
Rebel scores with a couple of short elbows.
Haden is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rebel is trying to ground and pound but Haden uses the momentary lack of control by Rebel to regain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rebel perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Haden's coaches at Gunner's School of Combat have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haden is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Haden manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rebel wants to control from the top but Haden keeps moving.
Rebel wants to pass the guard but Haden is keeping the position.
Haden is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Haden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rebel is one step ahead there.
Rebel throwing strikes from guard but Haden blocks nicely.

That's two 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.
Rebel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Haden looking for a sweep. Not yet Haden, not yet.
Rebel trying to control the position from guard on top but Haden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Haden bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rebel's guard.

Rebel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rebel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Haden cracks Rebel with a solid left hand.
Haden looking to sit in guard and control but Rebel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rebel preventing the sweep.
Haden working a defensive guard here.
Rebel pushes down on Haden's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Haden is trying to maintain the position but Rebel is very close to passing his half guard.
Haden is staying active underneath Rebel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rebel is taking a breather. Haden says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Rebel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Haden is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rebel looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rebel throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Haden is staying active underneath Rebel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rebel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Haden wants to improve his position but Rebel is controlling well.
Haden regains full guard. Nicely done.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Haden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rebel is one step ahead there.
Rebel trying to control the position from guard on top but Haden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rebel walks into a jab.
Rebel misses with a body shot.
Haden changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Haden misses with a takedown attempt - Rebel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Haden fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rebel avoids it really well and circles away.
Haden cracks Rebel with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rebel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rebel moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Rebel wants to control for a moment but Haden uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rebel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Haden's head.
Haden controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rebel wants to take a breather but Haden is having none of it.
Haden tries to get to full guard but Rebel has control of the leg.
Haden wants to control but Rebel is keeping busy.

That's two 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.
Haden is looking to improve his position.
Sith Rebel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Haden has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rebel is working away from the top position though.
Rebel is looking to take a break and control but Haden is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rebel throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Haden to regain full guard.
Haden keeping moving, preventing Rebel from controlling successfully.
Rebel throws a strike but Haden rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rebel looking to control.
Haden trying to control but Rebel is working from the bottom.
Haden postures up in Rebel's guard and throws a big left but Rebel blocks it.
Rebel avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rebel has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Haden tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rebel swivels and escapes.
Rebel drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Haden defends it well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for ZaDarius Haden. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.
Haden misses with a right hand

and Rebel counters with a takedown into side control.

Haden explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
ZaDarius Haden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rebel misses with a straight right.
Haden attempts a counter takedown but Rebel avoids it well and moves away.
Haden goes for a double leg but Rebel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rebel continues to drive forward.
Rebel takes a shot to the head.
Haden tries a body shot but Rebel blocks it.

Haden wants the takedown. Rebel is fighting it off but Haden persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Rebel's guard against the cage.
Haden's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Rebel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Haden throws a strike but Rebel rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Haden controls Rebel momentarily but Rebel frees himself.
Rebel must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rebel is fighting to break Haden's control of his arms but Haden is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that ZaDarius Haden will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Horrible takedown attempt by Haden or perhaps it was just good defense by Rebel, which made it look bad.
And Rebel tries to counter it with a takedown but Haden pushes his down on his head and steps out.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rebel darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rebel takes a jab right on the kisser.
Haden shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rebel as he jumps to the side.
Rebel moves out of range of the strikes.
Rebel's coach down at Legacy MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rebel's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Haden misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for ZaDarius Haden. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haden misses with an uppercut

and Rebel counters with a single leg into guard. Haden didn't expect that.
Rebel is standing up over Haden. Haden looks to escape but Rebel dives into side control.

Haden is not content to let Rebel control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rebel wants to control but Haden is keeping him busy.
Haden managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rebel.
Haden is looking to reverse the position.
Rebel tries to move to mount but Haden blocks the move with his legs.
Haden can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Haden manages to get back to half guard.
Haden keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rebel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rebel is taking a breather. Haden says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Rebel wants to take a breather but Haden is having none of it.
Rebel drops an elbow to the side of Haden's head.
Haden wants to control but Rebel is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rebel stalling away here and it's allowed Haden to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Rebel throws a big right hand that misses.
Rebel is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rebel throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rebel tries for a takedown but Haden sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Haden doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rebel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Haden is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rebel's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rebel's back!
Haden avoiding Rebel 's attempts to control his hands.
Haden thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haden misses with punches from the back.
Rebel tries to escape but Haden has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Haden missing with strikes from the back.
Rebel trying to control the action but Haden just sinks the hooks in.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rebel is trying to break free.
Haden is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Haden connects with a big shot to the side of Rebel's head.
Haden has the hooks in. Rebel is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sith Rebel.
I think Rebel 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sith Rebel!
During a confident post fight interview, Sith Rebel thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.