PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chief Claw (ranked 3409 p4p, 3308 weight class) and John Hardin (ranked 423 p4p, 412 weight class). John Hardin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Claw
vs
Hardin

188 cm
29
200
8 - 4 - 0

187 cm
27
189
10 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Heavy handed

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chief Claw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, John Hardin!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Claw misses with a head kick.
Claw throws a front kick that sends Hardin stumbling back into the cage.
Hardin has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Hardin on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hardin swings for the body but Claw moves out of range.
Hardin tries to bum rush Claw with a series of wild strikes but Claw uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Claw lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hardin circles away quickly and effectively.
Claw swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hardin looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hardin just misses with a punch to the body.
Hardin lands with an overhand left.
Claw throws a head kick that misses
and Hardin counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Hardin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Claw to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Claw stands and steps away. Hardin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hardin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Claw.

Claw gets the takedown into side control.
Hardin tries to bench press Claw off him but Claw keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Claw looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hardin is looking to regain half guard here but Claw keeps moving and retains side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Claw working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hardin regains half guard.
Hardin has his hands clasped together around Claw's back. He's all about the action.
Claw trying to pass the guard but Hardin defending well.
Hardin wants to get back to full guard.

Claw is working for a kimura but Hardin is defending it quite comfortably.

Claw is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hardin wants to control but Claw is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Claw is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hardin sees it coming and defends easily.
Hardin tries to roll over but Claw keeps him under control.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Claw is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Claw wants to work for an arm triangle but Hardin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Claw looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Claw is thwarting Hardin's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin is looking to improve his position.
Hardin is still trying to improve position.

Hardin is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Claw pulls his head out easily.
Hardin is in trouble now - Claw has advanced to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Claw trying to control but Hardin is having none of it.
Claw prevents Hardin from getting the reversal.

Claw looking to secure an arm triangle but Hardin defends it well.

Claw working for a guillotine from mount but Hardin is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Claw is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hardin can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Claw wants to finish this one by submission but Hardin is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Claw.
Hardin tries to hold on but Claw postures up.

Claw has control of Hardin's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Hardin regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Claw jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hardin manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chief Claw dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Claw loads up on a big right hand but Hardin slips the punch.
Hardin throws a right hand that Claw ducks under and follows up with a left that Claw also avoids with ease.

Claw clinches.

Claw has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hardin clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
John Hardin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hardin trying to control but not successfully.

Claw working for a choke but Hardin is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Hardin's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Claw is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hardin can do to turn this around?
Hardin looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Claw patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Hardin showing good submission defense here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardin tries to escape but Claw has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Hardin is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Claw gets his way!
Claw is trying to stick to Hardin's back but Hardin is turning into Claw. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Claw's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hardin.
Chief Claw overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Claw throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hardin trying to control but Claw is working from the bottom.

Claw looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Claw keeping moving, preventing Hardin from controlling successfully.

Claw has his foot on Hardin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hardin works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin trying to control but Claw is working from the bottom.
Hardin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hardin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Claw has his foot on Hardin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hardin works his way back into a safe position though.
Hardin trying to control the position from guard on top but Claw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardin sitting in guard here, content to control.

Claw has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Hardin doesn't defend quickly enough and Claw has managed to lock this one up! Can Hardin escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Claw on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Chief Claw!
A relieved looking Chief Claw thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.