PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Harper (ranked 1268 p4p, 2736 weight class) and Pascal Letaivu (ranked 144 p4p, 264 weight class). Harper comes to the cage accompanied by Al Compás De Mi Caballo. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Harper
vs
Letaivu

168 cm
28
150
15 - 6 - 0

170 cm
37
148
25 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Knock Out Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Miguel Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pascal Letaivu!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Nard Betker and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper scores with a shot to the body.
Harper throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Letaivu counter with a right hand.
Harper misses with a body shot.
Letaivu throws a right hand that misses
and Letaivu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Letaivu staying out of range there.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Letaivu! But no joy.
Letaivu stuffs the takedown.

Harper is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Letaivu's half guard.
Harper stops Letaivu from getting back to his feet.

Letaivu manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Letaivu throws a low kick but Harper avoids it.
A little feinted left hand from Harper on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Harper lands a jab to the nose.
Harper lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Letaivu circles away quickly and effectively.
Letaivu misses the shot to the body.
Harper was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Harper avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper scores with a decent looking hook.
Harper scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Letaivu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Pascal Letaivu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harper throws a hook but Letaivu avoids it easily.
Letaivu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Harper.
Letaivu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Letaivu shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Letaivu missing with a left hand there. Harper was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harper.
Letaivu doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Letaivu defending well as Harper loads up on a big left hand.
Harper throws a right hand that misses
and Letaivu counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Harper decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harper is trying to control. Letaivu wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harper wants to pass to mount but Letaivu is defending the position.
Harper thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Harper is looking to take a break and control but Letaivu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Harper looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Letaivu keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Letaivu trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper uses his free foot to push down on Letaivu's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Letaivu.
Harper wants to control the pace but Letaivu is squirming around nicely.
Letaivu wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Harper.
Letaivu wants to hold on but Harper pushes him away.
Letaivu is desperately trying to improve his position but Harper has a good base and remains in mount.
Harper tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Letaivu really wants to buck Harper off and get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Harper.
Harper landing strikes from the mount and Letaivu is in trouble!
Letaivu wants to control but Harper is having none of it.

Harper is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Letaivu to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Letaivu shrugs it off.
Letaivu reaches up and holds on to Harper to control the position.
Harper wants to control the pace but Letaivu is squirming around nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Harper dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Letaivu moves out of range as Harper strikes.
Harper cracks Letaivu with a good jab.
A slow jab from Harper misses its intended target.
Harper looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Harper throws out a loose jab but Letaivu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Letaivu.
Harper fails to land the takedown.
Letaivu throws a hook to the side of Harper's head but Harper sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Letaivu misses with a low kick.
Letaivu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Letaivu lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper throws an off balance right hand
letting Letaivu counter with a right hand.
The fighters circling - Harper throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Letaivu looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Harper is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Letaivu can do to turn this around?
Harper throws a jab but it's blocked by Letaivu.
Letaivu sizes up Harper with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A combination from Letaivu does no damage.
It looked like Harper wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Letaivu throws a poor cross that misses
and Harper counters with a nice uppercut.
The fighters circle momentarily. Harper darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
A slow jab from Letaivu misses its intended target.
Harper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Letaivu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Harper.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Letaivu.
Harper is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Harper avoids the head kick by Letaivu.
Nice uppercut lands for Harper. That snapped Letaivu's head back.
Letaivu misses with a series of wild punches.
Harper throws an overhand right that lands on Letaivu's shoulder, as Letaivu tries to avoid the shot.
Harper thows a left - swing and a miss!
Harper takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harper takes a swing at Letaivu's ribcage but misses.
Letaivu takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
No luck for Harper with that takedown attempt.
Letaivu moves away from the strike by Harper.
Harper fails with the takedown
and Letaivu counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Harper attempts a counter takedown but Letaivu avoids it well and moves away.
A telegraphed right hand from Letaivu misses the target.
Letaivu swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Harper counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Harper getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pascal Letaivu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Letaivu takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Letaivu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Harper fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Letaivu manages to avoid it.
Harper walks into a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Letaivu lands a glancing blow to the side of Harper's head.
Harper lands a slapping body shot.
Harper uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Letaivu.
Harper lands a jab to the head.
Harper throws a right hand that misses
and Letaivu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Letaivu tests Harper's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Letaivu slips a straight right by Harper.
Harper looks to land a right hand but Letaivu moved out of range.
Letaivu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Harper.
Letaivu cracks Harper with an open hand slap.
Harper fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pascal Letaivu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harper takes a swing at Letaivu's ribcage but misses.
Letaivu throws a lazy right hand but Harper sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Letaivu cracks Harper with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harper throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Letaivu looks to land a left hand but Harper moved out of range nicely.
Harper feinted with a counter takedown.
Harper steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Letaivu.
An attempted straight right counter from Harper misses the target.
Letaivu walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Harper connects with a right hand. Letaivu shakes it off.
Harper uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Letaivu.
Harper throwing a counter right hand but Letaivu manages to avoid it.
Harper punishes Letaivu's body with a nice straight punch.
Harper lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Letaivu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Harper.
Harper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Letaivu swings widly with a right hand
and Harper counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A big right from Harper misses.
Harper keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harper slips under a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pascal Letaivu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Harper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Letaivu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harper lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Harper. Letaivu does a little dance to reset his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Harper is defended easily by Letaivu.
Letaivu lands with a good body shot.

Harper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Letaivu tries to get to full guard but Harper has control of the leg.
Letaivu controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Harper slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harper is working for a kimura but Letaivu is defending it quite comfortably.
Harper looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Letaivu wants to control but Harper is keeping busy and won't allow it.

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.
Harper trying to mount his opponent but Letaivu defends it.

Harper is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Letaivu trying to hold on to Harper's head to control him but Harper postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Letaivu leaves Harper with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Harper looks to land a combination but Letaivu avoids it well.
Letaivu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Letaivu throws a sloppy head kick and Harper moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Letaivu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Letaivu throws an off balance right hand
and Harper counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Letaivu takes one to the side of the head.
Harper misses with a hook.
Letaivu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Harper dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Letaivu misses the shot to the body.
No luck for Harper with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper throws an overhand right that lands on Letaivu's shoulder, as Letaivu tries to avoid the shot.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Letaivu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harper takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Letaivu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Letaivu connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Letaivu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Harper.
Harper lands a nice looking body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Letaivu scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Letaivu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Harper manages to avoid it.
Letaivu moves away from the strike by Harper.
Harper fails with the takedown.
Harper slips a jab from Letaivu.
Letaivu defending well as Harper loads up on a big left hand.
Letaivu attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Harper takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Harper throws a right hand that Letaivu ducks under and follows up with a left that Letaivu also avoids with ease.
Letaivu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Miguel Harper.
Well Harper has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Miguel Harper!
A very excited looking Miguel Harper made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.