PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harold Kerzner (ranked 2657 p4p, 23115 weight class) and Peter OBrien (ranked 403 p4p, 796 weight class). Peter OBrien will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Kerzner
vs
OBrien

187 cm
23
203
5 - 7 - 0

203 cm
25
190
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Harold Kerzner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Peter OBrien!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kerzner stuffs the takedown attempt from OBrien. OBrien gets slowly back to his feet.
Kerzner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract OBrien.
Kerzner leaves OBrien with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kerzner throws an overhand right that lands on OBrien's shoulder, as OBrien tries to avoid the shot.
Kerzner throws a jab but it's blocked by OBrien.
Kerzner throws a hook but OBrien avoids it easily.

OBrien clinches up against the cage.
Kerzner slowing the pace effectively.
Kerzner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Harold Kerzner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter OBrien.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kerzner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kerzner slips under a jab from OBrien.
Kerzner lands a nice shot that snaps OBrien's head back.
OBrien fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
OBrien fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kerzner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by OBrien.
OBrien is looking to clinch but Kerzner is avoiding it.
OBrien moves away from the strike by Kerzner.
OBrien drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kerzner defends it well.
OBrien looks for a takedown but Kerzner sprawls well.
Kerzner lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Kerzner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kerzner wants it to stay on the feet.
OBrien goes for a double leg but Kerzner avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Kerzner continues to drive forward.
OBrien avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

OBrien closes the distance and clinches.
Kerzner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
OBrien gets underhooks to prevent Kerzner's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
OBrien can't get the takedown.
Kerzner lands a body shot.
OBrien is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kerzner is defending well.
OBrien blocks a body shot from Kerzner.
OBrien's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kerzner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kerzner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with OBrien's elbow.
A hook to the body from Kerzner.
Kerzner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kerzner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
OBrien fails to pull guard.
I was talking to Kerzner's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kerzner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of OBriens head.
Kerzner prevents the takedown attempt.
Kerzner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Kerzner manages to break the clinch.

Kerzner scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
OBrien prevents Kerzner from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kerzner in side control, just content to control the action for now.
OBrien tries to improve position but can't.
Kerzner wants to lay and pray for a moment but OBrien keeps working.
OBrien is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kerzner tries to advance to mount but can't.

Kerzner is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but OBrien is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
OBrien is not content to let Kerzner control the position.
OBrien is looking for a sweep.
OBrien looking for a sweep but Kerzner has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Kerzner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as OBrien is looking to escape.
Kerzner is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because OBrien is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
OBrien wants to control but Kerzner is having none of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Kerzner dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kerzner will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
No luck for OBrien with that takedown attempt.
Kerzner connects with a body shot that sends OBrien's belly button to the back.
Kerzner scores with a nice head shot.
OBrien uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kerzner.

OBrien shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Kerzner trying to control here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OBrien is trying to control. Kerzner wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kerzner tries to get to full guard but OBrien has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kerzner blocking the ground and pound attempt from OBrien.
Kerzner is trying to get back to full guard.
My spies in JAG Battle Gym inform me that OBrien has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Kerzner trying to control but OBrien postures up.
Peter OBrien has got the better of the ground game so far.
OBrien lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kerzner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kerzner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that OBrien can do to turn this around?
OBrien throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kerzner is trying is best to control the position here.
Kerzner blocking the ground and pound attempt from OBrien.
Kerzner trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kerzner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
OBrien trying to control but Kerzner is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kerzner is trying to keep OBrien in close.
OBrien lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Kerzner had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. OBrien defends it easily.
OBrien is looking to work some ground and pound but Kerzner has wrist control.
OBrien working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kerzner's head.
Kerzner might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
OBrien wants to control from the top but Kerzner keeps moving.
OBrien might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kerzner haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kerzner trying to control the position.
OBrien throwing strikes from guard but Kerzner blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kerzner is trying to control the position but OBrien postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
OBrien changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kerzner tries to avoid it but OBrien manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kerzner to the ground. Kerzner escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kerzner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. OBrien sees it coming and avoids it easily.
OBrien walks into a jab.
Kerzner scores with a nice head shot.
Kerzner keeps the fight on the outside.
A punch combination from Kerzner misses.
Kerzner connects with a good right hand that stumbles OBrien. OBrien circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
OBrien blocks a jab.
Kerzner jabs at OBrien's body.
A big right from Kerzner misses.
OBrien tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Kerzner bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of OBrien's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kerzner fails to land with a series of punches.
Harold Kerzner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
OBrien tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kerzner swivels and escapes.
Harold Kerzner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter OBrien.
OBrien shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kerzner pinned against the cage. Kerzner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
OBrien shoots in looking for a takedown. Kerzner tries to sprawl out of it but OBrien keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kerzner manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kerzner is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
OBrien misses with a takedown
and Kerzner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

OBrien looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
OBrien is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
OBrien is breathing heavily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kerzner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kerzner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Harold Kerzner dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

OBrien fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
OBrien slips under a jab from Kerzner.
OBrien tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kerzner sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten OBrien somewhat.
Kerzner lands a jab to the nose.

Kerzner drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

OBrien throws Kerzner to one side and escapes!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OBrien is looking to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kerzner scores with a jab. OBrien acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
OBrien shoots in looking for a takedown but Kerzner manages to keep the fight standing, pushing OBrien's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Harold Kerzner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter OBrien.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kerzner leaves OBrien with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kerzner swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
OBrien takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kerzner fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kerzner dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

OBrien clinches up against the cage.
Kerzner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with OBrien's elbow.

OBrien has Kerzner pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. OBrien pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kerzner tumbling to the mat - OBrien dives into Kerzner's guard.
OBrien trying to control but Kerzner is working from the bottom.
Kerzner is pulling down on OBrien's head to control his posture.
Kerzner bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in OBrien's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
OBrien is wriggling around but Kerzner manages to pass to half guard.
OBrien wants to control but Kerzner is keeping busy.

Kerzner is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kerzner looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
OBrien gets back to full guard.
OBrien is trying to keep Kerzner in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kerzner trying to control the position from guard on top but OBrien is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kerzner wants to pass the guard but OBrien is keeping the position.
OBrien keeping moving, preventing Kerzner from controlling successfully.
OBrien keeping full guard, as Kerzner tries to pass.
Kerzner has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kerzner wants to control from the top but OBrien keeps moving.
Kerzner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. OBrien swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Kerzner is working hard here to advance position.

OBrien is looking for a triangle but Kerzner pushes his legs off easily.
Kerzner looking to pass the guard.
Peter OBrien has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A jab from OBrien does it's job there.
Kerzner punishes OBrien's body with a nice straight punch.
A left and a right from Kerzner both land. Nice combination.
Harold Kerzner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kerzner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from OBrien.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harold Kerzner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kerzner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harold Kerzner!