PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Delightful Panda (ranked 3594 p4p, 3184 weight class) and Kody Harbrant (ranked 341 p4p, 315 weight class). Kody Harbrant will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Panda
vs
Harbrant

150 cm
21
155
4 - 5 - 0

175 cm
24
155
6 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Delightful Panda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kody Harbrant!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harbrant lands a head shot.
Harbrant misses with a hook. Panda ducked under it nicely.
Harbrant 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.
Some wild striking there from Harbrant.

Panda fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Harbrant, pushing him back against the cage.

Panda pulls guard effortlessly.

Panda is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Panda looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Panda is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Panda throws his legs up looking for a submission but Harbrant uses it to pass to side control.
Panda tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda can't do much from the bottom here.
Panda is trying to improve his position.
Panda manages to get back to half guard.
Panda trying to control but Harbrant postures up.

Panda actively working from the bottom here.
Panda is looking to get back to full guard here but Harbrant has managed to pass to side control instead.

Harbrant has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Harbrant changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harbrant ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Panda moves away.

Panda gets the takedown into side control.

Panda tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Panda has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Panda is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Harbrant knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Panda is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Harbrant knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Harbrant is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Panda goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Harbrant has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Panda but great work by Harbrant.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Harbrant just content to control the position.
Panda tries to improve position but can't.
Harbrant gets to mount! Panda was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Panda is desperately trying to improve his position but Harbrant has a good base and remains in mount.
Panda is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Panda tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Panda is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panda wants to control but Harbrant is having none of it.
Panda is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Panda bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Panda slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Panda trying to control but Harbrant is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Panda is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kody Harbrant dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Panda has taken the fight to the clinch.

Panda manages to break the clinch.
Panda fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Harbrant avoids it really well and circles away.
Harbrant connects with a good right hand that stumbles Panda. Panda circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Panda scores with a takedown into Harbrant's guard.
Harbrant keeping moving, preventing Panda from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harbrant is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda slips nicely into half guard.

Panda 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.
Panda trying to control the pace.

Panda is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Panda passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Harbrant!

Panda is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Harbrant can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Harbrant is squirming around, avoiding Panda's attempts to control the action.
You get the feeling that Harbrant really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Panda is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Harbrant has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Panda moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Harbrant has worked his arm free - good work by Harbrant!

Panda goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Harbrant has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Panda but great work by Harbrant.
Panda is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Panda wants to control but Harbrant postures up.
Panda manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Panda is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Harbrant has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panda is looking to take a break and control but Harbrant is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Harbrant manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Panda keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Harbrant breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Panda clinches with his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harbrant is trying to break the clinch but Panda has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Panda tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harbrant just stands there and leans against the cage.
Panda is working for takedown but Harbrant is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Delightful Panda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harbrant working hard to break the clinch.
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 Delightful Panda will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Harbrant swinging wildly here.
Panda looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Panda clinches up against the cage.
Harbrant is trying to push Panda away but Panda has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Panda successfully pulls guard.

Panda is looking for a triangle here but Harbrant uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Panda is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Harbrant presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Panda might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Panda is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Harbrant avoids the attempt from Panda to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Panda really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Harbrant wants to take Panda's back but he can't do it this time.
Panda is desperately trying to improve his position but Harbrant has a good base and remains in mount.
Panda wants to hold on but Harbrant pushes him away.
Panda looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Panda tries to escape the position.
Panda staying busy and making it hard for Harbrant to control.
Harbrant biding his time, looking for the opening.
Panda tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Panda is trying to escape the mount.
Panda slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Panda is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Panda is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harbrant's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harbrant's back!

Harbrant preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Panda.

Panda has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Panda is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Harbrant knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Harbrant for a finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Panda looking for the choke from the back.

Panda has got one arm under Harbrant's chin. This could be trouble... Harbrant trying to control the other hand but Panda gets it free and sqeezes tight - just a matter of time now! Yep, Harbrant has tapped out! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Delightful Panda!