PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chong Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Deal Damatter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Chong Harper has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Harper
vs
Damatter

194 cm
21
190 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

185 cm
22
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chong Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Deal Damatter!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Damatter closes the distance and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Harper throws a head punch that misses.
Harper can't get the takedown.
Harper tries to score a body lock takedown but Damatter shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Damatter is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Harper can't fight it off and eventually Damatter manages to take the fight to the floor. Harper looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Harper thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Damatter drops back, looking for a kneebar! Harper looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Harper looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Harper!
Damatter can't do much from the bottom here.
Harper lands a few punches from side control.
Damatter is trying to improve his position.

Harper wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Damatter, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harper tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Harper has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Harper trying to control the action but Damatter is working from the bottom.
Sloppy strikes there by Harper.

Damatter bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Harper closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Harper lands in his opponent's guard.
Damatter wants to get back to his feet but Harper is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Harper wants to control from the top but Damatter keeps moving.
Harper is looking to stand up but Damatter won't let him.
Harper trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Harperis looking to pass into half guard but Damatter pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Damatter is in guard.
Damatter trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Damatter tries to clinch there but Harper circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to clinch there but Damatter circles away.
Harper tries to clinch but Damatter moves away

and Damatter counters by moving into the clinch.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chong Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper prevents the takedown attempt.
Harper has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Damatter avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Harper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harper wants to clinch.

Damatter has Harper up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damatter wants to break the clinch but can't.

Harper has hold of one of Damatter's legs. Damatter is fighting the takedown attempt but Harper gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Harper wants to control from the top but Damatter keeps moving.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Harper won't allow Damatter to sweep him here.
Damatter looking to control but Harper passes into half guard.
Damatter looks gassed!
Harper is pressing down on Damatter's thigh, looking to free his foot. Damatter is holding on for now.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
The fighters are battling for position here. Damatter manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chong Harper will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Harper circles away from the clinch attempt

so Harper counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Harper pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Damatter is keeping the position for now.
Harper trying to control the position from guard on top but Damatter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harper slips nicely into half guard.
Harper wants to stand but Damatter has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Damatter flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Harper is trying to work for a kimura but Damatter is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damatter is pressing down on Harper's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Damatter wants to stand up but Harper is controlling him.
Damatter is breathing heavily.
Damatter trying to control the position.
Harper trying to control the position from guard on top but Damatter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harper forces his way into half guard.
Harper looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Harper moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Damatter.
Harper is looking to take a break and control but Damatter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Harper tries for a kimura but Damatter is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Damatter's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper trying to control the position but Damatter is working away.
Damatter tries to improve position but can't.
Harper trying to control the action but Damatter is working from the bottom.

Harper working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Damatter is looking for a sweep.
Harper tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Harper moves out of range of the strikes.
Harper walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Harper drives through with a takedown into guard.
Damatter keeping moving, preventing Harper from controlling successfully.

Damatter has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Harper is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Damatter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chong Harper dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Harper scores with a leg kick.

Harper closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Harper is putting a hurting on Damatter here, landing some big shots from side control.
Damatter takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Harper controlling the position.
Harper lands a nice forearm strike.
Damatter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harper moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Harper is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Damatter has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper working the head with strikes.
Chong Harper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Check out the look on Harper's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Harper slows the pace down.
Damatter is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Harper has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Harper happy to just control the position for now.
Damatter takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper lands an elbow.
Harper wants to control but Damatter is keeping him busy.
Damatter can't do much from the bottom here.
Damatter is not content to let Harper control the position.
Damatter taking punishment in the form of punches.
Harper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damatter keeps working.
Harper working away.
Damatter takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Harper decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Harper scores with a head kick.

Harper fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Damatter sprawls well initially but Harper persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Harper working over Damatter with some ground and pound. Damatter looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Harper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Harper is looking for a kimura but Damatter is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Harper to get the leverage.

Harper is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Damatter is just riding it out for now. Harper eventually gives up the hold.

Damatter actively working from the bottom here.
Chong Harper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damatter has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Harper is working away from the top position though.
Damatter flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Damatter wants to get back to his feet.

Harper is trying to work for a kimura but Damatter is defending well.
Deal Damatter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harper with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harper is nestled in close to Damatter, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chong Harper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harper, 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:26
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chong Harper!