PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Takeshi Murata (ranked 4927 p4p, 4543 weight class) and Bruce Hardman (ranked 351 p4p, 342 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Murata
vs
Hardman

174 cm
19
149
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
152
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Takeshi Murata!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bruce Hardman!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Murata.
Hardman throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Murata sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hardman gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Murata counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A jab from Hardman misses.
Hardman digs a good hook to Murata's body.
Nice sprawl there from Murata as Hardman shoots in.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Murata.
Hardman avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murata has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takeshi Murata. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hardman misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Murata is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hardman.
Hardman avoids the head kick by Murata.
A slow jab from Hardman misses its intended target.
Hardman misses with a looping left.

Murata drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hardman tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Murata seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Hardman controls Murata momentarily but Murata frees himself.

Hardman is looking for a triangle but Murata pushes his legs off easily.
Murata stopping the sweep attempt from Hardman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murata controlling from the top position.
Murata throws a strike but Hardman rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hardman drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Murata dives on top into guard.

Hardman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Murata with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hardman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hardman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murata is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hardman is keen to just control but Murata is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardman missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Murata gets back to full guard.
Hardman trying to control but Murata is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Murata pulls Hardman in close to his closed guard and prevents Hardman from doing any damage or advancing position.
Murata wants to sweep but no luck.
Murata preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hardman wants to control from the top but Murata keeps moving.
Hardman won't allow Murata to sweep him here.

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.
Hardman postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hardman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Murata looking for a guillotine here but Hardman defends easily.
Hardman wants to pass the guard but Murata is keeping the position.
Hardman sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hardman trying to control the position from guard on top but Murata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murata throws a combination. Hardman tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bruce Hardman will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hardman scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Murata makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

It looks like Bruce Hardman has been cut.

Murata clinches.
Hardman tries to stall but Murata uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hardman has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Murata after a bit of a struggle.

Murata jumps into guard, dragging Hardman to the mat.
Hardman is looking to stand up but Murata won't let him.

Murata is looking for a triangle but Hardman pushes his legs off easily.
Murata is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hardman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murata missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hardman is looking for a sweep. Murata is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Murata stands up out of the half guard.

Murata instigates a clinch.
Hardman looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Murata manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hardman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hardman throwing strikes but missing.
Hardman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hardman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hardman trying to control the position from guard on top but Murata is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murata swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murata bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hardman's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardman had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Murata defends it easily.

Hardman working for submissions but it's allowed Murata to get to half guard.
Murata has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Murata working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hardman blocking the ground and pound.
Murata dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardman is wriggling around trying to escape.
Murata sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hardman taking shots to the head.
Hardman is looking to improve his position but Murata isn't that keen on the idea.
Murata looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardman tries to control the position but Murata now has his back.
Murata keeps control of the position as Hardman tries to break free.
Hardman is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Hardman is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Murata trying to control momentarily.
Murata is not going to allow Hardman to sit and survive in this position.
Hardman wants to escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Takeshi Murata dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bruce Hardman's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hardman thows a left - swing and a miss!
Murata connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Murata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardman.
Murata attempts a counter takedown but Hardman avoids it well and moves away.
Murata shoots and misses
and Hardman counters with a one-two to the body.
Murata uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardman.
Murata lands a nice looking body shot.
Hardman throws a predictable looking body shot
and Murata counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Murata instigates a clinch.
Hardman stops a takedown attempt from Murata.
Murata tries to score a body lock takedown but Hardman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takeshi Murata. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Murata has Hardman pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Murata pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Hardman tumbling to the mat - Murata dives into Hardman's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardman wants to sweep but no luck.
Murata stands and throws Hardman's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Murata is looking to take a break and control but Hardman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Murata controlling from side mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Hardman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

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.
Hardman is looking to reverse the position.
Murata is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hardman will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Murata misses with the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Hardman's face as Murata controls the position.

Murata tries for a kimura but Hardman is defending well.
Murata working away.
Hardman is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardman manages to get back to half guard.
Hardman trying to control from the bottom.
Hardman is in trouble now - Murata has advanced to mount!
Murata sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Murata manages to capitalize on a mistake by Hardman to take his back!
Hardman trying to control but not successfully.
Hardman tries to break free.
Murata connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Hardman to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murata is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

Hardman preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Murata.
Murata tries to keep control of the position but Hardman is staying busy.
Hardman rolls, trying to escape but Murata keeps control of the position.
Murata trying to control.
Murata keeps control of the position as Hardman tries to break free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Murata showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Murata has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takeshi Murata!