PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Reed (ranked 997 p4p, 2022 weight class) and Jamil Hurst (ranked 139 p4p, 252 weight class). Hurst has chosen Keep Their Heads Ringin' as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Reed
vs
Hurst

200 cm
40
198
30 - 22 - 3

188 cm
29
201
15 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Northern Zombie
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 30 - 22 - 3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ben Reed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jamil Hurst!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Reed finds it's way through Hurst's defenses.
Reed throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Hurst just misses with a punch to the body.
Hurst throws a jab when Reed was well out of range.
Reed throws a leg kick that is checked
and Hurst counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Reed misses with a straight left.
Reed throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hurst takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A jab from Hurst misses.
Hurst ducks under a wild hook from Reed.
Reed throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Hurst counters with a nice uppercut.
A left lands for Reed.
Reed fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hurst manages to avoid it.
Hurst with the counter takedown but Reed avoids it easily.
Reed dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hurst. That did some damage!
Hurst throws out a loose jab but Reed uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reed has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Crapollas Gym in the buildup to the fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reed tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hurst or perhaps it was just good defense by Reed, which made it look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Reed. Hurst does a little dance to reset his feet.
A jab from Reed misses.
Reed really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hurst uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Reed.
Hurst drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Reed defends it well.
Hurst moves out of range of the body kick from Reed.
Reed throws a body punch but Hurst moves out of range.
And Hurst tries to counter it with a takedown but Reed pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Hurst doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Reed throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hurst throws out a loose jab but Reed uses good head movement to avoid it.
Reed takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Ben Reed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Hurst dives in and scores a takedown into Reed's guard.
Hurst postures up.
Hurst trying to control the position from guard on top but Reed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reed controlling Hurst's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Reed is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hurst throws a big right hand that misses.
Hurst is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hurst lands a couple of digs.
Hurst has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hurst working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Reed keeping moving, preventing Hurst from controlling successfully.
Reed working a defensive guard here.
Hurst content to stall in guard here.
Hurst is fighting to break Reed's control of his arms but Reed is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hurst stands up over Reed, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Hurst thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hurst scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hurst trying to control the position from guard on top but Reed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hurst postures up.
Reed pulls Hurst in to control the position.
Reed controls Hurst momentarily but Hurst frees himself.
Hurst throwing strikes but missing.
Reed is pulling down on Hurst's head. It's preventing any offense from Hurst, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed trying to keep a closed guard but Hurst is proving a slippery customer.
Hurst trying to control the position from guard on top but Reed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Hurst trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hurst throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Reed pulls Hurst in close to prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hurst checks a low kick from Reed.
Reed lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hurst circles away quickly and effectively.
Reed swings for the body but Hurst moves out of range.
Hurst on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hurst wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hurst digs a good hook to Reed's body.
Hurst keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Reed.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jamil Hurst 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.

Reed lands with a good body shot.
Reed moves into range and connects with a jab.
Reed misses with a looping left.
And Hurst tries to counter it with a takedown but Reed pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Reed motions for Hurst to come forward. Reed throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ben Reed is winning the standup battle so far.
Hurst blocks a head kick by Reed.

Hurst shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Reed avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Reed utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hurst working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hurst stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Reed swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Reed pulls Hurst in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hurst sitting in guard here, content to control.
Reed is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hurst wants to control from the top but Reed keeps moving.
Reed trying to keep a closed guard but Hurst is proving a slippery customer.
Hurst sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jamil Hurst has got the better of the ground game so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Reed holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Reed's corner calls for a 1-2. Reed obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Reed thuds his right hand into Hurst's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Hurst darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hurst is pressing down on Reed's thigh, looking to free his foot. Reed is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed tries to roll over but Hurst keeps him under control.

Hurst is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Reed defends it well.
Reed wants to get back to full guard.
Reed is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hurst's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hurst's back!
Reed has the hooks in. Hurst is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reed is looking to control Hurst but Hurst is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Reed will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I really don't envy Hurst right now.
Reed wants to control the position but Hurst frees himself and scrambles - Reed manages to regain control in side control.
Reed advances to full mount.
Reed controlling from mount.
Reed prevents Hurst from getting the reversal.
Reed looking to control but Hurst is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Reed controlling the position easily from mount.
Hurst wants to hold on but Reed pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hurst is looking to get to half guard.
Reed controlling from the full mount.
Hurst is squirming around, avoiding Reed's attempts to control the action.
Hurst is working to get back to half guard.
Hurst is still trying to improve position.
Reed looking to control but Hurst is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Reed wants to stand but Hurst is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Hurst regains half guard.
Reed is taking a breather. Hurst says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Reed dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Hurst throws a body punch but Reed moves out of range.
A combination from Hurst does no damage.
Hurst drops his hands momentarily and Reed takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A big left from Reed misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Hurst misses the target.
Hurst scores with a sloppy right hand. Reed should have avoided that one.
Reed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hurst scores with a body shot.
Hurst staying out of range there.
Reed throws a shot from downtown. Hurst moves away and avoids it.
Hurst unleashes a big counter combination but Reed bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reed throws a head kick that misses.
Reed stuns Hurst with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Reed misses with a low kick.
Hurst tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Reed was well out of range. Poor timing from Hurst.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hurst throws a lazy right hand but Reed sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hurst changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hurst throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hurst takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Hurst misses with a body shot.
Hurst uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Reed.
Hurst changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Hurst rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Reed counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Hurst rushes Reed and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Reed tries to throw a body punch but Hurst avoids it by throwing Reed back against the cage.

Reed escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No joy there for Hurst, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hurst closes this distance looking for a takedown but Reed circles away.
Hurst just misses with a punch to the body.
Hurst fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Reed is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Hurst takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reed swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hurst throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hurst fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Reed manages to avoid it.
Reed moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reed lands with a cross.
Hurst takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hurst. Reed does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hurst sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A big left from Reed misses.
Hurst throws a body punch but Reed moves out of range.
Hurst with a jab.
Reed throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Reed feints and then cracks Hurst's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hurst down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reed pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reed throws a head kick that misses.
Reed scores with a body shot.
Hurst rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Reed moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Reed lands with a right hand.
Reed cracks Hurst with an open hand slap.

Hurst shoots in and gets a takedown into Reed's guard.
Hurst stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Reed swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Reed is pulling down on Hurst's head to control his posture.
Hurst scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reed pulls Hurst in close to prevent any damage.
Hurst throwing strikes but missing.
Hurst trying to control the position from guard on top but Reed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hurst prevents Reed from getting back to his feet.
Hurst wants to control from the top but Reed keeps moving.
Reed has Hurst pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Reed listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

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 Ben Reed.
I think Reed 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Reed!