PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Bellavia (ranked 1732 p4p, 2170 weight class) and Benjamin Harris (ranked 130 p4p, 163 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bellavia
vs
Harris

170 cm
30
134
12 - 4 - 0

174 cm
22
144
7 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Antonio Bellavia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benjamin Harris!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Paul Tew and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bellavia keeps the fight on the outside.
We've been hearing reports that Bellavia has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Harris scores with a jab to the body.
Bellavia scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Harris doesn't seem bothered though.
Harris throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harris takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Harris throws the kick towards the body but Bellavia avoids it.

Bellavia closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Harris is trying to improve his position.
Sloppy strikes there by Bellavia.
Bellavia looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Harris is avoiding damage well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harris is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Harris's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellavia wants to control but Harris is keeping him busy.

Bellavia thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bellavia wants to control but Harris is keeping him busy.
Harris avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Bellavia.
Harris is trying to control Bellavia's posture but Bellavia avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harris is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Harris is not content to let Bellavia control the position.
Harris can't do much from the bottom here.
Harris is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellavia wants to lay and pray for a moment but Harris keeps working.
Harris seems a little lost for a moment, as Bellavia dominates the positioning.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bellavia shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Harris defends it nicely.
Bellavia dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Harris gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bellavia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris keeping moving, preventing Bellavia from controlling successfully.
Bellavia makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bellavia preventing the sweep.
Bellavia working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Bellavia won't allow Harris to get back to his feet.
Bellavia trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bellavia throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bellavia trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
Harris working a defensive guard here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Bellavia dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Harris throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bellavia's head.
Bellavia lands with a nice body punch.
Harris cracks Bellavia with a right hand to the side of the head.
Harris misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bellavia throws a body shot but no joy.
Harris misses with a head kick.
Harris scores with a head kick. Bellavia tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Nice body punch from Bellavia.
Bellavia is looking to wear down Harris with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Harris lands with a hook. Bellavia tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Bellavia blocks a head kick by Harris.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bellavia throws a body punch but Harris moves out of range.
Bellavia looks to score with a jab to the body but Harris is just out of range.
Bellavia swings for the body but Harris moves out of range.
Benjamin Harris seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harris throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bellavia.
Bellavia takes a swing at Harris's ribcage but misses.
Despite the aggression on Harris's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Benjamin Harris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bellavia.
Bellavia goes for a double leg but Harris avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Harris continues to drive forward.

Harris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bellavia.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Bellavia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A combination from Harris does no damage.
Benjamin Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bellavia tries for a takedown but Harris sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As Bellavia backs off Harris throws a huge counter combo but Bellavia manages to avoid it all.
Bellavia tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Harris defends well and Bellavia ends up having to push Harris into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Harris is pushing Bellavia up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Harris has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Bellavia uses from the top position.
Bellavia trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Antonio Bellavia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bellavia stands up over Harris, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bellavia working some strikes from top position.
Harris avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Harris is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bellavia trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harris is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bellavia is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris connects with a leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Bellavia.
Harris uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bellavia.
Harris lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Bellavia shoots in for a takedown but Harris shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Harris misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bellavia.
Harris unleashes a big counter combination but Bellavia bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Harris tries a head kick but it misses.
Left hook, right uppercut from Harris.
Harris throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bellavia is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Harris.

Bellavia gets a double leg takedown into Harris's guard.
Harris wants to stand up but Bellavia is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Bellavia avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Harris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bellavia content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bellavia tries to free his leg and advance position but Harris is retaining full guard.
Bellavia slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Harris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Bellavia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Harris swinging wildly here.
Harris swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Harris lands with a slapping head kick.
Harris scores with a kick to the body.
Bellavia misses with a body shot.
Bellavia shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Harris clinches.
Harris lands a nice shot to the body.
Harris tries to throw a body punch but Bellavia avoids it by throwing Harris back against the cage.
Harris leaning his opponent against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bellavia wants to take the fight to the mat but Harris manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Harris breaks from the clinch.
Bellavia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Harris tries to avoid it but Bellavia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Harris to the ground. Harris escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antonio Bellavia. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris looks to score with a jab to the body but Bellavia is just out of range.
Harris will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
As Harris tries to get set, Bellavia tries to push him back and clinch up but Harris manages to avoid the attempt.
Harris lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Harris throws a nice head kick!
Harris has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Harris misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bellavia.
Bellavia looks to score with a jab to the body but Harris is just out of range.
Bellavia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harris as he avoids it easily.
Harris throws a series of punches but Bellavia moves out of range.
Bellavia dives in and grabs Harris's left leg, looking for a takedown. Harris pushes down on Bellavia's head and hops out.
Harris misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bellavia seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Bellavia has his takedown stuffed
and Harris counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harris has managed to clinch.
Harris has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Harris gets underhooks to prevent Bellavia's takedown attempt.
A right hand to the body from Harris.

Harris breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harris displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bellavia.
Harris looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Harris defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bellavia.
A low kick lands for Harris.
Bellavia fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bellavia closes the distance and clinches up with Harris, looking for a takedown. Bellavia pushes Harris against the cage but Harris circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bellavia shoots in for a double leg but Harris sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Despite the aggression on Harris's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Harris forces Bellavia back against the cage and clinches.
Bellavia is trying to pull guard but Harris turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris just leaning against Bellavia, taking a breather.
A nice left hand lands by Harris.
Harris lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bellavia backwards.
A short body shot lands from Harris as the two fighters clinch.
Harris lands with a left to the head.

Harris manages to break the clinch.
Bellavia fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Harris closes the distance and clinches.

Harris's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harris lands a body shot.
Bellavia avoids a punch combination nicely.
Harris wants to clinch.
No luck for Bellavia with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bellavia shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Bellavia was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harris tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bellavia cracks Harris with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Bellavia 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.
Harris is looking for a sweep.
An elbow from Bellavia crashes against the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benjamin Harris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Harris has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Harris!