PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Benjamin Harris (ranked 1589 p4p, 1956 weight class) and Eddie Young (ranked 130 p4p, 149 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.

Harris
vs
Young

174 cm
23
144
9 - 4 - 0

170 cm
24
142
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benjamin Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eddie Young!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Steve Smith and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Young throws a head kick that misses.
Young scores with a crisp jab that stopped Harris in his tracks.
Jab from Young.
Young throws a right hand that Harris ducks under and follows up with a left that Harris also avoids with ease.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Harris is defended easily by Young.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Young! But no joy.
Harris fails with a takedown attempt.
Harris throws a sloppy head kick and Young moves out of range easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young misses with a few strikes there.
Harris goes for a double leg but Young avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Young continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Benjamin Harris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Young is struggling to control the position.

Harris lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris prevents Young from standing back up.

Harris is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Young as he works his way to full guard.
Harris tries to stand but Young is controlling from the bottom.

Harris is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Young is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Young has escaped and now he's on top!

Harris wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Harris bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Young's guard.

Harris is looking to stand up but Young won't let him.
Harris trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.

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

Harris has Young pulled in close to control his posture.
Harris wants to stand up but Young is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris looking to hit a scissor sweep but Young is one step ahead there.
Young is looking to stand up but Harris won't let him.
Harris trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Young stopping the sweep attempt from Harris.
Harris wants to stand and escape but Young is having none of it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Harris holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
Young throws a series of punches but Harris moves out of range.
Harris doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Young counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Young with a nice cross.
Young throws a series of strikes that have Harris backpedaling.
Sloppy strikes from Young. Those never looked like landing.
Harris was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Harris shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Harris trying to pass the guard but Young defending well.

Harris is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Young dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Young looks to score with a jab to the body but Harris is just out of range.
Young throws a sloppy head kick and Harris moves out of range easily.
Harris takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Young has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Young displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Harris.
Eddie Young seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Young throws a big shot that misses.
Harris appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Young gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Harris to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Young has his feet on Harris's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Harris looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Young throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Harris counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Harris shoots in looking for a takedown. Young tries to sprawl out of it but Harris keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Young manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young misses with a double jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Harris misses the target.
Nice uppercut there from Young.
Decent striking displayed by Young there.
Young misses with a right hand

and Harris counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Harris wants to stand and escape but instead Young has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Harris seems keen to control Young's posture.

Harris is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Young presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Harris keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Young's efforts to push away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Harris gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Harris slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Harris trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harris wants to get up but he can't break Young's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Harris wants to stand and escape but instead Young has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Young must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris pulls Young in close to his closed guard and prevents Young from doing any damage or advancing position.
Young would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Harris wants to improve his position but instead Young has moved into half guard.
Harris tries to roll over but Young keeps him under control.
Harris is working hard here to advance position.
Harris is controlling Young's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Young stands up and beckons Harris to join him on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Young showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Young punishes Harris's body with a nice straight punch.
Young on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Young swinging wildly here.
Young misses the shot to the body.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Young - that will leave a mark!
Young misses with an uppercut
and Harris counters with a two punch combo.
Eddie Young seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harris keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Young misses with a hook. Harris ducked under it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris blocks a jab.
Young moves out of range as Harris throws a body kick.
Young throws out a counter right but Harris avoids it with no problem.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Harris is defended easily by Young.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Young cracks Harris with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Young throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Harris sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Harris avoids the body shot from Young.
Harris on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Young misses with a straight right.
Young throws a left and a right that both miss
and Harris counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Harris fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Benjamin Harris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harris closes the distance and clinches up with Young, looking for a takedown. Harris pushes Young against the cage but Young circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Young throws an off balance right hand
and Harris connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Young throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Young throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Young scores with a nice body kick.

Harris has managed to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harris has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Young after a bit of a struggle.

Harris wants the takedown. Young is fighting it off but Harris persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Young's guard against the cage.

Young manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Benjamin Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Young.
Young lands a nice looking body shot.
Young misses with a wild combination.
Young fails to land with a series of punches.

Harris shoots in and gets a takedown into Young's guard.
Harris would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Benjamin Harris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Young manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Young breaks from the clinch.
Young pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Harris dives in and scores a takedown into Young's guard.

Harris has gone for a leg lock! Young slips out almost immediately though and dives into Harris's guard.

Harris trying to keep a closed guard but Young is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Harris.
Harris is trying to control but can't.
Benjamin Harris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harris is pressing down on Young's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Young wants to stand but Harris has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harris tries to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Young comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Young winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddie Young!