PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harald Harfager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tur Cote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tur Cote has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Harfager
vs
Cote

188 cm
22
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harald Harfager!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tur Cote!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harfager keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Harfager closes the distance and clinches up with Cote, looking for a takedown. Harfager pushes Cote against the cage but Cote circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harfager.

Harfager decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Harfager tries to pass to full mount but Cote defends it.

Harfager is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cote doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Harfager.
It looks like Harfager is going to stand back up.

Harfager trying to work for an americana but Cote has managed to regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cote is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Harfager tries to free his leg and advance position but Cote is retaining full guard.
Harfager is breathing heavily.
Harfager trying to control the position from guard on top but Cote is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No joy there for Cote, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cote shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Harfager pinned against the cage. Harfager gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Cote darts in and clinches Harfager up against the cage.
Cote is trying to break free.
Cote taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Cote breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harfager throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cote shoots and misses

and Harfager counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Harfager.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tur Cote.
Cote wants to sweep here but Harfager controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cote working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Harfager doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Harfager manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Harfager looking to pass the guard.
Cote is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Harfager trying to control the position from guard on top but Cote is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cote has a closed guard, preventing Harfager from standing up.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Harfager looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Cote has picked Harfager up and slammed him! Harfager can't keep hold of the triangle and Cote manages to pass to side control!
Harfager wants to control but Cote postures up.
Harfager sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harfager is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Harfager wants to sweep but Cote has passed to side control!
Harfager is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four 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.

Cote stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Cote lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cote fails with the takedown.
Nice shot lands for Cote.
Harfager shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cote but Cote pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cote tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A good leg kick by Cote.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cote throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Harfager scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cote doesn't seem bothered though.

Harfager fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cote, pushing him back against the cage.

Harfager breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harfager wants to clinch up but Cote keeps it at a distance.
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 Harald Harfager will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Harfager gets a takedown into half guard.

Harfager is looking for a kimura here.
Harfager is keen to just control but Cote is a slippery customer.
Harfager is looking to stall here but Cote recovers full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cote holds on and takes a little breather.
Cote is breathing heavily.

Harfager drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Cote manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Harfager has Cote in his guard.

Harfager has an active guard here but Cote has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cote decides to stand up.

Cote shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cote showed some decent athleticism there.
Harfager is looking to control Cote's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Harfager avoid being mounted?
Harfager tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Cote has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Harfager is looking to improve his position but Cote isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cote putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Harfager is desperately trying to improve his position but Cote has a good base and remains in mount.
Harfager really wants to buck Cote off and get back to his feet.
Cote controlling the pace for now.
Harfager is in all sorts of trouble here.

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.
Cote tries to control but Harfager wriggling away.
Harfager is desperately trying to improve his position but Cote has a good base and remains in mount.
Cote controlling the position easily from mount.
Harfager is desperately trying to improve his position but Cote has a good base and remains in mount.
Harfager is working hard here to advance position.
Cote avoids the attempt from Harfager to control.
Harfager is desperately trying to improve his position but Cote has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tur Cote showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cote tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Harfager counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Harfager is looking to stand up but Cote won't let him.
Cote pulls Harfager in close to prevent any damage.
Harfager stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cote swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Harfager scoring with punches to the head and body.
Harfager trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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

Harfager looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Cote has picked Harfager up and slammed him! Harfager can't keep hold of the triangle and Cote manages to pass to side control!
Harald Harfager overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cote working the body and head with strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Harfager is not content to let Cote control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cote wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Harfager sneaks back into half guard.
Harfager is trying is best to control the position here.
Harfager is trying to control but Cote manages to pass to mount!
Harfager tries to hold on but Cote pushes him away.
Harfager is desperately trying to improve his position but Cote has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Harfager wants to control but Cote is having none of it.
Harfager slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Harfager regains full guard. Nicely done.
Harfager controls Cote momentarily but Cote frees himself.
Cote wants to control from the top but Harfager keeps moving.

Harfager throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Harfager throws his legs up looking for a submission but Cote uses it to pass to side control.
Harfager is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Harfager explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Cote gets a takedown into half guard.
Cote prevents Harfager from standing back up.
Harfager wants to control but Cote is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Harfager wants to control but Cote passes into side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cote tries to advance to mount but can't.
Harfager tries to improve position but can't.
Cote controls the position.
Harfager tries to improve position but can't.
Harfager struggling a bit here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harfager slips a jab and a cross from Cote.

Harfager pushes Cote up against the cage in a clinch.
Cote gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Harfager.
Harfager changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cote fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Harfager shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harald Harfager showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Harfager 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harald Harfager!