PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Daryl Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dan Hardy will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ward
vs
Hardy

170 cm
18
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
173 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Golden supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Daryl Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward swinging wildly here.
Ward throws a series of punches but Hardy avoids them all with ease.
Hardy shoots in but no luck this time.
Hardy shoots for a takedown but Ward saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ward tries to clinch but Hardy moves out of range.
Hardy shoots for a takedown but Ward saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Daryl Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Hardy.
Hardy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hardy closes the distance and clinches up with Ward, looking for a takedown. Hardy pushes Ward against the cage but Ward circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ward is looking to clinch.
Hardy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ward is looking to clinch but Hardy is avoiding it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardy shoots in looking for a takedown. Ward tries to sprawl out of it but Hardy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ward manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Ward clinches up with Hardy and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward stalling.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Ward working Hardy over with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Ward.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A swing and a miss from Ward.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Ward circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardy fails with the takedown.
Hardy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hardy fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hardy dodges the punch combination from Ward.
Hardy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ward sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hardy somewhat.
Hardy avoids the head kick by Ward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward tries to clinch but Hardy is having none of it.

Hardy tries to keep at a distance but Ward has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hardy changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ward fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hardy looks for a takedown but Ward sprawls well.
Hardy looks gassed!
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hardy.
Ward misses with a two punch combination.
Hardy uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ward.
Hardy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ward as he avoids it easily.
Daryl Ward is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward forces Hardy back against the cage and clinches.
Hardy being controlled against the cage.
Ward looking to throw knees to the head but Hardy is blocking nicely.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardy, pushing him back against the cage.
Ward lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hardy misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hardy goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ward prevents it.
Ward slowing the pace effectively.

Ward breaks from the clinch.

Ward closes the distance and clinches.
Ward slows down the pace here.
Ward gets underhooks to prevent Hardy's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ward breaks the clinch.
Hardy shoots in and drives through. Ward sprawls well.
Ward is looking to clinch.
Ward keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hardy takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Ward has managed to clinch.
Ward lands a good knee to the midsection. Hardy won't want to take too many of those.
Ward comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Ward landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Knees to the body from Ward.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward clinches with his opponent.

Ward breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Ward.

Hardy tries to keep at a distance but Ward has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daryl Ward dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ward throws a head kick that misses.

Ward rushes Hardy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch.
Ward stuffs the takedown.

Ward gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hardy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hardy wants a takedown.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hardy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Daryl Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Hardy.
Ward tries to clinch but Hardy is having none of it.
Hardy shoots in for a double leg but Ward sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Ward has Hardy up against the cage in a clinch.
Ward with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Hardy is breathing heavily.
Ward gets underhooks to prevent Hardy's takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Ward.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ward putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hardy in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ward scores with a hook to the body.
Ward lands a knee to the head.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hardy lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ward scores a nice knee to the body.
Ward misses with a knee strike.
Ward working Hardy over with knees to the body.
Ward slowing the pace effectively.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hardy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hardy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Ward gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward lands an elbow inside that Hardy shrugs off.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ward.
Ward lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hardy backwards.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ward avoiding damage.
Ward connects with a knee to the head.
Ward landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ward comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Ward dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ward scores a nice knee to the body.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ward lands an elbow that stopped Hardy in his tracks for a moment.
Ward working Hardy over with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ward.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hardy counters with a three punch combo that has Ward backing up. Ward nods at Hardy to acknowledge the strikes.

Ward moves into range and clinches up with Hardy.
A knee to the head by Ward.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ward clinches up with Hardy and pushes him back against the cage.
Daryl Ward has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hardy takes a knee to the side of the body.
Ward lands with a short shot to the head.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hardy swats away the attempt to clinch by Ward.
Ward tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ward looks to land a left hand but Hardy moved out of range nicely.
Hardy shoots in for a takedown but Ward shows good takedown defense.
Ward throws a right and a left that Hardy avoids nicely.
Ward is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ward swinging wildly here.
Hardy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ward is fending him off so far but Hardy persists. Nope, Ward circles away and we're back to standing.

Ward fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hardy, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ward lands a knee to the head.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ward digs a right hand underneath Hardy's ribcage. Hardy let out a lung full of air as it connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daryl Ward dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ward throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Ward circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ward looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Ward forces Hardy back against the cage and clinches.
Ward is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hardy can do to turn this around?
Ward slowing the pace effectively.
Ward gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hardy.
Ward working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hardy dodges the punch combination from Ward.
Hardy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardy looks for a takedown but Ward sprawls well.
Hardy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ward as he avoids it easily.
Daryl Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Hardy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ward looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ward tries to close the distance and clinch but Hardy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ward gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ward tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hardy avoids it.

Ward breaks the clinch.
Ward throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Ward misses with a wild combination.
Ward closes the distance but Hardy moves to the side

and Hardy holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ward is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Ward.
Ward stalling.
Hardy is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ward gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ward lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ward lands an elbow inside.

Ward breaks from the clinch.

Ward gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hardy looking for a takedown.
Ward has Hardy pressed against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ward.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Ward tries to clinch there but Hardy circles away.
A combination from Ward does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward tries to clinch but Hardy is having none of it.

Ward has managed to clinch.
Ward stops a takedown attempt from Hardy.
Stalling in the clinch from Ward.
Ward cracks Hardy with a nice body shot.
Come on Ward - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ward lands a good knee to the midsection. Hardy won't want to take too many of those.
The referee calls for Ward to work.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ward closes the distance but Hardy moves to the side

and Hardy counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hardy.

Hardy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to stand and escape but Hardy is having none of it.

Hardy drops back looking for a leg! Ward is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ward manages to kick Hardy off! Hardy jumps back into Ward's guard.
Ward wants to stand up but Hardy is controlling him.

Hardy is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Dan Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daryl Ward is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ward working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hardy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daryl Ward showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ward, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:25
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:25
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daryl Ward!