PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harald Harfager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Mcinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Mcinen's choice of entrance music: Korn - Right Now. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harfager
vs
Mcinen

188 cm
22
186 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 3 - 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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Mcinen!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Mcinen.
Mcinen throws a right and a left that Harfager avoids nicely.
Harfager tries to close the distance and clinch but Mcinen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harfager takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A bone on bone clash there as Harfager blocks the leg kick.
Harfager checks the leg kick nicely there.
Nice sprawl there from Mcinen as Harfager shoots in.
Harfager shoots in but Mcinen avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Harfager moves forwards but Mcinen connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Harfager shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mcinen can't keep his opponent in guard - Harfager advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Harfager is working for a submission of some sort.
Mcinen is trying to control but can't.
Mcinen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mcinen punching from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harfager is looking for submissions but instead, Mcinen has regained full guard.
Harfager trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcinen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mcinen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Harfager gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Harfager pushing down on Mcinen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Harfager is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Harfager is breathing heavily.
Harfager is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Mcinen!

Harfager is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

Harfager moves into the clinch.

Harfager manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harfager ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mcinen moves away.
Mcinen's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Mcinen duly obliges.
Harfager is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mcinen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Harfager fails in his attempt to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Mcinen.
Harfager tries to clinch but Mcinen is having none of it.

Harfager rushes Mcinen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mcinen managing to block the knees to the body from Harfager.
Mcinen prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harald Harfager. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mcinen is pressed up against the cage. Harfager has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mcinen down to the mat. Mcinen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Mcinen closes the distance and clinches.
Mcinen can't break the clinch.
Harfager stalling in the clinch but Mcinen improves position.
Harfager blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mcinen prevents a takedown attempt there.

Mcinen manages to break the clinch.
Mcinen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Harfager.
Nice sprawl there from Mcinen as Harfager shoots in.
Harfager tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Harfager.
Harfager throws a head kick that Mcinen semi-blocks.

Harfager closes the distance and clinches.
Harfager looking for a takedown.
Harfager connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mcinen's face.

Mcinen is rocked!

Harfager breaks from the clinch.
Mcinen is still on wobbly legs! Can Harfager finish him?
Harfager scores with the left hand. Mcinen knows he should have avoided that one.
Harfager shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mcinen but Mcinen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Harfager feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mcinen's calf.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mcinen seems to have recovered his senses.
Harfager drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mcinen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Harfager is looking to clinch but Mcinen is avoiding it.
Harfager tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mcinen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mcinen misses with the combination.
Crunch! Harfager slams his shin into Mcinen's torso.
Harfager tries to clinch but Mcinen is having none of it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Harfager tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mcinen wants to break free but Harfager has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harfager breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mcinen misses with a wild combination.
Harfager works Mcinen's body with a nice hook.

Harfager moves into the clinch.

Mcinen is fighting off a takedown attempt but Harfager is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Mcinen to the mat. Mcinen regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Mcinen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Harfager wants to pass the guard but Mcinen is keeping the position.
Harfager passes Mcinen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mcinen wants to control but Harfager is keeping busy.

Harfager is looking for a kimura here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mcinen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A decent looking body kick lands there for Harfager.
Mcinen tries to clinch
and Harfager counters with a series of strikes. Mcinen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Harfager is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harfager goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Harfager tries a head kick but it misses.
Mcinen has his takedown stuffed

and Harfager counters by moving into the clinch.
Mcinen has had enough of the clinch but Harfager keeps him there for the moment.
Mcinen is working for takedown but Harfager is calmly controlling the position for now.

Harfager breaks from the clinch.
Mcinen cracks Harfager with an open hand slap.

Harfager closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mcinen is in trouble now - Harfager has advanced to mount!
Harfager landing strikes, looking to finish!

Harfager looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Mcinen wants to control but Harfager is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcinen gets back to half guard.
Mcinen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Mcinen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mcinen scores with a nice shot.

Mcinen is looking for a triangle but Harfager pushes his legs off easily.
Harfager wants to control from the top but Mcinen keeps moving.
Harfager stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mcinen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Harfager looking to sit in guard and control but Mcinen gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mcinen stands and throws Harfager's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harfager tries to bench press Mcinen off him but Mcinen keeps the position.

Mcinen decides to stand back up.
Mcinen throws a good cross that connects.
Harfager takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Harfager is looking to clinch but Mcinen is avoiding it.

Harfager gets caught flat footed, as Mcinen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mcinen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Harfager's guard.
Harfager keeping moving, preventing Mcinen from controlling successfully.
Mcinen controlling from the top position.
Harfager lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mcinen!
Mcinen's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcinen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Mcinen is wriggling around trying to escape.

Harfager goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Mcinen is on top in guard.
Mcinen seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Harfager wants to sweep here but Mcinen controlling him for the moment.
Harald Harfager overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Harfager has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mcinen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mcinen scoring with punches to the head and body.

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.

Harfager isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mcinen stacks Harfager on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mcinen!
Harfager is looking for a sweep.
Harfager on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Harfager is trying to get back to half guard.

Mcinen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Harfager knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Harfager is trying to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mcinen wants to control but Harfager is keeping him busy.
Harfager tries to bench press Mcinen off him but Mcinen keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jake Mcinen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Harfager shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mcinen shoots in but Harfager avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Good shot there by Harfager.
Mcinen steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Harfager. That one must have hurt.
Harfager lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Harfager throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Harfager wants to clinch up but Mcinen keeps it at a distance.
Harfager throws a series of punches but Mcinen moves out of range.
Harald Harfager is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mcinen is looking to clinch but Harfager is avoiding it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Harfager tries for a takedown but Mcinen circles away easily
and Mcinen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mcinen tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Harfager counters with a straight right hand.
Harfager pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mcinen looks to clinch
and Harfager finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Mcinen clinches with his opponent.
Harfager can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harald Harfager. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mcinen has had enough of the clinch but Harfager keeps him there for the moment.
Harfager throws a knee to the head but misses.
Harfager makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Harfager stalls.

Harfager escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harfager throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcinen just misses with a punch to the body.
Mcinen takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Mcinen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harfager chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Mcinen stuffs the takedown.
Mcinen fails with the takedown

and Harfager counters by moving into the clinch.
Mcinen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Harfager throws an elbow but misses.
Harfager misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mcinen.
Harfager is working for takedown but Mcinen is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mcinen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Harfager drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Mcinen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Harfager drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harfager changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mcinen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Mcinen lands with a nice combination. Harfager backs away looking to recover.
Harfager looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mcinen is fending him off so far but Harfager persists. Nope, Mcinen circles away and we're back to standing.

Harfager clinches with his opponent.
Mcinen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mcinen is trying to break free.

Harfager manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcinen throws out a loose jab but Harfager uses good head movement to avoid it.

Harfager clinches up against the cage.
Harfager tries to score a body lock takedown but Mcinen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Harfager has picked Mcinen up - he's going for a ride! Harfager dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Harfager is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Mcinen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Harfager.
Mcinen is looking to escape.
Harfager tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mcinen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Mcinen actively working from the bottom here.
Mcinen is not content to let Harfager control the position.
Mcinen is pressing down on Harfager's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Mcinen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Harfager is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Mcinen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Harfager's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Harfager is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.
Mcinen tests Harfager's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Harfager throws a half hearted mid kick.
Harfager swats away the attempt to clinch by Mcinen.

Mcinen takes the fight into the clinch.
Mcinen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Mcinen breaks from the clinch.

Mcinen clinches.
Mcinen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Mcinen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Harfager closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Harfager lands in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mcinen is on top in guard.
Harfager wants to sweep here but Mcinen controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harfager working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mcinen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mcinen manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Harfager throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mcinen gets to his feet. Harfager looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harfager lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Harfager closes the distance but Mcinen moves to the side

and Mcinen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mcinen wants to break free but Harfager has control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harfager tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mcinen scores with a hook to the body.

Harfager breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Harfager swats away the attempt to clinch by Mcinen.
Mcinen lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

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 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

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