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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ben Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evgeni Klebanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harper kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Welcome To Jamrock. Klebanov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Your Worst Nightmare. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 175 cm
27
158 lbs
12 - 10 - 1 |
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168 cm
28
166 lbs
19 - 8 - 1 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong |
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Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
12 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ben Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
19 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Evgeni Klebanov!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Klebanov. Klebanov obviously looking to wear him down.
Klebanov scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Harper tries to clinch but Klebanov is having none of it.
Harper fails to land the takedown.
Jab by Klebanov.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Klebanov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Harper tries to clinch but Klebanov moves out of range.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Klebanov with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Klebanov lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Harper tries to clinch there but Klebanov circles away.
Harper staying out of range there.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Klebanov counters with a left to the body.
Klebanov keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Klebanov counters with a good, hard body kick but Harper shrugs it off.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Klebanov pushes him off.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Harper gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Harper wants to get up but he can't break Klebanov's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Harper looking to pass the guard.
Harper trying to control the position from guard on top but Klebanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harper stands up from Klebanov's guard - Harper perhaps looking for a knockout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harper darts in and clinches Klebanov up against the cage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper misses with a knee strike.
Harper throws a knee to the head but misses.
Harper landing knees to the head.
Harper tries a knee to the head but Klebanov blocks it.
Klebanov can't find room to land a body shot as Harper controls the action.
Harper with a knee to the head.
Harper landing knees to the head.
Harper tries to land a knee to the head but Klebanov blocks with his arms.
Nice body punch from Klebanov.
Nice body punch from Klebanov - that landed with a thud.
Klebanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harper tries a knee to the head but Klebanov blocks it.
Klebanov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Klebanov tries to work over Harper's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Klebanov lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A short right from Klebanov.
Klebanov tries to throw a body punch but Harper avoids it by throwing Klebanov back against the cage.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harper tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Klebanov avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good body shot from Klebanov.
Klebanov lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Harper prevents a body shot from Klebanov.
Klebanov misses with the head strike.
Harper misses with a knee to the head.
Klebanov lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harper backwards.
Klebanov lands a hook that snaps the head of Harper backwards.
Harper tries a knee to the head but Klebanov blocks it.
Harper looking to throw knees to the head but Klebanov is blocking nicely.
Harper is breathing heavily.
Harper is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Klebanov is defending well for now.
Harper utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Klebanov struggles to land a body shot inside as Harper controls his hands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Klebanov tries a body shot but Harper blocks it.
Klebanov tries to throw a body punch but Harper avoids it by throwing Klebanov back against the cage.
Klebanov scores with a shot to the side of Harper's head.
Klebanov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Klebanov tries a body shot but Harper blocks it.
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 Ben Harper will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!
Harper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Klebanov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harper takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Harper tries to clinch up
and Klebanov counters with a straight right hand.
Harper looks to clinch
and Klebanov counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Harper shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Klebanov as he avoids it easily.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Klebanov defends it nicely.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Klebanov counters with an inside leg kick.
Klebanov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Harper drives through and clinches with Klebanov against the cage.
Klebanov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harper using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Klebanov has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A short left from Klebanov.
Klebanov lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Harper or not.
Harper throws a knee to the head but misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Klebanov cracks Harper with a nice body shot.
Klebanov throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Harpers head.
Harper with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov lands a nice uppercut.
Klebanov manages to pull guard.
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!
Klebanov is pulling down on Harper's head. It's preventing any offense from Harper, at least for the moment.
Harper stands up and waves to Klebanov to follow him.
Harper tries to clinch up
enabling Klebanov to counter with a crisp jab.
Harper wants to clinch but Klebanov slips to the side
and Klebanov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harper darts in trying to clinch
and Klebanov counters by moving into the clinch.
Klebanov takes a knee right on the jaw!
Harper with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Klebanov can't find room to land a body shot as Harper controls the action.
Klebanov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Harper scores with a knee to the head.
Klebanov can't find room to land a body shot as Harper controls the action.
Harper is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Klebanov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Klebanov has picked Harper up - he's going for a ride! Klebanov dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Klebanov looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Klebanov is thwarting Harper's attempts to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Klebanov wants to pass to mount but Harper is defending the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Evgeni Klebanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!
Harper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Klebanov circles away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Klebanov.
Klebanov fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Harper tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Klebanov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ben Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harper tries to clinch
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Harper tries to clinch up
and Klebanov counters with a nice body shot.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Klebanov makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Klebanov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Harper tries to clinch but Klebanov moves out of range.
Klebanov closes the distance and clinches up with Harper, looking for a takedown. Klebanov pushes Harper against the cage but Harper circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Klebanov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Harper tries to clinch but Klebanov moves away
and Klebanov counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Harper thinking.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Klebanov counters with a thumping low kick.
Harper takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Harper tries to clinch
and Harper takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Klebanov is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Harper rather than just go for the knockout.
Klebanov explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Evgeni Klebanov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Klebanov looks to score with a jab to the body but Harper is just out of range.
Klebanov throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Harper stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Klebanov 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.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov fails to land the takedown.
Ben Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evgeni Klebanov.
Klebanov misses the shot to the body.
Klebanov keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper tries to clinch up but Klebanov circles away and keeps his distance.
Harper tries to clinch but Klebanov is having none of it.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Klebanov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Klebanov throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Klebanov moves into the clinch.
Klebanov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Klebanov avoiding damage as Harper throws knees to the body.
Klebanov misses with the head strike.
Klebanov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Knees to the body from Harper.
Harper scores with a knee to the head.
Klebanov lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harper backwards.
Harper crunches a lovely knee into Klebanov's ribcage.
Harper lands a good knee to the midsection. Klebanov won't want to take too many of those.
Klebanov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Klebanov can't find room to land a body shot as Harper controls the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Klebanov lands a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Klebanov as the two fighters clinch.
Harper scores a nice knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Harper.
Klebanov takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ben Harper.
I think Harper 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ben Harper!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
54% |
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