PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mick Odell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hardy
vs
Odell

190 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Steven Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mick Odell!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Hardy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hardy prevents a body shot from Odell.
Odell stops a takedown attempt from Hardy.
Hardy throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy controlling the action here for a moment.
Hardy throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy tries to land knees in the clinch but Odell avoids the damage to the body.
Odell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A right hook to the body lands for Hardy.

Odell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Odell has a takedown stuffed.

Hardy rushes Odell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hardy tries to stall but Odell uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy prevents the takedown attempt.
Odell has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Steven Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mick Odell.
Odell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hardy after a bit of a struggle.
Odell tries to pull guard but Hardy holds him up against the cage and eventually Odell drops back down to his feet.
Hardy prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hardy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Odell.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Hardy tightens his grip and picks Odell up, before dumping him to the ground. Odell manages to land in guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Odell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Odell looking for a guillotine here but Hardy defends easily.
Odell looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hardy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Odell counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Hardy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
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!

Odell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A head kick misses from Hardy.
Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Steven Hardy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Odell connects with a leg kick. Hardy looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hardy lands with a slapping head kick.
Odell keeps the fight on the outside.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Hardy clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Odell blocks it.
Hardy wants to get back to striking at distance but Odell won't allow it.
Odell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hardy prevents a takedown attempt there.

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

Hardy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Odell managing to block the knees to the body from Hardy.
Odell tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hardy smiles and moves away.
Odell moves to clinch but Hardy breaks away
and Hardy counters with a good low kick that Odell was not able to check.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Odell slips a jab and a cross from Hardy.
Odell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hardy takes a swing at Odell's ribcage but misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardy moves in looking to clinch but Odell pushes him off.
Hardy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Odell counters with a body kick that stops Hardy in his tracks momentarily.

Hardy pushes Odell up against the cage in a clinch.
Odell takes a knee to the side of the body.
Odell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hardy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Odell avoiding damage as Hardy throws knees to the body.
Hardy stops a takedown attempt from Odell.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hardy obliges.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Odell avoiding damage as Hardy throws knees to the body.
Odell takes an elbow to the temple.
Hardy lands a nice elbow.
Odell is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hardy throws a sloppy head kick and Odell moves out of range easily.
Odell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Steven Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Odell.

Hardy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hardy lands a knee to the body.
Steven Hardy has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hardy connects with a knee to the head.
Odell avoiding damage as Hardy throws knees to the body.

Hardy has clasped his hands together around Odell's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Odell is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hardy creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Odell sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Hardy stands up and beckons Odell to his feet.
Hardy shoots for a double leg takedown but Odell sprawls well. He's pushed Hardy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Odell circles away and keeps his distance.
Odell fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Steven Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mick Odell.

Hardy closes the distance and clinches.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Odell blocks it.
Hardy with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Odell avoids it.
Hardy tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Odell is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hardy pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Odell has Hardy pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hardy manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Hardy pulls guard.
Hardy is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Odell must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hardy trying to control the position.
Odell should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steven Hardy wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Hardy clinches with his opponent.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but Odell blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Odell is defending well for now.
Odell managing to block the knees to the body from Hardy.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hardy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Odell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Odell decides to pull guard.
Hardy trying to control but Odell is working from the bottom.

Hardy stands up from Odell's guard - Hardy perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Odell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hardy manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hardy throws a head kick that misses

and Odell counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hardy misses with an elbow strike.

Odell jumps into guard, dragging Hardy to the mat.
Hardy scoring with punches to the head and body.
Odell 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.
Hardy passes Odell's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Odell is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hardy scores with a couple of nice shots.

Hardy escapes and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Hardy dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Odell tries to clinch there but Hardy circles away.
Hardy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Odell keeps the fight on the outside.
Odell lands with a shot to the body.
Odell with a hook.
Hardy misses with a head kick.
Odell fails with a takedown attempt.
Odell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A head kick misses from Hardy.
Odell fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardy looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Odell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Odell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hardy swivels and escapes.
Steven Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mick Odell.

Odell tries to keep at a distance but Hardy has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Hardy comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hardy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Odell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hardy tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hardy connects with a nasty looking knee right to Odell's face.
Hardy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Odell blocks it with crossed arms.

Odell drags the fight down to the ground.
Odell keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy lands a couple of digs.
Hardy sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Odell keeps moving.
Hardy looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Steven Hardy has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Odell misses with a head kick.
Hardy lands a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Odell keeps the fight on the outside.
Hardy throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Odell's head.
Hardy wants to clinch up but Odell keeps it at a distance.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Odell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Odell takes a kick to the side of the head.
Odell tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hardy sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Odell somewhat.

Hardy rushes Odell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Odell avoiding damage as Hardy throws knees to the body.
Hardy putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Odell in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Odell takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Odell's defenses.
Odell wants to stall.
Hardy taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hardy throws a knee to the head but misses.
Odell wants to break free but Hardy has control.

Odell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Odell connects with a high kick.
Hardy throws a head kick that half lands.
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!
Odell shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hardy as he avoids it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy stuffs the takedown attempt from Odell. Odell gets slowly back to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Odell or perhaps it was just good defense by Hardy which made him look bad.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hardy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Hardy!