PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Pasaltha Adama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Harden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pasaltha Adama has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Adama
vs
Harden

176 cm
21
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
20
143 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pasaltha Adama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jack Harden!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Gregory Folan and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harden forces Adama back against the cage and clinches.
Adama has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Harden avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Harden stalling.
Adama blocks the elbow strike.

Adama lands a takedown into guard.
Harden working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Adama.
Adama with a flurry of punches that miss.
Harden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Adama missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Adama is looking to stand up but Harden won't let him.
Harden can't keep his opponent in guard - Adama advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Harden can do anything to dispel that myth.
Adama drops an elbow to the side of Harden's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Adama trying to control from half guard but Harden is working away.
Adama takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden wants to control but Adama is keeping busy.
Adama seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Adama wants to get back to his feet.
Adama drops an elbow to the side of Harden's head.
Adama sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Harden defending well though.
Adama tries to pass the half guard into mount. Harden knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Harden avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Adama.
Adama throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Adama lands with a punch from half guard.
Harden pushes Adama off looking to stand but Adama dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adama slips a nice elbow through Harden's hands, connecting with Harden's forehead.

Adama postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Harden to stand up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Adama.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Adama lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Harden down.

Adama tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Adama has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Harden managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Adama.
Adama creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Harden sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Adama lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adama working the strikes but Harden uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Adama looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Adama has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Harden keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Adama missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Adama is breathing heavily.
Adama thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Adama working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Adama prevents Harden from standing back up.
Adama throwing shots but Harden is blocking nicely.
Adama throwing shots but Harden is blocking nicely.
Adama passes to full mount!
Adama in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adama with a couple of short strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Adama cracks Harden with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Adama is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Harden has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Adama fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Adama lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Harden hang on?
Adama raining down hammerfists from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harden is desperately trying to improve his position but Adama has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee warns Harden that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Adama unloading with bombs!
Adama unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pasaltha Adama dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Adama shoots in for a takedown but Harden shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pasaltha Adama is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Adama shoots for a takedown but Harden saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Adama fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pasaltha Adama. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Harden gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harden is looking to control Adama's arms but Adama gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harden has his back to the cage.
Harden throws an elbow that misses.
Harden looking to throw knees to the head but Adama is blocking nicely.
Harden lands an elbow that stopped Adama in his tracks for a moment.
Adama blocks the elbow strike.
Harden prevents a takedown attempt there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Knees to the body from Harden.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Harden.
Adama is looking to take this one to the mat.
Adama looking for a takedown.
Harden lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Adama backwards.
Harden leaning his opponent against the cage.

Harden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harden wants to clinch.
Pasaltha Adama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harden looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick from Harden lands but Adama takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden lands a nice leg kick that just misses Adama's sensitive parts.

Harden gets a clinch.
Harden tries to circle away but Adama has him pinned against the cage.
Harden looking to throw knees to the head but Adama is blocking nicely.
Harden is trying to break the clinch but Adama is controlling him.

Harden breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Adama swats away the attempt to clinch by Harden.
A head kick misses from Harden.
Harden displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Adama.
Harden is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Harden wants it to stay on the feet.
Harden fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Adama.
Harden tries to bum rush Adama with a series of wild strikes but Adama uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Adama.

Adama tries to keep at a distance but Harden has taken the fight into the clinch.
Harden gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Adama.
Adama has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Harden is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Harden is looking to break free of the clinch but Adama has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Harden wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Adama is looking to break free of the clinch but Harden has double underhooks.
Harden pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Adama goes for a takedown in the clinch but Harden prevents it.
Harden with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Harden breaks from the clinch.
Harden tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harden tries to close the distance and clinch but Adama swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harden goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Harden pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harden fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Harden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Adama closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Harden prevents a takedown attempt there.

Adama has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Harden uses from the top position.
Adama is looking to stand back up but Harden counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Adama.
Harden is trying to control. Adama wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Adama keeping hold of Harden's head, controlling as best he can.
Harden stops Adama from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden tries to pass the half guard into mount. Adama knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Adama is trying to stand.
Adama tries to get to full guard but Harden has control of the leg.
Harden trying to pass the guard but Adama defending well.
Harden stops Adama from getting back to his feet.

Adama manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Harden tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Adama manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Jack Harden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adama with a lazy takedown attempt
and Harden counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Adama is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Adama blocks a head kick by Harden.
Harden tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Adama paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Adama swats away the attempt to clinch by Harden.
Adama shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pasaltha Adama. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Harden moves into the clinch successfully.
Adama can't get the takedown.
Harden tries a knee to the head but Adama blocks it.
Harden with a knee to the head.
Adama drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harden pulls his leg out and moves away.
Harden pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Adama back to the cage. Harden follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Harden is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Adama drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harden scores with a knee to the head.
Harden crunches a lovely knee into Adama's ribcage.

Harden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harden cracks Adama with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adama tries to score a power double leg takedown but Harden sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Adama somewhat.
Harden lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice takedown defense from Harden. No joy for Adama on that attempt.

Harden fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Adama, pushing him back against the cage.
Harden wants to break the clinch but can't.
Harden lands a nice knee to the body.
Adama drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Harden gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Adama as Harden tries to tie him up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Harden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Harden has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight for Pasaltha Adama!
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight for Pasaltha Adama!
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight for Pasaltha Adama!

Pasaltha Adama wins by unanimous decision!