PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Algenir Aguiar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy has chosen Van damme - streets of Siam as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aguiar
vs
Hardy

186 cm
25
205 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

186 cm
34
221 lbs
22 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Algenir Aguiar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Will Hardy!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy scoring well with a low kick there.
Nice sprawl there from Aguiar as Hardy shoots in.
Aguiar closes the distance and clinches up with Hardy, looking for a takedown. Aguiar pushes Hardy against the cage but Hardy circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Hardy.
Aguiar fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hardy thows a body shot but no joy.
Aguiar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hardy is fending him off so far but Aguiar persists. Nope, Hardy circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Algenir Aguiar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hardy pivots, looking for a leg kick but Aguiar is out of range and Hardy settles back down.
Aguiar takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hardy enables Aguiar to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hardy manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Hardy is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Aguiar is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Aguiar wants to control from the top but Hardy keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aguiar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hardy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hardy wants to pass the guard but Aguiar is defending well.
Aguiar tries to kick Hardy off but Hardy keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hardy performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aguiar won't allow Hardy to pass to mount.
Aguiar pushes Hardy off looking to stand but Hardy dives back in and keeps control.
Hardy wants to pass to mount but Aguiar is defending the position.
Aguiar is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hardy is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Hardy is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Hardy is trying to control the action in half guard but Aguiar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Aguiar makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Aguiar.
Hardy looking to sit in guard and control but Aguiar gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aguiar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Aguiar trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aguiar throwing strikes from guard but Hardy blocks nicely.
Hardy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hardy lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Aguiar!
Aguiar is squirming around, avoiding Hardy's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Will Hardy will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Aguiar bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Aguiar is looking to take a break and control but Hardy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aguiar scoring with punches from side control.
Hardy wants to control but Aguiar postures up.
Aguiar lands an elbow.
Hardy is trying to control Aguiar's posture but Aguiar avoids it.
An elbow from Aguiar crashes against the mat.

Aguiar tries for a kimura but Hardy is defending well.
Aguiar working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy is trying to improve his position.
Hardy manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Hardy gets back to full guard.
Aguiar is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Aguiar trying to control but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Aguiar stops Hardy from standing up.
Hardy 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.
Aguiar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Aguiar from controlling successfully.
Aguiar throwing strikes but missing.
Hardy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Aguiar trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy working a defensive guard but Aguiar manages to pass into side control anyway.
Hardy manages to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Aguiar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aguiar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hardy knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Hardy trying to control from the bottom.
Hardy manages to get to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aguiar scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hardy 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.
Algenir Aguiar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hardy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Aguiar landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aguiar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hardy seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hardy wants to improve his position but instead Aguiar has moved into half guard.
Aguiar keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Aguiar wants to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aguiar throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Algenir Aguiar dominated that second round.
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!

The crowd cheers as Hardy lands an impressive looking overhand right. Aguiar doesn't seem phased though.
Hardy connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Algenir Aguiar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Aguiar moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hardy looks to land a body kick but Aguiar moved away.
Aguiar shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.
Aguiar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hardy connects with a nice looking jab.
Hardy leaves Aguiar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Algenir Aguiar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hardy moves into the clinch successfully.

Hardy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Good exchange - Hardy coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy with a jab.

Hardy has managed to clinch.
Aguiar wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Aguiar can't break the clinch.
Hardy manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Hardy connects with a knee to the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hardy throws an elbow but misses.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hardy comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hardy lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

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

Aguiar drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hardy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aguiar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hardy looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Aguiar has picked Hardy up and slammed him! Hardy can't keep hold of the triangle and Aguiar manages to pass to side control!
Hardy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Aguiar tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hardy's legs.
Aguiar lands a few punches from side control.
Hardy tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Aguiar wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Aguiar tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Aguiar has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hardy is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hardy is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Hardy wants to control from the top but Aguiar keeps moving.
Hardy preventing the sweep.
Hardy won't allow Aguiar to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy looking to sit in guard and control but Aguiar gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Aguiar throwing strikes from guard but Hardy blocks nicely.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Aguiar from controlling successfully.
Hardy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aguiar throws a big right hand that misses.
Aguiar trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Hardy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hardy 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Hardy!
After winning the bout, Will Hardy thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.