PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Lawler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jari Harrikari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harrikari has chosen Tool - Forty Six & 2 as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Eric Lawler has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lawler
vs
Harrikari

180 cm
33
197 lbs
27 - 11 - 0

193 cm
31
199 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

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 27 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Eric Lawler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Jari Harrikari!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawler tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Harrikari counters with a slapping leg kick.
Lawler throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Harrikari shoots in for a takedown but Lawler shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lawler swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Harrikari counters with a thumping low kick.
Lawler misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Harrikari counters with a left and a right that stings Lawler.
Lawler with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lawler pushes Harrikari away with a front kick.
Harrikari's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lawler connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Harrikari scrambles back to his feet.
Lawler takes a swing at Harrikari's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harrikari tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lawler fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Harrikari swats away the attempt to clinch by Lawler.
Eric Lawler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lawler doesn't manage to clinch there - Harrikari circles away.
Harrikari drops his hands momentarily and Lawler takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Lawler darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Harrikari moves out of range as Lawler strikes.
Lawler digs a good hook to Harrikari's body.
Good leg kick by Lawler there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harrikari misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lawler changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Harrikari stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lawler.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lawler lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Harrikari has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Harrikari and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Lawler looks to score with a jab to the body but Harrikari is just out of range.
Lawler misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Lawler does it's job there.
Lawler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A left lands for Lawler.
Lawler misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler closes the distance looking to clinch
and Harrikari counters with an inside leg kick.
Lawler is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Lawler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Harrikari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Eric Lawler is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harrikari defending well as Lawler loads up on a big left hand.

Harrikari looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lawler wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler is trying to control the position but Harrikari postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lawler misses with a hook.
Lawler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harrikari moves away.
Lawler throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lawler throws a sloppy body shot

and Harrikari counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lawler's guard now.
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!
Lawler wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Harrikari manages to pass to side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lawler tries to get to full guard but Harrikari has control of the leg.
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 Eric Lawler will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Harrikari blocks a jab.
A jab from Lawler misses.
Lawler connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Harrikari's hands.
Lawler misses with a shot to the body

and Harrikari counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Harrikari wants to stand but Lawler has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lawler wants to get back to his feet but Harrikari passes into half guard.
Lawler is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lawler trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Lawler is looking to get to half guard.
Lawler manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harrikari is controlling the pace.
Lawler is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lawler looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Harrikari has picked Lawler up and slammed him! Lawler can't keep hold of the triangle and Harrikari manages to pass to side control!
Jari Harrikari has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lawler tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Harrikari wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler wants to control but Harrikari postures up.
Harrikari gets to mount! Lawler was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Lawler tries to reverse the position but Harrikari maintains control.
Harrikari tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Eric Lawler will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Lawler looks to land a right hand but Harrikari moved out of range.
Lawler just misses with a punch to the body.
Lawler swings for the body but Harrikari moves out of range.
Harrikari takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lawler misses the shot to the body.
Lawler wants to clinch up but Harrikari keeps it at a distance.
Lawler tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Harrikari was well out of range. Poor timing from Lawler.
Lawler takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Lawler lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lawler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harrikari.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Lawler.
Lawler throws a wild body kick that Harrikari sees coming a mile off.
Lawler throws a right hand that misses
and Harrikari connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Lawler clinches up against the cage.
Lawler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lawler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lawler lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Lawler lands a nice uppercut.
Lawler misses with a punch on the inside.
Lawler throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Lawler fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawler swings wildly with an uppercut but Harrikari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lawler is working Harrikari over against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lawler keeps control of Harrikari as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lawler throws a head punch that misses.
A short uppercut from Lawler.
Lawler misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Still in the clinch, Lawler scores with a nice short uppercut.

Harrikari breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harrikari takes one to the side of the head.
A jab lands there for Lawler.
Lawler stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Lawler throws a leg kick that misses.

Lawler closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lawler tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short left from Lawler.
Lawler lands a left hand.

Harrikari is rocked!
Harrikari blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Harrikari is still on wobbly legs! Can Lawler finish him?
A left hand lands to the body for Lawler.
Lawler lands a hook that snaps the head of Harrikari backwards.
Harrikari prevents a body shot from Lawler.
Lawler misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lawler throws a punch but it's blocked by Harrikari.
Harrikari seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harrikari breaks from the clinch.
Lawler lands a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lawler misses with a body shot.
Lawler misses with a left hand
and Harrikari counters with a thumping low kick.
Nice cross by Lawler.
Lawler lands a head shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lawler misses with an uppercut
and Harrikari counters with a right hand to the body.
Lawler misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harrikari.
Jari Harrikari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lawler fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Harrikari on the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Lawler showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lawler, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Lawler!
Eric Lawler thanked the fans post fight for their support.