PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zander Harland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Vercini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Frankie Vercini has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Harland
vs
Vercini

165 cm
20
152 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

172 cm
20
153 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

KnockOut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zander Harland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Vercini!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, John Mangel and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harland rushes Vercini and presses him up against the cage.
Harland throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vercini blocks it with crossed arms.
Harland creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
We've been hearing reports that Harland has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Vercini blocks an elbow strike from Harland.
Vercini taking a breather.
Harland controlling the action here for a moment.
Harland will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Vercini up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harland with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Harland lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harland lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Harland stops a takedown attempt from Vercini.
Vercini takes an elbow to the forehead.
Harland trying to land knees to the body.
Harland misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vercini.
Harland pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Harland lands an elbow that stopped Vercini in his tracks for a moment.
Vercini avoids the elbow strike from Harland, against the cage.
Harland with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vercini dodges an elbow strike from Harland.
Harland trying to land knees to the body.
Harland tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vercini avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harland lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harland just misses with a elbow thrown towards Vercini's brow.
Harland comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Harland leaning his opponent against the cage.
Vercini tries to pull guard but Harland holds him up against the cage and eventually Vercini drops back down to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harland using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vercini has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Harland dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Vercini is trying to pull guard but Harland turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Zander Harland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Vercini.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harland lands a knee to the head.
Harland tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vercini avoids it.
Harland pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Harland misses with an elbow strike.
Harland lands an elbow that stopped Vercini in his tracks for a moment.
Harland connects with a nasty looking knee right to Vercini's face.
Vercini dodges an elbow strike from Harland.
Come on Harland - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Vercini is looking to control Harland's arms but Harland gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vercini has his back to the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harland avoiding damage.
Vercini avoids a wild elbow strike from Harland.
Harland missing with knees to the body.
Harland misses with an elbow strike.
Harland lands an elbow just above Vercini 's eye.
Harland is pushing Vercini up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Vercini trying to stall but Harland improves his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harland gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zander Harland dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A swing and a miss from Harland.
Vercini throws a low kick, looking for Harland's leg but Harland calmly moves out of range.

Vercini tries to keep at a distance but Harland has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vercini blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Harland tries to land knees in the clinch but Vercini avoids the damage to the body.
Harland lands a damaging elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice elbow from Harland.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Vercini avoids the elbow strike from Harland, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vercini tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Harland smiles and moves away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Harland slowing the pace effectively.
Harland is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vercini can do to turn this around?
The referee is keeping an eye on Harland - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Vercini blocks an elbow strike from Harland.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harland comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Harland dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Vercini tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harland just stands there and leans against the cage.
Harland missing with knees to the body.
Harland pushes off an throws an elbow but Vercini leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Harland tries to land knees in the clinch but Vercini avoids the damage to the body.
Harland pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Vercini trying to stall but Harland improves his position.
Vercini takes an elbow to the temple.
Vercini blocks the elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harland misses with an elbow strike.
Vercini avoids a wild elbow strike from Harland.
Harland lands an elbow that stopped Vercini in his tracks for a moment.
Vercini being controlled against the cage.
Vercini avoiding damage as Harland throws knees to the body.
Harland taking a breather.
Harland's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Vercini goes for a takedown in the clinch but Harland prevents it.
Zander Harland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Vercini.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vercini tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Harland smiles and moves away.
Harland closes the distance but Vercini moves to the side

and Vercini counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Vercini wants to take a breather but Harland is having none of it.
Vercini wants to free his trapped foot but Harland is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Harland is defending against the submission attempts here by Vercini.
Harland is refusing to be controlled, as Vercini sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zander Harland 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!

Harland will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A swing and a miss from Vercini.
Harland stuffs the takedown.
As Vercini tries to get set, Harland tries to push him back and clinch up but Vercini manages to avoid the attempt.
Harland swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vercini drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Harland defends it well.
Vercini throws out a loose jab but Harland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Harland is looking to counter with a body kick.
Harland ducks under a wild hook from Vercini.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harland slips under a jab.

Harland moves into the clinch.
Vercini is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harland to keep the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Harland.
Harland is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vercini is defending well for now.
Harland will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Vercini up against the cage.
Harland prevents the takedown attempt.
Zander Harland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Vercini.
Harland throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Vercini avoiding damage as Harland throws knees to the body.
Harland prevents the takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Harland misses with an elbow strike.
Vercini tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harland just stands there and leans against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Harland.
Harland with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Harland using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vercini has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Harland has Vercini pushed against the cage.
Zander Harland is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vercini wants a takedown but no success here.
Harland stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vercini avoiding damage as Harland throws knees to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Vercini tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Harland's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Harland effectively controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harland creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Vercini drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Harland throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zander Harland showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harland, 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:26
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:26
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zander Harland!
Our winner, Zander Harland, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.