PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ivo Lascasas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Lascasas
vs
Harper

190 cm
22
250 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

202 cm
23
250 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivo Lascasas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Stephen Harper!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lascasas tries to clinch but Harper moves out of range.
Harper dodges the punch combination from Lascasas.
Ivo Lascasas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lascasas moves into the clinch successfully.
Lascasas wants to stall.
Lascasas with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Harper gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Lascasas is trying to control but can't.

Lascasas actively working from the bottom here.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Lascasas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lascasas keeping hold of Harper's head, controlling as best he can.
Lascasas is trying to stand.
Harper seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Lascasas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Harper is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper slips a nice elbow through Lascasas's hands, connecting with Lascasas's forehead.
Harper seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Harper's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Lascasas moves into full guard.
Lascasas 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.
Harper sitting in guard here, content to control.

Lascasas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Harper throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lascasas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lascasas trying to keep a closed guard but Harper is proving a slippery customer.
Lascasas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Lascasas looking for a sweep. Not yet Lascasas, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Harper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Harper fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lascasas sprawls well initially but Harper persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Harper has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Harper content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Harper dominating with strikes here.
Lascasas is desperately trying to improve his position but Harper has a good base and remains in mount.
Harper controlling from the full mount.
Lascasas is working to get back to half guard.
Harper controlling from mount.
Lascasas really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper landing strikes from the mount and Lascasas is in trouble!
Harper controlling from the full mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lascasas can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Harper dominated that 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.

Lascasas tries for a takedown but Harper circles away easily

and Harper counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Harper is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Lascasas!
Lascasas is looking to improve his position but Harper isn't that keen on the idea.
Harper working the ground and pound effectively.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lascasas is wriggling around trying to escape.
Harper controlling his opponent.
Harper breaks from Lascasas's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Harper is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Lascasas can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Harper controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper lands a heavy elbow.
Lascasas is looking to get to half guard.
Harper controlling the pace for now.
Lascasas is trying to escape the mount.
Harper controlling the position easily from mount.
Harper has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Lascasas's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Harper controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Harper has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Lascasas working to try and regain half guard.
Harper controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lascasas is looking to improve his position but Harper isn't that keen on the idea.
Lascasas is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Harper sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Harper lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Harper content just to control the position here.
Stephen Harper has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lascasas is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Harper looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lascasas is wriggling around trying to escape.
Harper controlling the pace for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Stephen Harper just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lascasas gets caught flat footed, as Harper shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Harper's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Harper won't allow Lascasas to sweep him here.
Harper's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Lascasas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Harper is one step ahead there.
Harper controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Harper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Lascasas tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Harper counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lascasas!
Lascasas is trying desperately to improve position.
Lascasas sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Harper with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Lascasas is trying to control but can't.
Harper prevents Lascasas from improving his position.
Harper is thwarting Lascasas's attempts to control the position.
Harper tries to stand but can't do so whilst Lascasas controls his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Lascasas wants to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Harper decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lascasas is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harper's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harper's back!
Lascasas struggling to land strikes to the head as Harper covers up.
Lascasas somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Harper is trying to break free.

Lascasas is persistently looking for the submission but Harper is defending it well.
Lascasas tries to get the hooks in deep but Harper pushed the leg off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper trying to control the position but Lascasas manages to sink in the hooks.
Lascasas is trying to stick to Harper's back but Harper is turning into Lascasas. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Lascasas's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Harper.
Lascasas trying to keep a closed guard but Harper is proving a slippery customer.

Lascasas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lascasas being controlled here, momentarily.
Harper postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Harper pushes down on Lascasas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lascasas moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Harper must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lascasas is on top in guard.
Harper controlling Lascasas's posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Harper can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lascasas tries to free his leg and advance position but Harper is retaining full guard.

Harper looking for a guillotine here but Lascasas defends easily.
Harper looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's four 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.

Harper throws his legs up looking for a submission but Lascasas uses it to pass to side control.

Lascasas is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Harper looks calm but he's in trouble here. Lascasas gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Harper is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Lascasas lets go of the hold and Harper can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ivo Lascasas!