PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Freeman Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Harding
vs
Long

168 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

178 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Freeman Harding!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brandon Long!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Long manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Harding on his heels. He'll look to pass Harding's guard now, I'm sure.
Harding has a closed guard, preventing Long from standing up.
Long content to stall in guard here.
Harding throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Long stays in close to Harding's body and controls the position.

Harding is looking for a triangle but Long pushes his legs off easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harding is trying to control the position but Long postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Harding is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Long throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Long closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Long lands in his opponent's guard.
Long trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.
Long would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Long trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harding manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Long manages to get himself to full guard.

Long throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Long preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Harding is fighting to break Long's control of his arms but Long is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Harding postures up and lands a big shot to Long's brow.

Long looking for a guillotine here but Harding defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Long had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Harding defends it easily.
Long looking to control but Harding passes into half guard.
Long makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Harding decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Long, up you get!

Long shoots in and bounces Harding off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Harding pushes Long off and scrambles back to his feet.
Long looks winded!
Long lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Long closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Long wants to take a breather but Harding is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Long dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Long drives through with a takedown into guard.
Harding keeping full guard, as Long tries to pass.

Long stands up from Harding's guard - Long perhaps looking for a knockout.
Long is looking to clinch but Harding is avoiding it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Harding closes the distance and clinches.

Long is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Harding can't fight it off and eventually Long manages to take the fight to the floor. Harding looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Harding pushes Long off and scrambles back to his feet.
Long is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long is looking to clinch but Harding is avoiding it.
Long just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHarding.
Long fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harding throws a counter high kick but Long was just alert enough to avoid it.
Brandon Long is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Harding enables Long to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Harding manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Long trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harding is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Long works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long is stalling here. Harding is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Long seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Harding has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Harding in side control lands a decent elbow.
Long takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Harding cracks Long with a big elbow.

Harding tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
You can see the frustration on Long's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long is looking to regain half guard here but Harding keeps moving and retains side control.
Harding sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Long is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Harding working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Long is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Harding off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Long is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Harding defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Long is looking to control Harding but Harding is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Harding is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harding trying to control the hands but Long won't let him.
Long throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brandon Long will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Harding tries a head kick but it misses.

Long shoots in and gets a takedown into Harding's guard.
Long showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Long throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Harding works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Long is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Let's hope that Long 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Harding working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Long.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Harding thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Long drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Harding pushes Long off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Long takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Harding darts in looking for a takedown but Long gets double underhooks and turns Harding into the cage.
Long lands a right hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long leaves Harding with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Harding throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Long feints the counter takedown.

Long shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Long showed some decent athleticism there.
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!
Long is looking to pass Harding's guard but actually Harding recovers to full guard.

Harding throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Harding avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Long.

Long stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Harding to get to his feet.
Harding gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Long.
Brandon Long seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harding scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Long has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Harding is on him like a limpet, forcing Long back against the cage.

Long pulls Harding into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harding has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Long is proving hard to escape from.
Long controlling the position.
Long is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Long comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Long winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Long!