PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hardcastle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Jahjah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hardcastle
vs
Jahjah

200 cm
21
264 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

183 cm
18
233 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Hardcastle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Martin Jahjah!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jahjah tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hardcastle paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Jahjah with that takedown attempt.
Hardcastle tries for a takedown but Jahjah circles away easily

and Jahjah counters by moving into the clinch.

Jahjah has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hardcastle clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Hardcastle breaks Jahjah's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hardcastle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hardcastle looking to sit in guard and control but Jahjah gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Jahjah throws a strike but Hardcastle rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hardcastle not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hardcastle accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jahjah is looking to stand back up but Hardcastle counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Jahjah.
Hardcastle looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Jahjah trying to control from the bottom.
Jahjah punching from the bottom.
Hardcastle is tying to control. Jahjah wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jahjah blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hardcastle.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hardcastle closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hardcastle lands in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jahjah throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hardcastle trying to control the position from guard on top but Jahjah is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardcastle has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hardcastle is breathing heavily.
Jahjah is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Jahjah has his foot on Hardcastle's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hardcastle works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jahjah is trying to keep Hardcastle in close.
Jahjah managing to control the position.
Jahjah keeping moving, preventing Hardcastle from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hardcastle tries for a takedown but Jahjah circles away easily

and Jahjah decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hardcastle's guard.
Jahjah landing some decent shots from guard.
Hardcastle on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hardcastle tries to get out of the position.
Jahjah with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardcastle wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Jahjah throws and elbow that misses. Hardcastle uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jahjah's guard. Nice move by Hardcastle!

Hardcastle decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Jahjah, up you get!
Hardcastle closes the distance looking to clinch

and Jahjah holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Hardcastle escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hardcastle doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Jahjah counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Jahjah.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Jahjah dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hardcastle looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Jahjah is fending him off so far but Hardcastle persists. Nope, Jahjah circles away and we're back to standing.
Hardcastle tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Jahjah counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Jahjah sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hardcastle defending well though.
Hardcastle is staying active underneath Jahjah, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hardcastle is trying to control but Jahjah manages to pass to mount!
Hardcastle is trying desperately to improve position.
Jahjah cracks Hardcastle with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jahjah trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hardcastle tries to lock up and control but Jahjah gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Jahjah connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hardcastle wants to control but Jahjah is having none of it.
Jahjah scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hardcastle?
Hardcastle is looking to improve his position but Jahjah isn't that keen on the idea.
Jahjah trying to control but Hardcastle is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jahjah lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jahjah lands a big elbow.
Jahjah with a couple of short strikes.
Hardcastle can't escape the position.
Jahjah tries to control but Hardcastle wriggling away.
Hardcastle tries to lock up and control but Jahjah gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jahjah scoring with strikes but Hardcastle is staying in there.
Jahjah landing strikes from the mount and Hardcastle is in trouble!
Hardcastle is squirming around, avoiding Jahjah's attempts to control the action.
Jahjah dominating with strikes here.
Poor strikes thrown by Jahjah there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Jahjah can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hardcastle is looking to escape.
Hardcastle wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hardcastle is desperately trying to improve his position but Jahjah has a good base and remains in mount.
Hardcastle is working hard here to advance position.
Martin Jahjah has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jahjah punishing his opponent with strikes.
Jahjah trying to control but Hardcastle is having none of it.
Jahjah scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Jahjah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hardcastle scores with a hook to the body. Jahjah takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hardcastle throws a sloppy head kick and Jahjah moves out of range easily.
No luck for Hardcastle with that takedown attempt.
Jahjah misses with a takedown

and Hardcastle counters with a takedown into side control.
Jahjah wants to control but Hardcastle postures up.
Jahjah gets back to half guard.
Hardcastle working Jahjah over with strikes.
Jahjah slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jahjah avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardcastle stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jahjah swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jahjah doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Jahjah utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jahjah tries to strike from the bottom.
Hardcastle stopping the sweep attempt from Jahjah.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hardcastle throws a series of punches but Jahjah avoids them all with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hardcastle wants to clinch but Jahjah slips to the side

and Jahjah holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hardcastle prevents the takedown attempt.
Hardcastle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jahjah just stands there and leans against the cage.
Jahjah gets underhooks to prevent Hardcastle's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Hardcastle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hardcastle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jahjah closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hardcastle circles away.
Jahjah tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hardcastle paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Hardcastle scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hardcastle thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Jahjah's head.
Jahjah blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hardcastle.
Hardcastle sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Jahjah is looking to control Hardcastle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jahjah avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardcastle scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hardcastle thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Jahjah to regain full guard.
Jahjah throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hardcastle controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hardcastle won't allow Jahjah to get back to his feet.
Mike Hardcastle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hardcastle not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Martin Jahjah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hardcastle scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Hardcastle showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Jahjah 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Jahjah!