PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roger Andermatt (ranked 1375 p4p, 158 weight class) and Miguel Harper (ranked 1884 p4p, 204 weight class). Roger Andermatt has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Andermatt
vs
Harper

180 cm
20
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

168 cm
20
150 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roger Andermatt!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Miguel Harper!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Andermatt on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Andermatt tries to get out of the position.
Harper missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Andermatt pushes Harper off looking to stand but Harper dives back in and keeps control.
Harper thows a huge punch but Andermatt dodges it nicely.
Andermatt keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Andermatt avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Harper.
Harper trying to control from half guard but Andermatt is working away.

Harper is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Andermatt is just riding it out for now. Harper eventually gives up the hold.
Harper sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Andermatt defending well though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andermatt is looking to get back to is feet but Harper passes into side control.
Harper in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
A lull in the action here as Harper stalls from top position.
The strikes coming from Harper are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
An elbow from Harper crashes against the mat.
Andermatt really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Andermatt is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Andermatt avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Harper.
Harper in side control, throwing shots but Andermatt defends.
Harper lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Andermatt is not content to let Harper control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Harper crashes against the mat.
Harper trying to control the action but Andermatt is working from the bottom.
Andermatt pushes Harper away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Harper gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Harper misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Harper in side control, throwing shots but Andermatt defends.
Harper has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Harper working the ground and pound from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harper trying to control the action but Andermatt is working from the bottom.

Harper is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Andermatt knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Harper lands a nice forearm strike.
The ground and pound from Harper seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Harper tries to score with some ground and pound. Andermatt controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Harper lands some shots froms side control.

Harper is trying to get an arm triangle but Andermatt is defending well.

Harper tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Harper has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harper is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Andermatt is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Harper is looking to take a break and control but Andermatt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Harper working the ground and pound but Andermatt is defending the strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harper tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Harper wants to control but Andermatt is keeping him busy.
Harper is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Harper dominated that round.
That's time! Andermatt's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Harper tries to score a power double leg takedown but Andermatt sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Harper somewhat.
Andermatt stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Andermatt wants it to stay on the feet.
It looked like Andermatt wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Roger Andermatt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Andermatt pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Andermatt stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Andermatt wants it to stay on the feet.
Roger Andermatt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Harper.
Harper dives in and grabs Andermatt's left leg, looking for a takedown. Andermatt pushes down on Harper's head and hops out.
Harper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Andermatt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harper on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Harper closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Andermatt wants to get back to his feet.
Harper wants to take a breather but Andermatt is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Andermatt on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Andermatt keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Harper is trying to work for a kimura but Andermatt is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Andermatt's head.
Harper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Andermatt pushes Harper off looking to stand but Harper dives back in and keeps control.
Harper passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Andermatt!
Harper breaks from Andermatt's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Harper landing punches.
Andermatt is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Harper throwing strikes here but Andermatt is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andermatt trying desperately to get to his feet.
Harper is trying to control here but Andermatt has managed to regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harper thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Andermatt's head.
Andermatt knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Harper on the ground.
Harper missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Harper slips a nice elbow through Andermatt's hands, connecting with Andermatt's forehead.
Harper has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Harper seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Harper lands with a punch from half guard.
Harper looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Harper thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Harper winds up and cracks Andermatt with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Andermatt blocking the ground and pound attempt from Harper.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Andermatt regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Harper.
Harper throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Andermatt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Harper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Andermatt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Harper is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Harper postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Andermatt avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Harper is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Harper loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper trying to control but Andermatt is working from the bottom.
Harper throws a big elbow that misses.
Harper scoring with some ground and pound.
Harper slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Harper has hold of Andermatt's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Andermatt tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Harper cranks the arm and Andermatt screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Andermatt, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Miguel Harper!
Miguel Harper is the new featherweight champion!
A victorious Miguel Harper thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.