PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nick Shamrock (ranked 366 p4p, 606 weight class) and Miguel Harper (ranked 38 p4p, 62 weight class). Shamrock comes into the arena with One Winged Angel by The Black Mages blaring out of the sound system. Harper has chosen Al Compás De Mi Caballo as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Shamrock
vs
Harper

170 cm
42
149
52 - 14 - 0

168 cm
29
150
18 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Core Combat
Altitude Clothing

Brooklyn Apothecary
Conviction

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 52 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nick Shamrock!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Miguel Harper!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Patrick Alders and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shamrock throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Harper checks a leg kick.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shamrock missing with a left hand there. Harper was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Harper moves into the clinch.
Shamrock trying to land knees to the body.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shamrock softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Shamrock tries to work over Harper's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shamrock misses with a punch to the body.
Shamrock working aggressively here.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Nick Shamrock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Harper has taken the fight to the clinch.
Harper blocks an elbow strike.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.
Nick Shamrock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Harper.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamrock throws an elbow but it misses.
Shamrock tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.
Shamrock pushes Harper back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Harper doesn't manage to clinch there - Shamrock circles away.
Shamrock seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Shamrock tests Harper's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice body kick from Shamrock.
Shamrock lands a nice looking body kick.
Harper on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Shamrock. Shamrock obviously looking to wear him down.
Shamrock misses with a wild body shot.

Harper clinches with his opponent.
Harper on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock with a nice calf kick.
Shamrock pivots, looking for a leg kick but Harper is out of range and Shamrock settles back down.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Harper avoids the head kick by Shamrock.
Shamrock circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've been told by Shamrock's head coaches at Resurrect, Hilo that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Harper takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Harper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Shamrock.

Harper rushes Shamrock and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock won't allow it.
Harper fails to pull guard.
Harper fails to pull guard.
Harper looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock won't allow it.
Shamrock lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harper tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Harper is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Shamrock to keep the fight standing.
Harper jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Shamrock walks away with a smile on his face. Harper gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Shamrock lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Harper looks winded!
Shamrock throws a leg kick but Harper sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Shamrock is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Harper.
Harper wants to counter with a clinch but Shamrock pushes him away.
Shamrock wants to land a leg kick but Harper is out of range.
Harper wants to counter with a clinch but Shamrock pushes him away.
Harper steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Shamrock.
Harper is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Harper moves out of range of the body kick.
Harper blocks a jab.
Shamrock scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Shamrock missing with a left hand there. Harper was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Shamrock throws a low kick, looking for Harper's leg but Harper calmly moves out of range.
Shamrock throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harper wants to counter with a clinch but Shamrock pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock tries to work over Harper's front leg with a kick but Harper checks it.
Shamrock misses with a double jab.
Shamrock throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shamrock lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Harper gets tackled into the cage by Shamrock. Shamrock maintains the clinch.
Harper tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Shamrock just stands there and leans against the cage.
Harper jumps guard but Shamrock stands there with Harper around his waist. Harper gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Harper manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Harper is trying to keep Shamrock in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harper is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Shamrock wants to get up but he can't break Harper's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Harper is looking for a triangle here but Shamrock uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Shamrock dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Shamrock throws a jab when Harper was well out of range.
Shamrock cracks Harper with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Shamrock pushes Harper away with a front kick.
Harper takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Harper is looking to clinch but Shamrock is avoiding it.
Harper slips under a jab from Shamrock.
Harper is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Shamrock looks to land a right hand but Harper moved out of range.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Harper crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Shamrock - the referee stops the clock and Harper gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Shamrock. Harper manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Shamrock lands with an uppercut that bounces Harper off the cage and back into range.
Harper tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from Shamrock misses.

Harper darts in and clinches Shamrock up against the cage.
Shamrock throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Harper blocks it with crossed arms.
Nick Shamrock has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Shamrock tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harper's elbow.
Shamrock goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

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

Shamrock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Harper manages to pull guard.

Shamrock gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Harper wants to clinch.
Shamrock takes a swing at Harper's ribcage but misses.
Harper steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Shamrock.
Harper tries to clinch but Shamrock is having none of it.
Harper wants to clinch up but Shamrock keeps it at a distance.
Harper moves out of range as Shamrock throws a body kick.
Nick Shamrock is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shamrock connects with a leg kick.

Harper rushes Shamrock and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock missing with knees to the body.
Shamrock is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harper can do to turn this around?
Harper is trying to pull guard but Shamrock has him pressed against the cage.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Shamrock has him pressed against the cage.
Nick Shamrock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Harper.
Shamrock scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Shamrock turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Shamrock swats away the attempt to clinch by Harper.
Shamrock misses with a wild body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shamrock lands the left hand.
Shamrock throws a solid leg kick but Harper takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Shamrock.
Shamrock sets himself, and Harper steps forward looking for the clinch! Shamrock avoids it this time.
Shamrock missing with a left hand there. Harper was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Shamrock throws a shot from downtown. Harper moves away and avoids it.
Harper wants to counter with a clinch but Shamrock pushes him away.
Shamrock fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock wants to land a leg kick but Harper is out of range.
Shamrock looks to throw the jab but Harper is out of range.
Harper checks the leg kick.
Harper showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Shamrock.
Shamrock misses with a low kick.
Shamrock swinging wildly here.
Harper with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Shamrock to score with a decent uppercut.
Shamrock throws a leg kick that misses.
Harper keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shamrock.
Harper wants to counter the offense by Shamrock and move into the clinch position.
Shamrock pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Nick Shamrock is winning the standup battle so far.
Shamrock tries to bum rush Harper with a series of wild strikes but Harper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Shamrock pushes him off.
Shamrock lands with a right hand.
Harper uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shamrock.
Some bone on bone action there as Harper checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Shamrock throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Shamrock misses with a leg kick.
Shamrock connects with a single shot there.
Harper has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Shamrock.
Shamrock throws a body kick that misses.
Harper steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Shamrock.
Shamrock throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Shamrock swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Harper steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Shamrock.
Shamrock is looking to land body kicks.
Harper tries to counter by closing the distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Shamrock dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Shamrock throws a leg kick but Harper checks it.
Shamrock throws the kick towards the body but Harper avoids it.

Shamrock clinches.
Harper avoiding damage as Shamrock throws knees to the body.

Harper manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Shamrock won't allow Harper to sweep him here.

Shamrock gets to his feet - Harper follows without any prompting.
That kick from Shamrock tenderised Harper's leg. Harper is trying to keep his angry face on.
Harper moves out of range of the leg kick from Shamrock.
Harper tries to clinch up but Shamrock circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shamrock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Shamrock lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short left from Shamrock.
Shamrock digs a right hand underneath Harper's ribcage. Harper let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Harper tries to pull guard but Shamrock won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Shamrock.
Harper takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shamrock working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Harper fails to pull guard.
Harper jumps guard but Shamrock turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Nick Shamrock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miguel Harper.
Harper avoiding damage as Shamrock throws knees to the body.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Shamrock throws a one two combo.

Harper is rocked!
Shamrock looks to land a right hand but Harper moved out of range.

Harper forces Shamrock back against the cage and clinches.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Shamrock throws a head kick but Harper moves out of range.
Harper tries to counter by closing the distance.

Harper closes the distance and clinches.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shamrock misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Harper.
Shamrock lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shamrock misses with a hook to the ribs.
Harper dodges an elbow strike from Shamrock.
Shamrock misses with the head strike.
Shamrock lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Shamrock lands a body punch.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Shamrock has him pressed against the cage.
Good body shot from Shamrock.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Shamrock obliges.
Shamrock misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Shamrock working Harper over with knees to the body.
Shamrock tries to land knees in the clinch but Harper avoids the damage to the body.
Shamrock is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Harper is defending well for now.
Shamrock unloads a knee to the mid-section. Harper lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shamrock lands a hook to the side of the head.
Shamrock missing with knees to the body.
Shamrock lands with a light punch inside.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock lands a body shot in the clinch.
Shamrock tries to land knees in the clinch but Harper avoids the damage to the body.
Shamrock missing with knees to the body.
Shamrock pushes Harper back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harper avoiding damage as Shamrock throws knees to the body.

Harper gets control of Shamrock's arms and successfully pulls guard. Harper will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Harper escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Shamrock gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Shamrock stands up and waves to Harper to follow him.
Harper takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shamrock lands a nice uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Harper.
Harper tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shamrock tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harper's elbow.
Harper is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Shamrock to keep the fight standing.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Shamrock has him pressed against the cage.
Shamrock is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Harper is defending well for now.
Shamrock lands a right hand that snaps the head of Harper backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shamrock lands a body punch in the clinch.
Shamrock presses Harper against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Shamrock using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Shamrock landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Shamrock is leaning against Harper and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Harper managing to block the knees to the body from Shamrock.
Shamrock looking to throw knees to the head but Harper is blocking nicely.
Harper tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Shamrock smiles and moves away.
Shamrock tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Harper moves out of range of the leg kick from Shamrock.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Shamrock clearly takes that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shamrock lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harper circles away quickly and effectively.
Harper takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Harper is still on wobbly legs! Can Shamrock finish him?
BOOM! Shamrock lands a beautiful left hook that drops Harper. Harper tries to recover but Shamrock is having none of it, landing more punishing shots from mount. One final crushing shot and Harper lies motionless on the canvas. The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:15 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nick Shamrock!
Nick Shamrock retains his featherweight title!
Nick Shamrock decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.