PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zahir Harden (ranked 2698 p4p, 3504 weight class) and Fenton Meeks (ranked 356 p4p, 453 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harden
vs
Meeks

188 cm
25
180
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
182
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zahir Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Fenton Meeks!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Eddie Farnsworth and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Meeks rushes Harden and presses him up against the cage.
Meeks throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Meeks swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Meeks leaning against his opponent.
Meeks landing knees to the head.
Meeks is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Meeks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Harden.
Meeks tries to work over Harden's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Harden is trying to pull guard but Meeks turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Meeks is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Harden is defending well for now.
Harden blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden being controlled against the cage.
Meeks struggles to land a body shot inside as Harden controls his hands.
Harden has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Harden is looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meeks tries to land knees in the clinch but Harden avoids the damage to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Meeks.
Harden drops down looking for an ankle pick but Meeks pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zahir Harden. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bone on bone clash there as Harden blocks the leg kick.
Meeks throws a right and a left that both miss.

Harden looking to score a takedown here. Meeks is defending well but Harden drives through and ends up in Meeks's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Meeks is trying to control the position but Harden postures up.
Meeks told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Harden wants to pass the guard but Meeks is keeping the position.
Harden slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Harden will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Harden is in close to Meeks's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Meeks looking for a sweep. Not yet Meeks, not yet.
Meeks trying to control the position.
Harden not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Meeks controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Meeks tries to clinch up.
Harden ducks under a wild hook from Meeks.

Harden fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Meeks, pushing him back against the cage.
Harden managing to block the knees to the body from Meeks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Harden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Meeks tries to clinch but Harden moves out of range.
Meeks lands with a slapping head kick.

Harden decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Meeks is looking to improve his position.
Meeks is trying to maintain the position but Harden is very close to passing his half guard.
Harden winds up and cracks Meeks with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Harden is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Meeks!
Harden controlling from mount.
Meeks is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden controlling the position easily from mount.
A nice elbow there by Harden.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harden looking to control and managing it successfully.
Harden in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
BOOM! Harden connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Harden controlling his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zahir Harden will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Meeks staying out of range there.
Harden blocks a head kick by Meeks.

Harden decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Harden works his way into full mount!
Meeks taking shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Harden cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Harden lands a big shot there that rocks Meeks but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Harden raining down hammerfists from mount.
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!
Harden scoring with strikes but Meeks is staying in there.
Harden controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden avoids the attempt from Meeks to control.
Harden controlling from the full mount.
Harden is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Harden controlling the pace for now.
Meeks tries to reverse the position but Harden maintains control.
Harden has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Harden controlling from the full mount.
Harden fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Harden content just to control the position here.
Harden lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Harden sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meeks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Harden. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The referee warns Meeks that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Harden lands a big shot there that rocks Meeks but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Meeks is rocked!
Meeks is trying desperately to improve position.
Harden controlling the pace for now.
Harden connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Meeks is bucking up trying to escape but Harden cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden controlling the pace for now.

Meeks is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Harden locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Meeks is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Zahir Harden!