PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harald Harfager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hero Tasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harfager comes to the cage accompanied by Amon Amarth - Pursuit of Vikings. Harald Harfager has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Harfager
vs
Tasaki

188 cm
25
186 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

186 cm
23
197 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Punishment Nutrition

Murder Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harald Harfager!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hero Tasaki!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tasaki scores with a takedown into Harfager's guard.
Tasaki stopping the sweep attempt from Harfager.

Tasaki got a little sloppy there for a moment and Harfager has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tasaki has managed to get both his arms back between Harfager's legs - danger averted.
Tasaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tasaki stops Harfager from standing up.
Tasaki trying to control but Harfager is working from the bottom.

Tasaki is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Tasaki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Harfager knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tasaki on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tasaki trying to control but Harfager is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tasaki shoots in but Harfager avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tasaki will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice takedown defense from Harfager. No joy for Tasaki on that attempt.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hero Tasaki.
Tasaki looks gassed!
Harfager throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tasaki sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Harfager is looking to clinch but Tasaki is avoiding it.
Harfager fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hero Tasaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harfager stuffs the takedown.
Harfager doesn't manage to clinch there - Tasaki circles away.

Harfager drives through and clinches with Tasaki against the cage.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Hero Tasaki has been cut.
Tasaki has a couple of punches blocked by Harfager.
A right handed body shot lands from Harfager.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harfager landing knees to the body.
Harfager scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harfager stalling.
Harfager lands a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harfager lands a nice elbow.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Harfager crunches a lovely knee into Tasaki's ribcage.
Knees to the body from Harfager.
Harfager is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Tasaki takes a knee to the side of the body.
Harfager is stalling here.
Tasaki tries to score a body lock takedown but Harfager shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Harfager working Tasaki over with knees to the body.
Harfager landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Harfager lands a nice knee to the body.
Harfager lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Harfager stalling the fight.
Tasaki takes a knee to the side of the body.
Harfager scores a nice knee to the body.
Tasaki takes a knee to the side of the body.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Harfager creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tasaki's defenses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harfager utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Harfager stalling.
Harfager is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tasaki is defending well for now.

Tasaki pulls guard successfully.
Harfager is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Harfager looking to sit in guard and control but Tasaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tasaki chips away with some ground and pound.

Tasaki is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Harfager is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Harfager has escaped and now he's on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harfager seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harfager wants to get up but he can't break Tasaki's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tasaki keeping moving, preventing Harfager from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tasaki is looking for a triangle but Harfager pushes his legs off easily.
Harfager pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tasaki is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harfager tries to stand but Tasaki is controlling from the bottom.
Harfager with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harald Harfager dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hero Tasaki's cut.
That's time! Harfager's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Harfager throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Tasaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Harfager.
Tasaki scores with a three punch combo!
Harald Harfager is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tasaki avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Harfager leaves Tasaki with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Tasaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Harfager.
Tasaki slips a jab and a cross from Harfager.
Harfager wants to clinch up but Tasaki keeps it at a distance.
Harfager is looking to clinch.
Tasaki misses with a takedown attempt - Harfager sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Harfager fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tasaki is breathing heavily.
Harfager misses with a combination

and Tasaki counters with a shoot takedown. Harfager fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager is controlling Tasaki's posture.
Harfager controls Tasaki momentarily but Tasaki frees himself.
Harfager has control of Tasaki's left arm, preventing Tasaki from doing any damage.
Tasaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Harfager is retaining full guard.

Tasaki drops back looking for a leg! Harfager is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Harfager manages to kick Tasaki off! Tasaki jumps back into Harfager's guard.
Harfager looking for a sweep. Not yet Harfager, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Harfager looking to control but Tasaki passes into half guard.
Harfager is trying to stand.
Harfager gets back to full guard.

Harfager scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Harfager looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harfager as he avoids it easily.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hero Tasaki.
Harfager wants to clinch.
Tasaki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harfager moves in looking to clinch but Tasaki pushes him off.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tasaki.
Harfager stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Harfager wants it to stay on the feet.
Harfager misses the shot to the body.

Harfager moves into range and clinches up with Tasaki.
Harfager lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Harfager landing knees to the body.
Harfager is working Tasaki over against the cage.
Harfager is working Tasaki over against the cage.
Harfager holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Harfager seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harfager lands a nice knee to the body.
Harfager lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tasaki backwards.
Harfager works on Tasaki's body with a couple of short punches.
Harfager with a knee to the head.
Harfager connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tasaki's face.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Harfager lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Harfager using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tasaki has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Harfager lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tasaki or not.
Harald Harfager has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Harfager tries to land a knee to the head but Tasaki blocks with his arms.
Harfager is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tasaki is defending well for now.

Tasaki jumps guard and drags Harfager to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Tasaki has a closed guard, preventing Harfager from standing up.

Tasaki working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Harfager doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Harfager manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Tasaki is looking for a triangle but Harfager pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Harald Harfager will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hero Tasaki's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Harfager tries to clinch up but Tasaki circles away and keeps his distance.
Tasaki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Harfager sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tasaki somewhat.
Harfager tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Harfager gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harfager trying to control the position but instead, Tasaki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Harfager into the cage.
Tasaki is trying to drag Harfager to the mat but Harfager just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A knee to the head by Harfager.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knees in the clinch landing for Harfager.
Come on Harfager - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A hook to the body from Harfager.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Harfager working Tasaki over with knees to the body.
Tasaki takes a knee right on the jaw!
Harfager stalls.
Tasaki tries to pull guard but Harfager holds him up against the cage and eventually Tasaki drops back down to his feet.
Harald Harfager has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hero Tasaki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager landing knees to the head.
Harfager connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tasaki's face.
Tasaki wants a takedown.
Harfager scores a nice knee to the body.
Harfager scores a nice knee to the body.
Harfager scores with a knee to the head.
Harfager prevents the takedown attempt.
Harfager using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Harfager gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tasaki.
Harfager landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Tasaki takes an elbow to the temple.
Tasaki fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Harfager lands a nice elbow.
Tasaki goes for a takedown in the clinch but Harfager prevents it.
Harfager utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Harfager landing knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harfager stops a takedown attempt from Tasaki.
Tasaki fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Tasaki takes a knee to the side of the body.
Tasaki takes a knee to the side of the body.
Tasaki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Harfager tries a knee to the head but Tasaki blocks it.
Harfager with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Tasaki scores with a shoulder strike.
Harfager with a knee to the head.
Harfager crunches a lovely knee into Tasaki's ribcage.
Tasaki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tasaki tries for a takedown but Harfager manages to get underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Tasaki fails to pull guard.
Harfager prevents the takedown attempt.
Harfager putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Tasaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Harfager comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Harfager works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Tasaki managing to block the knees to the body from Harfager.
Harfager unloads a knee to the mid-section. Tasaki lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Harfager is trying to stall.

Tasaki wants the takedown. Harfager is fighting it off but Tasaki persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Harfager's guard against the cage.
Hero Tasaki has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki is fighting to break Harfager's control of his arms but Harfager is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Tasaki distracts Harfager with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tasaki wants to pass the guard but Harfager is keeping the position.
Tasaki with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tasaki wants to pass the guard but Harfager is keeping the position.
Tasaki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tasaki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Harfager not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Harfager tries to clinch there but Tasaki circles away.
Harfager pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hero Tasaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harfager tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tasaki is defended easily by Harfager.
Harfager tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Harfager tries to clinch but Tasaki is having none of it.
Tasaki lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Tasaki.

Harfager forces Tasaki back against the cage and clinches.
Nice elbow from Harfager.
Harfager wants to stall.
Harald Harfager is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Harfager blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harald Harfager showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harfager, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harald Harfager!