PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike heh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Geoff Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). heh comes to the ring accompanied by Marilyn Manson - Fight Song. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

heh
vs
Harding

178 cm
20
176 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

182 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike heh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Geoff Harding!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
heh tries to clinch but Harding moves out of range.
heh shoots in for a takedown but Harding shows good takedown defense.
heh fails to land the takedown.

heh shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Harding is trying to control the position from the bottom.
heh trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harding utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Harding tries to strike from the bottom.
Harding wants to stand and escape but heh is having none of it.
heh trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.

Harding looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Harding shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and heh counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Harding keeping moving, preventing heh from controlling successfully.
heh postures up.
Harding is looking to stand up but heh isn't so interested in that idea.
heh working some strikes from top position.
Harding keeping moving, preventing heh from controlling successfully.
Harding looking for a sweep. Not yet Harding, not yet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Harding keeping moving, preventing heh from controlling successfully.
heh showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
heh doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Harding counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike heh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harding looks gassed!
This has been an exciting period of action!
heh manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Harding is desperately trying to improve his position but heh has a good base and remains in mount.
heh tries to control but Harding wriggling away.
heh looking to finish Harding with some ground and pound. This is bad for Harding!
heh has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Harding's face.
heh working the ground and pound effectively.
heh tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
heh seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Harding for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harding is wriggling around trying to escape.

heh looking to secure an arm triangle but Harding defends it well.
heh content just to control the position here.
Harding is trying to escape the mount.
heh looking to control but Harding is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
heh prevents Harding from getting the reversal.
The referee warns Harding that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Harding is squirming around, avoiding heh's attempts to control the action.
heh tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Harding is looking to get to half guard.
heh controlling his opponent.
Harding is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike heh dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

heh tries for a takedown but Harding circles away easily

and Harding counters with a takedown into side control.
Harding advances to mount.
Harding fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Harding has control of heh's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and heh regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Harding looking to control but heh is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
heh tries to reverse the position but Harding maintains control.
A nice elbow there by Harding.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harding looking to secure an arm triangle but heh defends it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Harding cracks heh with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Harding takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
heh is squirming around, avoiding Harding's attempts to control the action.
Harding raining down shots from the mount!
heh working to try and regain half guard.
Harding looking to control but heh is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Harding is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
heh tries to hold on but Harding pushes him away.
Harding lands with some vicious ground and pound - can heh hang on?
Harding has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of heh's face.
heh can't escape the position.
heh tries to hold on but Harding postures up.
heh working to try and regain half guard.
Harding lands a big shot there that rocks heh but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
heh tries to hold on but Harding pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
heh is bucking up trying to escape but Harding cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
heh wants to hold on but Harding pushes him away.
heh is trying to escape the mount.
heh is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
heh gets back to half guard.

heh kicks off Harding and gets to his feet.

heh scores with a takedown into Harding's guard.
Harding looking to hit a scissor sweep but heh is one step ahead there.

Harding has an active guard here but heh has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harding is looking for a sweep. heh is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Harding kicks heh off and gets back to his feet.
Harding tries for a takedown but heh circles away easily

and heh counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
heh wants to control from the top but Harding keeps moving.
heh pushing down on Harding's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
heh is tying to control. Harding wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harding moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
heh distracts Harding with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Geoff Harding will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

heh has his takedown stuffed

and Harding holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Harding keeps control of heh as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
heh tries for a takedown. No joy.
heh drops down looking for an ankle pick but Harding pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike heh. That's going to take a lot out of him.

heh closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - heh lands in his opponent's guard.
Harding wants to sweep here but heh controlling him for the moment.

Harding looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
heh has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Harding wants to sweep but no luck.
heh trying to control the position from guard on top but Harding is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
heh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Harding is trying to keep heh in close.
heh trying to control but Harding is working from the bottom.
Harding looking for a sweep. Not yet Harding, not yet.
Mike heh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Harding.
Harding tries for a takedown but heh circles away easily

and heh counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harding tries to roll over but heh keeps him under control.
heh wants to pass to mount but Harding is defending the position.
heh is looking to take a break and control but Harding is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
heh keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Harding trying to control here.
heh is taking a breather. Harding says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Harding is looking to improve his position.
heh is keen to just control but Harding is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
heh gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Harding counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Harding trying to control the position from guard on top but heh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
heh seems keen to control Harding's posture.

heh throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Harding missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Harding wants to stand but heh is controlling his posture from full guard.
heh manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Harding manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harding pulls heh in close to prevent any damage.
heh postures up.

Harding looking for a guillotine here but heh defends easily.
Harding looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
heh looking to sit in guard and control but Harding gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
heh keeping moving, preventing Harding from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Geoff Harding.
I think Harding 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Geoff Harding!