PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jason Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kitsune Tsuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hardy
vs
Tsuki

180 cm
26
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
26
160 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jason Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kitsune Tsuki!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy shoots in looking for a takedown but Tsuki manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hardy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Tsuki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardy pinned against the cage. Hardy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Tsuki drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Tsuki.
Tsuki sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Hardy is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Tsuki tries for a kimura but Hardy is defending well.

Tsuki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hardy, who protects the arm well.
Hardy wants to control but Tsuki postures up.

Tsuki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hardy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Tsuki tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tsuki is trying to get an arm triangle but Hardy is defending well.
Hardy is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hardy slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hardy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tsuki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hardy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tsuki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy looking to control.

Tsuki 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hardy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tsuki gets back to full guard.
Tsuki looking to control.
Hardy is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hardy slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hardy.
Still in half guard, Hardy seems content to control.
Hardy is pressing down on Tsuki's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tsuki is holding on for now.
Hardy has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hardy lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hardy wants to control the pace but Tsuki is squirming around nicely.
Tsuki is desperately trying to improve his position but Hardy has a good base and remains in mount.
Hardy is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Tsuki can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki is bucking up trying to escape but Hardy cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hardy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tsuki is looking to escape.
A nice elbow there by Hardy.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy landing strikes from the mount and Tsuki is in trouble!

Hardy jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Tsuki manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Tsuki manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hardy is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tsuki is thwarting Hardy's attempts to control the position.
Hardy makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hardy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Hardy dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hardy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hardy misses with a takedown

and Tsuki counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardy's guard now.
Hardy keeping moving, preventing Tsuki from controlling successfully.
Hardy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tsuki stops Hardy from standing up.
Hardy manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Tsuki manages to get himself to full guard.
Hardy landing with the ground and pound.
Jason Hardy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Tsuki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tsuki avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tsuki working for a triangle but Hardy defends it easily.
Tsuki has momentary wrist control but Hardy slips an elbow through the middle.
Hardy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tsuki has control of Hardy's left arm, preventing Hardy from doing any damage.
Hardy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Tsuki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tsuki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hardy looking to pass the guard.
Hardy trying to control the position from guard on top but Tsuki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tsuki shoots for a double leg takedown but Hardy sprawls well. He's pushed Tsuki's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hardy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tsuki but Tsuki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tsuki scores with a leg kick.
Tsuki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Hardy gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tsuki to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tsuki stopping the sweep attempt from Hardy.
Tsuki throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki is working Hardy over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tsuki won't allow Hardy to sweep him here.
Hardy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hardy scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Tsuki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hardy pulls his head out easily.
Tsuki is refusing to be controlled, as Hardy sits in half guard.
Tsuki trying to hold on to Hardy's head to control him but Hardy postures up.
Tsuki is breathing heavily.
Hardy drops an elbow to the side of Tsuki's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hardy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Hardy is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Tsuki is just riding it out for now. Hardy eventually gives up the hold.

Tsuki looking for submissions off his back.
Hardy slips a nice elbow through Tsuki's hands, connecting with Tsuki's forehead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tsuki is looking for a sweep. Hardy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kitsune Tsuki will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

Hardy tests Tsuki's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tsuki stuffs the takedown.
Tsuki blocks a jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Hardy.
Tsuki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hardy is fending him off so far but Tsuki persists. Nope, Hardy circles away and we're back to standing.

Tsuki fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hardy to the ground. Tsuki is now in Hardy's guard.
Tsuki throws an elbow that misses. Hardy uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tsuki's guard. Nice move by Hardy!
Tsuki keeping moving, preventing Hardy from controlling successfully.
Tsuki lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hardy!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hardy tries to lock up and control but Tsuki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Tsuki wants to finish this one by submission but Hardy is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Tsuki.
Hardy is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hardy sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tsuki's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tsuki's back!
Tsuki can't escape the position.
Hardy controlling the position well here. Tsuki rolled but Hardy kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Tsuki covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Hardy wants to control but Tsuki is keeping busy.

Hardy is looking for the choke from the back position but Tsuki is controlling his hands well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardy lands a shot to the head.
Can Tsuki hold on?! Hardy is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Hardy is trying to stick to Tsuki's back but Tsuki is turning into Hardy. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hardy's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Tsuki.
Tsuki postures up.
Tsuki being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki with a nice head shot there.

Tsuki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tsuki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hardy is trying to stand up here but Tsuki is controlling him well.
Tsuki wants to free his trapped foot but Hardy is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tsuki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardy tries to roll over but Tsuki keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tsuki is looking for a kimura but Hardy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tsuki to get the leverage.
Hardy tries to roll over but Tsuki keeps him under control.
Hardy is working hard here to advance position.

Tsuki wants to work for an arm triangle but Hardy is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy is looking for a sweep. Tsuki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Hardy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hardy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jason Hardy!
After the fight, Jason Hardy was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.