PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hayden Hardman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liam Martin acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Hardman
vs
Martin

168 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hayden Hardman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Liam Martin!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Martin takes the fight into the clinch.
Martin throws a head punch that misses.
Martin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hardman avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Martin is trying to pull guard but Hardman turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Martin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hardman has him pressed against the cage.

Martin jumps guard.
Hardman wants to pass the guard but Martin is keeping the position.
Hardman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hardman wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Martin trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardman tries to free his leg and advance position but Martin is retaining full guard.
Martin controls Hardman momentarily but Hardman frees himself.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Hayden Hardman wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Martin shoots in but no luck this time.
Hayden Hardman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Martin.
Hardman avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hardman could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Nice body punch from Hardman.
Martin shoots in but Hardman avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Martin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hardman counters with a good low kick that Martin was not able to check.
Martin looks gassed!

Hardman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardman is trying to drag Martin to the mat but Martin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hardman jumps guard but Martin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Martin takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Hardman pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hardman shoots for a takedown but Martin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hardman is looking to slow Martin down with leg kicks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardman shoots in for a takedown but Martin shows good takedown defense.
Martin throws a body kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hardman avoids it really well and circles away.
A right-left combo lands from Hardman.
Martin tries to clinch there but Hardman circles away.
Hardman lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Martin misses with a head kick.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hardman as he jumps to the side.
Hardman tries for a takedown but Martin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hardman is looking to clinch but Martin is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin shoots in but no luck this time.

Hardman clinches up against the cage.

Hardman tightens his grip and picks Martin up, before dumping him to the ground. Martin manages to land in guard.
Hardman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardman controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hardman wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Martin trying to keep a closed guard but Hardman is proving a slippery customer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardman won't allow Martin to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayden Hardman dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hardman feints and as Martin raises his hands in defense, Hardman changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martin trying to keep a closed guard but Hardman is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Hardman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Martin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hardman is controlling him.
Martin is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin keeping moving, preventing Hardman from controlling successfully.
Hardman looking to pass the guard.
Hardman scoring with punches to the head and body.
Martin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hardman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Martin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hardman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardman pushing down on Martin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Martin is controlling Hardman's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Hardman controlling the action here.
Hardman works his way into side control.
Hardman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Martin on the ground.

Hardman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Martin, who protects the arm well.
Martin is looking to regain half guard here but Hardman keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin is trying to control Hardman's posture but Hardman avoids it.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Martin is looking to regain half guard here but Hardman keeps moving and retains side control.
Hardman taking a breather here.
Martin is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardman in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Martin manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Hardman wants to work for an arm triangle but Martin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hardman throwing shots but Martin is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayden Hardman dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Hardman fails with a takedown attempt.
Hardman throws a one two combo.

Hardman drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hardman's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Martin looking for a sweep. Not yet Martin, not yet.
Hardman would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Martin working for a triangle but Hardman defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Martin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hardman has managed to get both his arms back between Martin's legs - danger averted.
Martin is trying to keep Hardman in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martin pulls Hardman in close to his closed guard and prevents Hardman from doing any damage or advancing position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardman wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Hardman is really struggling to control Martin but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Martin keeping full guard, as Hardman tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hardman is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardman controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Hayden Hardman has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Martin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Martin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hardman sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hardman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Martin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hardman is fending him off so far but Martin persists. Nope, Hardman circles away and we're back to standing.
Martin stuffs the takedown.
Hardman swats away the attempt to clinch by Martin.
Hardman stuffs the takedown.
Hayden Hardman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Martin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardman lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Martin at a distance.
Hardman throws a head kick but Martin moves out of range.
Hardman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Martin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Martin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hardman.
Hardman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Martin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Martin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hardman but Hardman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Martin circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Martin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hayden Hardman showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hardman, 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hayden Hardman!