PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Walter Rothko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Hardin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Hardin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rothko
vs
Hardin

178 cm
25
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
28
155 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Good low kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Rothko !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Hardin!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardin is looking to clinch.
Rothko on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Rothko dives in and grabs Hardin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hardin pushes down on Rothko 's head and hops out.
Hardin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Rothko manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rothko gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hardin to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Hardin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Rothko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hardin defends well.
Hardin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rothko wants to sweep but no luck.
Rothko pulls Hardin in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hardin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko striking off his back but it's not causing Hardin any problems.
Hardin wants to get up but he can't break Rothko 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hardin trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rothko trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Rothko has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hardin off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hardin lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin fails with a takedown attempt.
Rothko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hardin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rothko misses with a few strikes there.
Hardin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hardin wants it to stay on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hardin.
Walter Rothko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hardin.
Hardin with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rothko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rothko instigates a clinch.

Rothko breaks the clinch.
Rothko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hardin but Hardin pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Rothko gets a takedown into half guard.
Rothko seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hardin trying to control here.
Rothko not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rothko is working for a kimura but Hardin is defending it quite comfortably.
Rothko 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.
Rothko slows the pace down in half guard.
Rothko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rothko wants to work for an arm triangle but Hardin is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rothko lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Rothko dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hardin cracks the inside of Rothko 's front leg.
Horrible takedown by Hardin or perhaps it was just good defense by Rothko which made him look bad.
Rothko throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardin's waist but Hardin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rothko off to one side.
Hardin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rothko .
Hardin shoots in but Rothko avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hardin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rothko avoids it really well and circles away.
Walter Rothko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hardin.
No luck for Rothko with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothko misses with a looping left.

Rothko rushes Hardin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Rothko gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hardin regains guard.

Hardin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rothko is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rothko tries to free his leg and advance position but Hardin is retaining full guard.
Rothko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hardin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardin wants to get back to full guard.
Rothko takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rothko frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rothko looking to finish with strikes here!
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!
Rothko controlling the position easily from mount.
Rothko misses with a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothko looking to control and managing it successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rothko seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hardin for as long as he can get away with.

We're going to have a standup here because Walter Rothko wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Rothko darts in and clinches Hardin up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rothko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Walter Rothko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rothko looks for a takedown but Hardin sprawls well.
Hardin goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rothko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hardin swivels and escapes.
Rothko fails with a takedown attempt.
Rothko shoots in for a takedown but Hardin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hardin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hardin lands a front kick.
Rothko looks for a takedown but Hardin sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Rothko dominated that second round.
That's time! Rothko 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Hardin moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Mike Hardin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hardin ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hardin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rothko circles away.
Rothko has a takedown stuffed.
Rothko looks for a takedown but Hardin sprawls well.

Rothko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rothko 's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rothko has Hardin pressed against the cage, preventing Hardin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rothko jumps guard.
Rothko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rothko is controlling Hardin's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rothko trying to keep a closed guard but Hardin is proving a slippery customer.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Walter Rothko .
Rothko shoots in but Hardin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Walter Rothko . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hardin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rothko tries to avoid it but Hardin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rothko to the ground. Rothko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothko shoots in looking for a takedown but Hardin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rothko 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rothko fails to land with a series of punches.
Hardin wants to clinch up but Rothko keeps it at a distance.
A left and a right from Hardin both land. Nice combination.
Hardin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rothko sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rothko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hardin tries to clinch but Rothko is having none of it.
Rothko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hardin pinned against the cage. Hardin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hardin fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rothko swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rothko manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hardin on his heels. He'll look to pass Hardin's guard now, I'm sure.

Hardin is working an open guard so Rothko takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Rothko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Hardin is letting Rothko control him for a moment.

Rothko decides to stand back up.
Hardin tries to clinch but Rothko moves out of range.
Hardin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rothko but Rothko pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rothko misses with an uppercut.

Rothko rushes Hardin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hardin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Rothko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hardin doesn't manage to clinch there - Rothko circles away.

Rothko throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hardin was covering up waiting for the punch and Rothko finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rothko passes into half guard.
Mike Hardin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walter Rothko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rothko trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Walter Rothko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rothko , 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Walter Rothko !