PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rousimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rousimar Palhares has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hardy
vs
Palhares

191 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

175 cm
21
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

CEC Nutrition Q160 & Loans

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chris Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rousimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Daniel Blasius and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Palhares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Palhares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Palhares shoots in looking for a takedown. Hardy tries to sprawl out of it but Palhares keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Hardy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Hardy has Palhares up against the ropes in a clinch.
Palhares can't get the takedown.
Palhares goes for a takedown attempt but Hardy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Chris Hardy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rousimar Palhares.

Palhares looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hardy is looking to stand up but Palhares isn't so interested in that idea.
Hardy wants to sweep but no luck.
Palhares looking to pass the guard.
Palhares wants to control from the top but Hardy keeps moving.
Hardy wants to stand up but Palhares is controlling him.
Hardy is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palhares fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hardy tries to clinch up.
Hardy stuffs the takedown.
Palhares shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hardy defends it nicely.

Palhares shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hardy is controlling Palhares's trapped leg to prevent Palhares from advancing to side control.
Hardy trying to hold on to Palhares's head to control him but Palhares postures up.
Hardy wants to get back to full guard.
Palhares is trying to control the action in half guard but Hardy is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Palhares controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Palhares fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hardy fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Palhares, pushing him back against the ropes.
Hardy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Palhares has him pressed against the ropes.

Hardy jumps guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Palhares tries to free his leg and advance position but Hardy is retaining full guard.
Hardy is looking to stand up but Palhares isn't so interested in that idea.
Hardy controlling Palhares's posture.
Palhares scoring with punches to the head and body.
Palhares wants to pass the guard but Hardy is keeping the position.
Palhares stopping the sweep attempt from Hardy.
Hardy controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Chris Hardy wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Palhares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy tries to close the distance and clinch but Palhares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hardy leaves Palhares with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Palhares is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hardy's half guard.
Palhares moves into full mount! Hardy won't be happy about that!
Hardy tries to lock up and control but Palhares gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hardy can't escape the position.

Palhares gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Palhares shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hardy napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Palhares looks winded!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy regains half guard.
Hardy trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares trying to mount his opponent but Hardy defends it.
Palhares passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hardy!
Palhares lands a big elbow.
Palhares wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Hardy is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Palhares controlling from mount.
Palhares trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rousimar Palhares dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hardy moves into range and clinches up with Palhares.
Palhares looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hardy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Palhares.
Hardy scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hardy looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hardy gets underhooks to prevent Palhares's takedown attempt.

Hardy jumps guard.
Hardy wants to get back to his feet but Palhares is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Palhares wants to control from the top but Hardy keeps moving.
Hardy is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hardy is trying to control the position but Palhares postures up.
Palhares advances to half guard.

Palhares is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy wants to get back to full guard.
Hardy is concentrating on defense, preventing Palhares from advancing position.
Hardy is trying to stand up here but Palhares is controlling him well.
Hardy is pressing down on Palhares's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hardy is trying to keep Palhares in close.
Palhares would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hardy trying to keep a closed guard but Palhares is proving a slippery customer.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Palhares controls from within his opponent's guard.
Palhares trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chris Hardy.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Palhares gets the takedown into side control.
Palhares is breathing heavily.
Palhares trying to control the action but Hardy is working from the bottom.
Hardy is trying to get back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Palhares working the body and head with strikes.
Hardy is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Palhares asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Rousimar Palhares has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hardy manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Hardy seems to be looking for submissions.
Palhares is trying to maintain the position but Hardy is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hardy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Hardy is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Palhares is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Hardy wants to pass the guard but Palhares is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Hardy seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Palhares trying to hold on to Hardy's head to control him but Hardy postures up.
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 Chris Hardy will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Hardy tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Palhares manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hardy fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hardy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hardy is looking to clinch but Palhares is avoiding it.
Palhares is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hardy sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Palhares shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hardy but Hardy pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hardy tries to clinch there but Palhares circles away.
Hardy tries to clinch up but Palhares circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Palhares scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Hardy is defending against the submission attempts here by Palhares.
Hardy is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy is trying to maintain the position but Palhares is very close to passing his half guard.

Palhares is looking for a kimura but Hardy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Palhares to get the leverage.
Palhares takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hardy trying to control but Palhares postures up.
Hardy is trying is best to control the position here.
Hardy trying to control here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Chris Hardy has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Palhares gets the takedown into side control.
Palhares is looking to take a break and control but Hardy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Palhares working away.
Hardy wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Hardy's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

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

Palhares is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hardy has escaped the position, nice work there.
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!

Palhares is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hardy knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Hardy can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy prevents Palhares from improving position.
Hardy sneaks back into half guard.
Palhares thows a huge punch but Hardy dodges it nicely.
Hardy is trying to control but can't.
Hardy is looking for a sweep. Palhares is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Palhares lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hardy tries to get to full guard but Palhares has control of the leg.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hardy slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hardy wants to stand up but Palhares is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Palhares pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hardy is keeping the position for now.
Hardy is looking to stand up but Palhares isn't so interested in that idea.
Hardy will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Palhares looking to pass the guard.
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.

Palhares looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hardy is looking to take a break and control but Palhares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Palhares trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rousimar Palhares.
I think Palhares 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 29:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!