PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yamamoto Takiyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stratton Hartford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Takiyama
vs
Hartford

176 cm
31
175 lbs
12 - 8 - 2

190 cm
24
170 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent elbows
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry
Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 12 - 8 - 2, fighting out of London, Yamamoto Takiyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stratton Hartford!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hartford tries to clinch but Takiyama is having none of it.
Hartford is looking to score with low kicks.

Hartford looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hartford seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Takiyama does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Takiyama looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Takiyama manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hartford is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hartford trying to stand up but can't free himself from Takiyama's guard.
Hartford sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hartford lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Hartford got a little sloppy there for a moment and Takiyama has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hartford has managed to get both his arms back between Takiyama's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Takiyama looking for a guillotine here but Hartford defends easily.
Hartford controls from within his opponent's guard.

Hartford avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hartford engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Takiyama is looking for a triangle but Hartford pushes his legs off easily.

Takiyama had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hartford defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hartford lands a couple of digs.

Takiyama escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hartford gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Takiyama not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hartford wants to get up but he can't break Takiyama's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Takiyama working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hartford doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hartford manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hartford scoring with some ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Takiyama is on top in guard.
Hartford is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hartford prevents Takiyama from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartford content to control rather than advance.
Hartford prevents Takiyama from improving his position.

Takiyama actively working from the bottom here.
Hartford is trying to control. Takiyama wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Takiyama is trying to get back to full guard.
Hartford performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hartford seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Takiyama does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Stratton Hartford wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hartford fails to land the takedown.
Hartford shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Takiyama as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hartford throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Takiyama's waist but Takiyama gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hartford off to one side.
Yamamoto Takiyama has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stratton Hartford.
Hartford shoots in looking for a takedown. Takiyama tries to sprawl out of it but Hartford keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Takiyama manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Hartford fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Takiyama sprawls well initially but Hartford persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hartford content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takiyama is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hartford tries to pass the half guard into mount. Takiyama knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Takiyama looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Takiyama tries to get to full guard but Hartford has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hartford works Takiyama's body with a nice hook.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Takiyama lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Hartford has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Hartford and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stratton Hartford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Takiyama tries to clinch there but Hartford circles away.

Hartford clinches up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Takiyama throws an elbow but misses.
Takiyama trying to stall but Hartford improves his position.
Takiyama pushes off an throws an elbow but Hartford leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hartford blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hartford is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
With the fighters up against the cage, Takiyama throws an elbow but misses.
Hartford displaying some good clinch control by pressing Takiyama up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Stratton Hartford.
Hartford darts in trying to clinch
and Takiyama counters with a good low kick that Hartford was not able to check.
Takiyama is looking to chop away at Hartford's legs.

Hartford has closed the distance and engaged Takiyama in a clinch.
Takiyama misses with an elbow strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hartford.
Takiyama pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
I was talking to Takiyama's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Hartford.
Takiyama pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hartford avoids a wild elbow strike from Takiyama.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stratton Hartford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Hartford or perhaps it was just good defense by Takiyama which made him look bad.

Hartford throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Takiyama was covering up waiting for the punch and Hartford finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stratton Hartford has got the better of the ground game so far.
Takiyama tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Takiyama escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hartford gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Takiyama escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hartford gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hartford is in close to Takiyama's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Takiyama lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hartford!
Hartford felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Takiyama tries to control but Hartford wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hartford is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Takiyama trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Takiyama controlling the position easily from mount.
Hartford working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takiyama tries to control but Hartford wriggling away.
Hartford is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Takiyama wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takiyama can't control as he wanted to and Hartford manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Takiyama wants to control but Hartford is keeping him busy.
Yamamoto Takiyama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Yamamoto Takiyama has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Hartford fails with the takedown

and Takiyama counters by moving into the clinch.
Takiyama throws an elbow but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hartford has Takiyama pressed against the cage.
Takiyama throws an elbow but it misses.
Takiyama pushes off an throws an elbow but Hartford leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hartford continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yamamoto Takiyama showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hartford has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stratton Hartford!