PBP Commentary

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

Sykes
vs
Hart

216 cm
24
151 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

179 cm
25
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sheldon Sykes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Seneca Hart!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Franklyn Lucas and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hart throws a head kick that misses.

Sykes closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hart quickly recovers to half guard.
Hart is looking to improve his position.
Sykes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sykes prevents Hart from improving his position.
Hart tries to kick Sykes off but Sykes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hart actively working from the bottom here.
Hart avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sykes.
Hart on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sykes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sykes is nestled in close to Hart, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hart keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sykes winds up and cracks Hart with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hart is pressing down on Sykes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sykes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sykes working some strikes from top position.
Sykes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Hart looking for a guillotine here but Sykes defends easily.
Sykes connects with a couple of short punches.
Sykes throws a big right hand that misses.
Sykes wants to stand but Hart is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sykes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Sykes stopping the sweep attempt from Hart.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hart is pulling down on Sykes's head to control his posture.
Hart avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sykes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sykes throwing strikes but missing.
Hart tries to land a sweep but no joy.
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!
Hart has Sykes pulled in close to control his posture.
Sykes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Hart is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sykes throws a strike but Hart rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sykes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hart postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sykes trying to strike off his back.
Sykes keeping moving, preventing Hart from controlling successfully.
Hart stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sykes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hart cracks Sykes with a solid left hand.
Hart trying to control the position from guard on top but Sykes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sykes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Hart sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hart is looking to pass into half guard but Sykes pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sykes is in guard.
Hart looking for a sweep. Not yet Hart, not yet.
Hart is trying to keep Sykes in close.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sykes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hart's head.
Sykes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hart works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sheldon Sykes will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hart connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sykes. Sykes circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hart throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hart misses with a right hand
and Sykes counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hart thinking.
Hart fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hart throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A telegraphed right hand from Hart misses the target.
Hart throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hart lunges at Sykes with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Sykes's hand.
A head kick misses from Hart.
Hart pulls out of a head kick attempt.
No joy there for Hart, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sykes moves out of range as Hart strikes.
Hart displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sykes.
Hart fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sykes manages to avoid it.
Hart tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hart throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Sykes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sykes has a takedown stuffed.
Hart takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Sykes blocks a head kick by Hart.

Sykes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sykes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Sykes lands strikes from half guard.
Hart is looking to improve his position.
Sykes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sykes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sykes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hart is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hart manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hart manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sykes manages to get himself to full guard.
Hart trying to control the position from guard on top but Sykes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hart prevents Sykes from getting back to his feet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sykes is on top in guard.
Hart is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hart is trying to control the position but Sykes postures up.
Sykes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Hart looking for a guillotine here but Sykes defends easily.
Hart wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sykes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sykes throwing strikes from guard but Hart blocks nicely.
Sykes works over Hart with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart wants to sweep but no luck.
Sykes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sykes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hart manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sykes blocking the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Hart connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seneca Hart showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Hart throws an overhand right that lands on Sykes's shoulder, as Sykes tries to avoid the shot.
Hart keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hart lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sykes's sensitive parts.
Hart throws a leg kick which misses Sykes's front leg but catches the back leg as Sykes tries to avoid it.
Hart shoots and misses
and Sykes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Sykes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sykes lands in his opponent's guard.
Sykes tries to stand but Hart is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hart is trying to keep Sykes in close.
Sykes working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hart looking for a guillotine here but Sykes defends easily.
Sykes wants to stand but Hart is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sykes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sykes working some strikes from top position.
Hart looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sykes lands a couple of elbows.
Hart trying to keep a closed guard but Sykes is proving a slippery customer.
Sykes is looking to work some ground and pound but Hart has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hart bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sykes's guard.

Sykes has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Hart is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Hart misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hart misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Hart fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Hart fails to land.
Hart throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hart wants a takedown.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hart throws a punch but it's blocked by Sykes.
Hart working aggressively here.
Sykes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Sykes keeps control of Hart as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hart drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sykes gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sheldon Sykes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Seneca Hart.
Hart creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Sykes pulls guard effortlessly.
Sykes trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Sykes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hart postures up in Sykes's guard and throws a big left but Sykes blocks it.
Hart keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sykes's head.
Hart stopping the sweep attempt from Sykes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart looking to sit in guard and control but Sykes gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sykes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sykes throws a big elbow that misses.
Hart looking to control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sykes throws a strike but Hart rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sykes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sheldon Sykes.
I think Sykes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!