PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Phil Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ken Masters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Masters is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Living in America. Phil Harris has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Harris
vs
Masters

185 cm
29
187 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

180 cm
28
192 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

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 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Phil Harris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ken Masters!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Albert Achterberg and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harris is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Masters's half guard.
Masters pushes Harris off looking to stand but Harris dives back in and keeps control.

Harris is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Masters is just riding it out for now. Harris eventually gives up the hold.
Harris winds up and cracks Masters with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Harris is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Harris thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Masters's head.
Harris prevents Masters from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Harris is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Masters defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris trying to mount his opponent but Masters defends it.
Masters is not content to let Harris control the position.
Harris is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Harris is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Masters is surviving well by controlling Harris's body position as best he can.
Harris wants to control the pace but Masters is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

Harris looking to secure an arm triangle but Masters defends it well.
Masters squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Harris punching from mount but Masters doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Harris swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Masters is now in Harris's guard. A big mistake from Harris there, giving up the dominant position!

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

Harris is looking for a triangle but Masters pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Harris manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Masters manages to get himself to full guard.
Masters wants to stand but Harris is controlling the position.
Harris wants to pass the guard but Masters is keeping the position.
Harris stands and throws Masters's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Masters stops Harris from passing to mount.

Harris working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris prevents Masters from escaping the position.
Masters tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Harris working away from the top, dropping strikes.

Harris is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Masters can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Masters is trying to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Harris dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Masters lands a right hook to the body.
Masters pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Harris shoots for a double leg takedown but Masters sprawls well. He's pushed Harris's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ken Masters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Masters tries to sprawl but Harris drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Harris is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Masters doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Harris.
Masters is trying to stand back up but Harris is controlling him
Harris thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Masters is looking to get back to is feet but Harris passes into side control.
Masters prevents Harris from moving into mount.

Harris goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Masters has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Harris but great work by Masters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Phil Harris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Masters working away.
Masters tries to stand but Harris controls the position and pulls Masters into his guard.
Harris trying to keep a closed guard but Masters is proving a slippery customer.
Masters wants to get up but he can't break Harris's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Harris is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We've been hearing good reports from Harris's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Harris is trying to keep Masters in close.

Harris looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Harris looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Masters wants to stand and escape but instead Harris has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Masters is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Harris is controlling him.
Harris trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris trying to control but Masters is working from the bottom.
Harris trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Harris looking to pass the guard.
Harris is working hard here to advance position.
Harris scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters wants to stand but Harris is controlling the position.
Harris passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Harris tries to move to mount but Masters blocks the move with his legs.

Harris is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Masters is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
A lull in the action here as Harris stalls from top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harris connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Masters some visible discomfort.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Harris dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Masters throws a nice head kick!
Harris tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Masters defends well and Harris ends up having to push Masters into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Harris manages to break the clinch.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Masters circles away.
Masters throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Harris throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Masters's head.
Masters misses with a wild combination.
Masters connects with a body shot that sends Harris's belly button to the back.
Masters digs a good body shot into Harris's ribs.
Masters misses with a jab, cross combination.
Harris throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Masters.
Masters scores with a kick to the midsection.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harris misses with an attempted mid kick.
Masters rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harris moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Harris misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Masters.
Masters thuds his right hand into Harris's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ken Masters is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Masters fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Masters's coach down at London MMA Club was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Masters's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Masters will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Harris misses with a takedown attempt - Masters sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Masters lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harris circles away quickly and effectively.
Masters will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Harris throws a leg kick but Masters checks it.
Harris scores with a crisp jab that stopped Masters in his tracks.
A head kick from Masters lands but Harris takes it in his stride.
A nice inside leg kick there by Masters. That's going to slow Harris down.
Phil Harris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Masters defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Harris.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phil Harris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harris shoots in looking for a takedown but Masters manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Harris's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Masters throws a head kick but Harris moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masters lands a jab to Harris's midsection.
Masters misses with a double jab.
Masters ducks under a wild hook from Harris.
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!
Harris throws a leg kick which misses Masters's front leg but catches the back leg as Masters tries to avoid it.
Harris takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Masters tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ken Masters seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Masters looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Harris moves out of range of the body kick.
Harris blocks a head kick by Masters.
Masters misses the shot to the body.
Masters fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Harris looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Harris looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Masters is fending him off so far but Harris persists. Nope, Masters circles away and we're back to standing.
Masters chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Harris is trying hard to land a takedown here. Masters sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Masters misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters delivers a nice body kick.
Nice sprawl there from Masters as Harris shoots in.
Nice takedown defense from Masters. No joy for Harris on that attempt.
Masters jabs Harris to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Harris thumps Masters with a low kick.
Masters lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Masters lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Masters lands a really nice looking cross but Harris seems unphased.
Masters checks the leg kick.
Masters avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A left lands for Masters.
Masters fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some bone on bone action there as Masters checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Harris takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Harris throws a leg kick but Masters checks it.
Masters is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Harris rather than just go for the knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters throws a right and a left that both miss.
Masters throws a lazy head kick

so Harris counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Harris looking to sit in guard and control but Masters gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Masters wanted to stand there but Harris had control of the position.
Ken Masters has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Masters wants to stand and escape but instead Harris has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Masters is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Harris dives into side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Ken Masters comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Harris 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phil Harris!
A very excited looking Phil Harris made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.