PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chris Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ethan Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harris is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: In Exile - Thrice. Ethan Harris will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Cross
vs
Harris

174 cm
22
145 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

184 cm
30
144 lbs
12 - 8 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Solid chin

MMA nutrition

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ethan Harris!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Harris wants to clinch
and Cross counters with a two punch combo.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cross paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cross is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

Harris forces Cross back against the cage and clinches.
Harris lands an elbow just above Cross 's eye.
Harris throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Come on Harris - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harris just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cross's brow.
Harris looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris is trying to stall.
Harris throws an elbow that misses.
Cross takes an elbow to the temple.
Harris is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Cross drags the fight down to the ground.
Cross is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harris gets to his feet. Cross looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Harris showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cross.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Cross circles away.
Cross dives in for a single leg takedown but Harris sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Cross tries to land a leg kick but Harris saw it coming and moves away.
Cross closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harris circles away.
Harris drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cross defends it well.

Cross gets tackled into the cage by Harris. Harris maintains the clinch.

Cross's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Harris darts in and clinches Cross up against the cage.
Harris misses with an elbow strike.
Harris will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Cross up against the cage.
Harris lands an elbow inside that Cross shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cross breaks the clinch.
Cross throws a push kick but Harris slaps the foot to one side.
Cross moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromHarris.

Harris has managed to clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harris just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cross's brow.
Harris throws an elbow but it misses.
Cross wants to break free but Harris has control.
Cross lands a hook that snaps the head of Harris backwards.
I was talking to Cross's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cross dodges an elbow strike from Harris.
Cross is trying to maintain a safe position but Harris gets an underhook and turns Cross into the cage.
Harris creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cross avoids the elbow strike from Harris, against the cage.
Cross has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Harris after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross is trying to break free.
Harris is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross goes for a takedown attempt but Harris pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Harris wants to clinch.
Cross appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Cross looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Harris clinches.
Harris lands an elbow that stopped Cross in his tracks for a moment.
Harris is struggling to control the position.

Cross drags the fight down to the ground.
Cross might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Harris gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Cross shoots in and gets a takedown into Harris's guard.
Cross postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Cross stands and steps away. Harris gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cross.
Cross tries for a takedown but Harris circles away easily
and Harris counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cross scores with a head kick. Harris tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Harris tries to clinch up.

Harris instigates a clinch.
Cross avoids a wild elbow strike from Harris.
Cross drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Harris gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cross can't break the clinch.
Cross blocks an elbow strike.
Harris lands a nice elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ethan Harris dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cross throws a sloppy head kick and Harris moves out of range easily.
Harris follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.

Harris gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ethan Harris seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Harris misses with an elbow strike.
Cross is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Harris is defending well.
Harris throws an elbow that misses.
Harris creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cross's defenses.
Harris lands a nice elbow.
A bit of stalling here from Harris.
Harris pushes off an throws an elbow but Cross leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Cross gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Cross tries to pass the half guard into mount. Harris knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Harris looks like he's trying to stand up.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Harris has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Cross is on him like a limpet, forcing Harris back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Cross is trying to push Harris away but Harris has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cross tries to score a body lock takedown but Harris shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harris looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Harris creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cross's defenses.
Cross blocks the elbow strike.
Cross is trying to force a seperation but Harris has the dominant position.
Harris lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Harris has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Harris gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Harris lands an elbow inside that Cross shrugs off.
Cross avoids a wild elbow strike from Harris.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cross as Harris tries to tie him up.
Cross blocks an elbow strike from Harris.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Harris.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris'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.
Harris throws an elbow that misses.
Harris lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Harris lands a damaging elbow.
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 lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Harris pushes off an throws an elbow but Cross leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cross tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harris just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cross wants to stall.
Cross tries to pull guard but Harris won't allow it.
Harris taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Cross dodges an elbow strike from Harris.
Harris keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cross's efforts to push away.
Harris lands an elbow just above Cross 's eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harris just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cross's brow.
Harris gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cross is looking to break free of the clinch but Harris has double underhooks.
Harris lands an elbow inside that Cross shrugs off.
Cross is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harris to keep the fight standing.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harris just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cross's brow.
Harris pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Harris has Cross pressed against the cage, preventing Cross from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Cross pulls guard successfully.
Harris wants to stand and escape but instead Cross has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Harris is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cross trying to control but Harris is working from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Harris can do anything to dispel that myth.
Harris wants to stand up but Cross is controlling him.
Chris Cross overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ethan Harris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cross avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cross.
A slapping body kick lands there for Cross.
Harris dodges the punch combination from Cross.
Harris tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Harris tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cross manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harris blocks a head kick by Cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Harris clinches.
Cross is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Harris is defending well.
Cross blocks the elbow strike.
Cross is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Harris just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross fails to pull guard.
Cross is looking to take this one to the mat.
Harris misses with an elbow over the top.
Cross stalling in the clinch but Harris improves position.
Harris is struggling to control the position.
Harris stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cross blocks the elbow strike.
Cross has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Harris is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Harris throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Harris lands a damaging elbow.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Harris just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cross's brow.
Cross dodges an elbow strike from Harris.
Cross blocks the elbow strike.
Cross has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Harris is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harris taking a breather.
Cross blocks an elbow strike from Harris.
Cross goes for a takedown attempt but Harris pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Harris moves into the clinch.
Harris misses with an elbow over the top.
Cross tries to circle away but Harris has him pinned against the cage.
Harris has Cross pressed against the cage, preventing Cross from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Harris lands a damaging elbow.
Harris gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Harris creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cross is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harris to keep the fight standing.
Harris throws an elbow that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cross tries for a takedown but Harris manages to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harris lands a damaging elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Cross as Harris tries to tie him up.
Cross dodges an elbow strike from Harris.
Cross tries to pull guard but Harris forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cross is trying to break the clinch but Harris has him pressed against the cage.
Cross is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harris gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Harris throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cross tries to break the clinch but Harris is controlling the position.
Harris lands a damaging elbow.
Harris lands an elbow inside.
Cross is looking for a takedown.
Stalling in the clinch from Harris.
Cross fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Cross tries to break free but Harris pushes him back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Harris.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris lands an elbow inside that Cross shrugs off.
Harris leaning his opponent against the cage.
Harris avoiding damage.
Cross avoids the elbow strike from Harris, against the cage.
Harris gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Harris lands an elbow that stopped Cross in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cross jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Harris walks away with a smile on his face. Cross gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Cross circles away.
Cross throws a sloppy body shot

and Harris counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Harris.
Harris creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cross's defenses.

Cross breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Chris Cross has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harris tries to clinch up but Cross circles away and keeps his distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ethan Harris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Harris winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ethan Harris!
An out of breath Ethan Harris thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.