PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jon Jon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duke Hardcastle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jon's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, The enemy. Hardcastle comes into a darkened arena with his song building. "Fade (Reed Streets Remix)" By Kanye West kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Jon Jon has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Jon
vs
Hardcastle

210 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
20
187 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jon Jon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Duke Hardcastle!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jon throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hardcastle counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jon is trying to keep Hardcastle in close.
Jon wants to sweep here but Hardcastle controlling him for the moment.

Hardcastle decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Jon, up you get!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jon shoots in and drives through. Hardcastle sprawls well.
Hardcastle unleashes a big counter combination but Jon bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Jon clinches.
Hardcastle should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Jon has hold of one of Hardcastle's legs. Hardcastle is fighting the takedown attempt but Jon gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hardcastle escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Jon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Jon throwing strikes from guard but Hardcastle blocks nicely.
Jon wants to stand but Hardcastle has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hardcastle is pulling down on Jon's head to control his posture.
Jon works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jon tries to stand but can't do so whilst Hardcastle controls his leg.
Jon working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Hardcastle's thigh. Hardcastle counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Jon has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Hardcastle has his foot on Jon's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jon works his way back into a safe position though.
Hardcastle controls Jon momentarily but Jon frees himself.
Jon passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jon is stalling here. Hardcastle is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Jon seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hardcastle has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Jon is looking for a sweep.
Hardcastle has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Jon!
Hardcastle looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hardcastle has control of Jon's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Jon regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Hardcastle sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jon is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Hardcastle takes Jon's back.

Hardcastle working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hardcastle not allowing Jon to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duke Hardcastle dominated that round.
That's time! Jon's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hardcastle did well to prevent Jon getting side control.
Jon is looking to stall here but Hardcastle recovers full guard.
Hardcastle 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.

Hardcastle is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hardcastle 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 one minute gone in the round.
Hardcastle is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hardcastle thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Hardcastle is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Jon is looking for a sweep. Hardcastle is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jon is looking to control Hardcastle's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jon avoid being mounted?
Hardcastle trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jon wants to control but Hardcastle is keeping busy.
Hardcastle drops an elbow to the side of Jon's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Still in half guard, Hardcastle seems content to control.
Jon is looking to escape.
Jon is trying to control but Hardcastle passes into side control!
Hardcastle takes a little break here. Jon wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jon tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jon is trying to work for a sweep but Hardcastle has mounted him!
Duke Hardcastle has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hardcastle takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hardcastle landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardcastle is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Hardcastle has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hardcastle looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hardcastle's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Hardcastle wants to take Jon's back here but Jon is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duke Hardcastle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jon misses with a head kick.
Hardcastle changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jon Jon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
An inside leg kick lands from Jon.
Jon closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hardcastle counters with a shoot takedown. Jon fights it but they end up in guard.
Jon wants to get back to his feet but Hardcastle passes into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hardcastle seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Jon is trying to control but Hardcastle manages to pass to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardcastle looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hardcastle scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Jon?
Jon is looking to get to half guard.
Hardcastle controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jon tries to lock up and control but Hardcastle gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hardcastle controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hardcastle with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
We've been informed that Hardcastle has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Hardcastle sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jon tries to lock up and control but Hardcastle gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The referee warns Jon that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hardcastle controlling from mount.
Jon tries to lock up and control but Hardcastle gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Hardcastle controlling his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jon Jon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Duke Hardcastle is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jon is in all sorts of trouble here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Duke Hardcastle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hardcastle 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Duke Hardcastle!
Duke Hardcastle tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.
In defeat, Jon Jon stepped up to the mic, saying 'Not the end of the world'.