PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harald Harfager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ming Xin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Harfager comes to the cage accompanied by Amon Amarth - Pursuit of Vikings. Xin comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Chinese Athem kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Harfager
vs
Xin

188 cm
23
186 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Russia GOLD

CROWN
Tesla Apparel [Everything $15!]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Harald Harfager!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ming Xin!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harfager pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Harfager has taken the fight to the clinch.
Harfager pushes off an fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Xin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harfager lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Xin tries to break the clinch but Harfager is controlling the position.
Xin has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Harfager avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Xin is trying to break the clinch but Harfager has him pressed against the cage.
Harfager is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Xin is keeping busy.
Harfager using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Xin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Harfager is looking to control Xin's arms but Xin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harfager has his back to the cage.
Xin is trying to break free.
Harfager creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Xin's defenses.

Xin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Harald Harfager seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harfager doesn't manage to clinch there - Xin circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harfager wants to clinch up but Xin keeps it at a distance.
Harfager tries to clinch up.
Harfager throws a chopping leg kick but Xin manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harfager keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Harald Harfager is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harfager is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Harfager drives through and clinches with Xin against the cage.
Harfager lands an elbow that stopped Xin in his tracks for a moment.
Harfager unloads a knee to the mid-section. Xin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Xin is looking to break free of the clinch but Harfager has double underhooks.

Xin gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Xin wants to control from the top but Harfager keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harfager looking to control.
Harfager looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Xin wants to pass the guard but Harfager is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Xin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Xin passes into half guard.
Harfager tries to get to full guard but Xin has control of the leg.
Harfager trying to control from the bottom.
Xin is looking to advance position but Harfager won't allow it.

Xin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Harfager defends it well.
Harfager trying to hold on to Xin's head to control him but Xin postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harfager is holding on to half guard well.
Xin is pressing down on Harfager's thigh, looking to free his foot. Harfager is holding on for now.
Xin trying to advance position but Harfager counters by regaining guard.

Xin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Harfager looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Harfager looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Harfager!
Xin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Harfager's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Xin wants to improve his position but Harfager is controlling well.
Xin wants to control but Harfager is keeping busy.

Xin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Harfager looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Xin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Harfager knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Xin on the ground.
Xin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Harfager's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Harfager's back!
Harfager is really stuck here.

Xin looking for the choke but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harfager manages to reverse the position and now he's in Xin's guard. Nice work there by Harfager.
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 Harald Harfager will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Xin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Harfager to the mat! Harfager manages to get full guard.
Harfager keeping full guard, as Xin tries to pass.
Harfager pulls Xin in close to prevent any damage.
Harfager keeping moving, preventing Xin from controlling successfully.

Xin drops back looking for a leg! Harfager is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Harfager manages to kick Xin off! Xin jumps back into Harfager's guard.
Xin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harfager is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xin preventing the sweep.

Xin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Harfager controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Harfager tries to clinch up but Xin circles away and keeps his distance.

Xin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Xin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Harfager is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Harfager gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xin trying to pass the guard but Harfager defending well.
Harfager is looking to improve his position.

Xin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Xin uses his free foot to push down on Harfager's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Harfager.
Xin wants to control the action but instead Harfager gets a body lock and reverses into Xin's guard! Nice work!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Harfager accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harfager throws and elbow that misses. Xin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Harfager's guard. Nice move by Xin!

Harfager is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Harfager controls Xin momentarily but Xin frees himself.
Harfager pulls Xin in close to prevent any damage.
Xin trying to control the position from guard on top but Harfager is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Xin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harfager keeping moving, preventing Xin from controlling successfully.
Xin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Xin passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Xin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Xin is breathing heavily.
Harfager regains half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harfager is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ming Xin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Harfager is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Xin looks to land a combination but Harfager avoids it well.
Harfager is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Harfager gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Harfager is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Harfager is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Xin is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harfager is keeping the position for now.
Xin prevents Harfager from getting back to his feet.
Xin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Ming Xin has got the better of the ground game so far.

Xin goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Harfager rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Xin's guard! Nice work there by Harfager!

Xin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Xin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harfager postures up.

Xin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Xin looking for a guillotine here but Harfager defends easily.

Xin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Harfager can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Harfager would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harfager throwing strikes from guard but Xin blocks nicely.

Xin looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Harfager is defending well. Xin quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Harfager has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Xin celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ming Xin!
Ming Xin is the new middleweight champion!