PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Garcia (ranked 2275 p4p, 5593 weight class) and Dante Harding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Garcia
vs
Harding

182 cm
19
181
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
175
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jose Garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dante Harding!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Harding fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Garcia, pushing him back against the cage.
Harding is trying to force a seperation but Garcia has the dominant position.

Harding's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harding is looking to clinch but Garcia is avoiding it.
Harding fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Garcia swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Garcia forces Harding back against the cage and clinches.

Garcia's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harding shoots for a double leg takedown but Garcia sprawls well. He's pushed Harding's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Harding misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Garcia seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Jose Garcia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Harding.

Garcia moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harding tries to pull guard but Garcia won't allow it.
Harding wants a takedown.
Harding is trying to break free.
Garcia lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Harding backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harding can't break the clinch.
Garcia is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Harding pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Harding tries to break free but Garcia pushes him back against the cage.
Garcia presses Harding against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Harding is working for takedown but Garcia is calmly controlling the position for now.

Garcia drags the fight down to the ground.

Garcia uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Harding throws a leg kick that is checked
and Garcia counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Dante Harding has been cut.

Garcia gets a clinch.

Harding pulls Garcia into guard.
Garcia engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia throwing strikes from guard but Harding blocks nicely.
Garcia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Garcia slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Harding for as long as he can get away with.

Harding looking for subs off his back but Garcia has passed one foot through into half guard.
Garcia performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Garcia is looking for a kimura but Harding is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Garcia to get the leverage.
Garcia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Garcia moves into the clinch successfully.
Garcia tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Harding's elbow.
Garcia wants a takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Garcia jumps into guard, dragging Harding to the mat.

Garcia scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Garcia lands a glancing blow to the side of Harding's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Garcia dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dante Harding's cut.
That's time! Garcia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Garcia shoots for a takedown but Harding saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Garcia pushes Harding up against the cage in a clinch.
Harding can't break the clinch.
Harding is trying to break the clinch but Garcia has him pressed against the cage.
Harding tries to circle away but Garcia has him pinned against the cage.
Garcia lands a body punch in the clinch.

Harding pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Garcia is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harding can do to turn this around?
Harding shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Garcia as he jumps to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harding tries to clinch up.
Garcia fails with a takedown attempt.

Garcia clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Garcia.
Harding is trying to pull guard but Garcia turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Harding misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Jose Garcia has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Harding has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Garcia is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Jose Garcia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Harding.

Harding jumps into guard, dragging Garcia to the mat.
Harding wants to hit a sweep here but Garcia passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Harding there!
Harding avoids a series of strikes thrown by Garcia.
Garcia postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Harding looks a forlorn figure.

Garcia is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Harding can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia controlling his opponent.
Garcia's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Jose Garcia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Harding really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Garcia controlling his opponent.
Harding tries to control the position but Garcia now has his back.
Garcia throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.

Garcia is persistently looking for the submission but Harding is defending it well.

Garcia looking to break Harding's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Harding remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Garcia will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia keeps control of the position as Harding tries to break free.
Harding is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Harding is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

Garcia looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Harding is controlling Garcia 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Harding missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Garcia dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dante Harding's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Garcia gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Harding gets underhooks to prevent Garcia's takedown attempt.
Garcia fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Garcia prevents Harding from breaking the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Garcia.
A frustrated look appears on Harding's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Harding looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Garcia.
Harding drops down looking for an ankle pick but Garcia pulls his leg out and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia throws a right and a left that both miss.

Garcia rushes Harding and presses him up against the cage.
Garcia lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Harding tries a knee to the head but Garcia blocks it.
Harding tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harding tries to score a body lock takedown but Garcia shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Jose Garcia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Harding.

Harding breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jose Garcia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harding lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Garcia backs up against the cage.

Garcia moves into range and clinches up with Harding.
Garcia will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Harding up against the cage.
Come on Garcia - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Garcia lands a body punch.
Good body shot from Garcia.
Harding wants a takedown but no success here.
Harding takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Garcia as Harding tries to tie him up.

Garcia has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Harding uses from the top position.

Garcia scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Garcia scores with a body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harding tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Garcia counters with a straight right hand.

Garcia forces Harding back against the cage and clinches.

Garcia drags the fight down to the ground.

Garcia pushes Harding off and scrambles back to his feet.
Garcia throws a series of strikes that have Harding backpedaling.
Harding is looking to clinch but Garcia is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Harding doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Garcia counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice uppercut there from Garcia.

Garcia moves into range and clinches up with Harding.
Garcia is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harding gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Harding jumps guard but Garcia stands there with Harding around his waist. Harding gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Garcia breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Garcia with a lazy takedown attempt

and Harding counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Garcia has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Harding is on him like a limpet, forcing Garcia back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Garcia scores with a shot to the side of Harding's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Garcia.

Garcia manages to pull guard.
Harding looking to sit in guard and control but Garcia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Harding wants to sweep here but Garcia controlling him for the moment.
Garcia is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Garcia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Garcia has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Garcia!
In his post fight interview, Jose Garcia started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.