PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bertel Haardt (ranked 1742 p4p, 3794 weight class) and James Shortman (ranked 56 p4p, 137 weight class). James Shortman will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Haardt
vs
Shortman

186 cm
33
279
14 - 14 - 0

220 cm
31
300
9 - 12 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bertel Haardt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Shortman!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Nard Betker and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shortman dives in and grabs Haardt's left leg, looking for a takedown. Haardt pushes down on Shortman's head and hops out.
Shortman needs to keep his hands up - Haardt had a free shot at his head there.

It looks like James Shortman has been cut.

Haardt gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Shortman to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Haardt wriggles free and stands up.
Haardt jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Shortman shoots for a takedown but Haardt saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Shortman is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Haardt's half guard.

Haardt manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Shortman keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Haardt lands a body punch in the clinch.
Haardt utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Shortman looks winded!
Haardt digs a right hand into Shortman's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Shortman's gas tank.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Haardt takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Haardt stalling against the cage.
Haardt utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Haardt.

Haardt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Haardt lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Haardt keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bertel Haardt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Shortman.
Shortman shoots for a takedown but Haardt saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Haardt works Shortman's body with a nice hook.

Haardt moves into range and clinches up with Shortman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Haardt takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
I was talking to Haardt's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Haardt breaks the clinch.
Haardt is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That has opened up James Shortman's cut even more.
A nice inside leg kick there by Haardt. That's going to slow Shortman down.

Haardt sends Shortman crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Haardt is motioning to the referee to let Shortman up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

The cut above James Shortman's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haardt lands a jab and follows it up with a massive straight that knocks Shortman out cold! Shortman is crumpled in the corner, his head only propped up by the cage! That's one for the organiziational promos right there! Wow, what a finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Bertel Haardt!
Bertel Haardt very nearly forgot to thank Altitude Clothing amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.