PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Will Rock Jr (ranked 1629 p4p, 161 weight class) and Tyson Hargrave (ranked 176 p4p, 20 weight class). Hargrave is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Mastodon - High Road. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rock Jr
vs
Hargrave

173 cm
24
155
10 - 6 - 0

172 cm
24
155
12 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will Rock Jr!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tyson Hargrave!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Igor Prikhodko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rock Jr walks into a stiff left hand from Hargrave.
Hargrave dips to his left and cracks Rock Jr with an uppercut!

Hargrave darts in and clinches Rock Jr up against the cage.
Rock Jr tries to land knees in the clinch but Hargrave avoids the damage to the body.

Hargrave successfully pulls guard.
Rock Jr trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hargrave's guard.
Rock Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Hargrave is retaining full guard.

Rock Jr drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Hargrave manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rock Jr has Hargrave in his guard.

Hargrave wants to pass the guard but Rock Jr is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rock Jr throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rock Jr is looking for a triangle but Hargrave pushes his legs off easily.
Hargrave wants to control from the top but Rock Jr keeps moving.
Hargrave might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rock Jr haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Hargrave is stalling in the full guard.

Rock Jr has an active guard here but Hargrave has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Hargrave is trying to work for a kimura but Rock Jr is defending well.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Hargrave is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rock Jr defends it well.

Rock Jr actively working from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hargrave prevents Rock Jr from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hargrave is stalling here. Rock Jr is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Hargrave seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rock Jr has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Hargrave felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Rock Jr working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hargrave is looking to reverse the position.
Hargrave keeps trying to improve his position.

Rock Jr tries for a kimura but Hargrave is defending well.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hargrave wants to pass the guard but Rock Jr is keeping the position.

Rock Jr is looking for a triangle but Hargrave pushes his legs off easily.

Rock Jr looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hargrave passes into side control.
Rock Jr regains half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hargrave is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rock Jr!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson Hargrave dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Hargrave ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rock Jr moves away.
As Hargrave backs away, Rock Jr returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Rock Jr moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hargrave misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rock Jr.
Rock Jr scoring well with a low kick there.

Hargrave rushes Rock Jr and presses him up against the cage.
Hargrave blocking some punches.
Rock Jr misses with a knee to the head.
I was talking to Rock Jr's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Rock Jr lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Hargrave manages to pull guard.

Hargrave is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rock Jr is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rock Jr has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hargrave is proving hard to escape from.

Rock Jr drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hargrave dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hargrave wants to control from the top but Rock Jr keeps moving.

Hargrave drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rock Jr manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hargrave has Rock Jr in his guard.

Rock Jr stands and throws Hargrave's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Rock Jr is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hargrave knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Rock Jr tries for a kimura but Hargrave is defending well.
Tyson Hargrave has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rock Jr goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Hargrave has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rock Jr but great work by Hargrave.
Rock Jr looks to move to half guard but instead Hargrave has passed into mount! Damn!
Hargrave trying to control but Rock Jr is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rock Jr sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Rock Jr actively working from the bottom here.
Rock Jr is looking for a sweep. Hargrave is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hargrave is pressing down on Rock Jr's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rock Jr is holding on for now.
Hargrave performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hargrave wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rock Jr keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rock Jr wants to improve his position but Hargrave is controlling well.

Hargrave is working for a kimura but Rock Jr is defending it quite comfortably.

Rock Jr looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hargrave content to control rather than advance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tyson Hargrave showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hargrave throws a lazy right hand but Rock Jr sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hargrave, as that shot connected.
Rock Jr ducks under a wild hook from Hargrave.
Hargrave connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rock Jr's hands.
Hargrave ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hargrave misses the shot to the body.
Nice jab there from Rock Jr.
Hargrave sizes up Rock Jr with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hargrave misses with a straight left.
Rock Jr throwing a counter right hand but Hargrave manages to avoid it.
Hargrave looks to throw the jab but Rock Jr is out of range.
Rock Jr darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rock Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hargrave paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hargrave throws a lazy uppercut
and Rock Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rock Jr takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Hargrave throws a jab but it's blocked by Rock Jr.
As Hargrave backs away, Rock Jr returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Rock Jr connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Hargrave's hands.
Rock Jr moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A jab from Hargrave misses.
Hargrave jabs Rock Jr to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hargrave swings for the body but Rock Jr moves out of range.
Rock Jr walks into a stiff left hand from Hargrave.
Hargrave swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Hargrave clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hargrave takes a knee right on the jaw!
This has been an exciting period of action!
A left hand lands to the body for Rock Jr.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rock Jr.
Hargrave takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rock Jr tries a knee to the head but Hargrave blocks it.
Rock Jr misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rock Jr throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rock Jr lands a knee to the head.
Rock Jr tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hargrave is trying to pull guard but Rock Jr turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rock Jr using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hargrave has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rock Jr prevents Hargrave from breaking the clinch.

Hargrave manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Rock Jr postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hargrave is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rock Jr, into his guard.

Rock Jr is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Hargrave rolls with it to try and escape but Rock Jr cranks on the arm and Hargrave is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Will Rock Jr!
Will Rock Jr is the new lightweight champion!
During a confident post fight interview, Will Rock Jr thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.