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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mertis Falandas (ranked 1277 p4p, 1033 weight class) and Grant Harklie (ranked 157 p4p, 130 weight class). Falandas kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Feed the Machine. The crowd seem to be enjoying Harklie's choice of entrance music: Holycrud. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!
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| 185 cm
31
187
18 - 15 - 1 |
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177 cm
29
185
16 - 9 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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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 18 - 15 - 1, fighting out of New York, Mertis Falandas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grant Harklie!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harklie misses with a right hand
and Falandas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Harklie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Falandas forces Harklie back against the cage and clinches.
Falandas blocking some punches.
Harklie lands a shoulder strike.
Falandas tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Harklie misses with the head strike.
A nice left hand lands by Harklie.
A short right from Harklie.
Harklie wants to take the fight to the mat but Falandas manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Harklie misses with a short punch on the inside.
Falandas lands a hook that snaps the head of Harklie backwards.
Harklie scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harklie misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harklie takes a knee to the side of the body.
Falandas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Falandas lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Falandas landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Falandas struggles to land a body shot inside as Harklie controls his hands.
Harklie misses with a punch on the inside.
Falandas lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Harklie working aggressively here.
Harklie misses with the head strike.
Falandas tries a body shot but Harklie blocks it.
Falandas blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Falandas.
Harklie misses with a short punch on the inside.
Falandas lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harklie backwards.
Harklie has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Falandas seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Harklie can turn it around.
Harklie lands a left hand that snaps the head of Falandas backwards.
Falandas can't find room to land a body shot as Harklie controls the action.
Falandas misses with a knee strike.
Falandas lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Harklie backwards.
Harklie turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Harklie manages to end up in side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Falandas tries to bench press Harklie off him but Harklie keeps the position.
Falandas is working hard here to advance position.
Harklie is trying to get an arm triangle but Falandas is defending well.
Harklie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Falandas is trying to improve his position.
Falandas sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Harklie wants to control but Falandas is keeping him busy.
Falandas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Harklie moves into full mount! Falandas won't be happy about that!
Falandas is trying to escape the mount.
Harklie seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Falandas is holding on tight.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Falandas regains half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Harklie in particular looking to stall.
Harklie wants to take a breather but Falandas is having none of it.
Harklie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Falandas looking for submissions off his back.
Harklie tries to pass to full mount but Falandas defends it.
Falandas is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Harklie pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Falandas wants to improve his position but Harklie is controlling well.
Falandas gets back to full guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harklie wants to control from the top but Falandas keeps moving.
Falandas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Falandas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Harklie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Harklie is pushing down on Falandas's leg trying to pass to half guard. Falandas is fighting to maintain full guard but Harklie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Falandas looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Harklie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Falandas is just riding it out for now. Harklie eventually gives up the hold.
Falandas looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Mertis Falandas will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!
Harklie scores with the left hand. Falandas knows he should have avoided that one.
Harklie avoids the head kick by Falandas.
Falandas jabs Harklie right on the nose. Harklie blinks but takes it well.
Harklie throws a hook to the side of Falandas's head but Falandas sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Falandas scores with the left hand. Harklie knows he should have avoided that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Falandas fails in his attempt to clinch.
Falandas misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Harklie feints the counter takedown.
Harklie clobbers Falandas with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Harklie shoots in but no luck this time.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Falandas connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Harklie momentarily.
Harklie slips a jab from Falandas.
Harklie takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Harklie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Harklie changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Falandas tries to clinch up but Harklie circles away and keeps his distance.
Falandas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harklie feints the counter takedown.
Harklie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Falandas counters with a nice uppercut.
Harklie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Falandas moves away.
Harklie avoids the head kick by Falandas.
Harklie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Falandas.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Harklie 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Falandas lands a head kick. Harklie smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Falandas doesn't manage to clinch there - Harklie circles away.
Harklie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Harklie stuns Falandas with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harklie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Falandas.
As Harklie backs away, Falandas returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Falandas throws a series of punches but Harklie moves out of range.
Harklie changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Nice body punch from Falandas.
Harklie avoids the head kick by Falandas.
Harklie cracks Falandas with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Falandas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Falandas tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Harklie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Harklie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Falandas throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Harklie's head.
Falandas throws a body punch but Harklie moves out of range.
Harklie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Falandas throws a quick inside leg kick.
Harklie throws a shot from downtown. Falandas moves away and avoids it.
Falandas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harklie with the counter takedown but Falandas avoids it easily.
Harklie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mertis Falandas is winning the standup battle so far.
Falandas throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Harklie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Falandas thuds a left hand into Harklie's body.
Falandas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Falandas swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Harklie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Harklie throws the left hand but Falandas avoids the punch easily.
A head kick from Falandas lands but Harklie takes it in his stride.
Harklie blocks a head kick by Falandas.
Mertis Falandas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Falandas staying out of range there.
Harklie throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Falandas counters with a stiff right hand.
Falandas tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Mertis Falandas dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!
Falandas tries to close the distance and clinch but Harklie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harklie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Falandas takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Falandas scores with a head kick. Harklie tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Falandas looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Falandas displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harklie throws out the jab.
A big right from Harklie misses.
Falandas is looking to counter punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Falandas looks to throw the jab but Harklie is out of range.
Falandas uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Harklie.
Falandas throwing a counter right hand but Harklie manages to avoid it.
Falandas looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A head kick misses from Falandas.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Falandas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Falandas lands a high kick!
Falandas misses with a body kick.
Harklie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Harklie misses with a hook.
Nice cross by Harklie.
Falandas throws a jab when Harklie was well out of range.
Harklie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Harklie might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Falandas misses the jab.
Harklie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Falandas cracks Harklie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mertis Falandas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harklie tries to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Harklie blocks a head kick by Falandas.
Falandas swats away the attempt to clinch by Harklie.
Harklie avoids the head kick by Falandas.
Falandas tries to clinch there but Harklie circles away.
Falandas throws a head kick but Harklie moves out of range.
Harklie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Nice uppercut there from Harklie.
It looks like Mertis Falandas has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A chopping leg kick lands by Falandas.
Falandas looks to throw a body kick
and Harklie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harklie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Falandas does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Falandas is looking to improve his position.
Harklie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Falandas wants to control but Harklie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grant Harklie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Falandas is refusing to be controlled, as Harklie sits in half guard.
Harklie is looking for a kimura here.
Falandas keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Falandas is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Harklie can do to turn this around?
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Falandas is trying to maintain the position but Harklie is very close to passing his half guard.
Harklie seems to be looking for submissions.
Harklie is keen to just control but Falandas is a slippery customer.
Falandas trying to control from the bottom.
Harklie has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Falandas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harklie thowing shots but they're missing.
Falandas working to try and regain half guard.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mertis Falandas.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Falandas, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Grant Harklie!
During a confident post fight interview, Grant Harklie thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
47% |
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