PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brent Manlenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Hart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hart has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Manlenko
vs
Hart

178 cm
22
212 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brent Manlenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Hart!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hart circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hart looks gassed!
Manlenko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hart keeps the fight on the outside.

Manlenko has Hart up against the cage in a clinch.
Manlenko struggles to land a body shot inside as Hart controls his hands.
Manlenko tries to throw a body punch but Hart avoids it by throwing Manlenko back against the cage.
Manlenko fails to pull guard.
Manlenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Manlenko.
Manlenko pushes off an throws an elbow but Hart leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hart on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Manlenko.
Manlenko just leaning against Hart, taking a breather.
Manlenko misses with a knee strike.
Manlenko drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brent Manlenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Manlenko tries to pull guard but Hart holds him up against the cage and eventually Manlenko drops back down to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manlenko misses with a short punch on the inside.
Manlenko goes for a takedown attempt but Hart pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Manlenko fails in his attempt to clinch.
Manlenko looks for a takedown but Hart sprawls well.
Mike Hart is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Manlenko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hart blocks a head kick by Manlenko.
Manlenko feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hart's calf.
Manlenko tries to clinch but Hart moves out of range.
Brent Manlenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manlenko clobbers Hart with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manlenko shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Manlenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Hart swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manlenko tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hart swivels and escapes.
Manlenko tries to clinch but Hart moves out of range.
Manlenko moves in looking to clinch but Hart pushes him off.
Hart wants to clinch.
Hart checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Manlenko fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Manlenko tries to clinch

and Hart counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hart.
Manlenko slows down the pace here.
Manlenko jumps guard but Hart stands there with Manlenko around his waist. Manlenko gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hart avoids the elbow strike from Manlenko, against the cage.
Manlenko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Manlenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hart leaning against his opponent.
Manlenko tries to break the clinch but Hart is controlling the position.
Hart prevents the takedown attempt.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hart.
Manlenko creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hart.
Manlenko tries to pull guard but Hart holds him up against the cage and eventually Manlenko drops back down to his feet.
Manlenko is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hart avoids the elbow strike from Manlenko, against the cage.
Manlenko fails to pull guard.
Manlenko swings wildly with an uppercut but Hart uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four 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.
Hart keeps control of Manlenko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Manlenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manlenko misses with a body shot

and Hart counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hart.
Manlenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Manlenko leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hart blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Manlenko is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hart gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Manlenko lands a takedown into guard.
Hart has momentary wrist control but Manlenko slips an elbow through the middle.
Manlenko is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Manlenko trying to control but Hart is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brent Manlenko dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Manlenko throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Hart holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Manlenko will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hart up against the cage.
Manlenko is trying to break the clinch but Hart has him pressed against the cage.
Manlenko drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hart pulls his leg out and moves away.

Manlenko moves into the clinch successfully.
Manlenko crunches a lovely knee into Hart's ribcage.
Manlenko fails to pull guard.
Manlenko pushes off an throws an elbow but Hart leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hart misses with an elbow strike.
Hart is breathing heavily.
Manlenko pushes off an throws an elbow but Hart leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Nice elbow from Manlenko.
Hart is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Manlenko is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manlenko tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hart just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brent Manlenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Manlenko can't get the takedown.

Manlenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Manlenko misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Manlenko shoots for a double leg takedown but Hart sprawls well. He's pushed Manlenko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Brent Manlenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Manlenko moves into the clinch.
Manlenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hart crunches a lovely knee into Manlenko's ribcage.
Manlenko missing with knees to the body.
Hart keeps control of Manlenko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hart trying to land knees to the body.

Manlenko manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hart prevents Manlenko from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manlenko looking to control.
Hart really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Manlenko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hart preventing the sweep.
Manlenko on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Manlenko tries to get out of the position.
Manlenko wants to get back to his feet but Hart is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Manlenko has his foot on Hart's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hart works his way back into a safe position though.

Manlenko kicks Hart off and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Manlenko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Manlenko looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Manlenko tries to move to mount but Hart blocks the move with his legs.
Manlenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hart keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manlenko misses with the ground and pound.
The strikes coming from Manlenko are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Manlenko tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Manlenko content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brent Manlenko dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Manlenko throws a head kick but Hart moves out of range.
Manlenko has a takedown stuffed.
Manlenko throws a front kick aimed at Hart's knee but Hart avoids it well.
Manlenko throws a head kick that misses.
Manlenko throws a leg kick

and Hart holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Manlenko pulls guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manlenko manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hart takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Manlenko is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manlenko wants to control the pace but Hart is squirming around nicely.
Manlenko working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Manlenko tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Manlenko pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Manlenko throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hart because Manlenko loaded up on that one.

Manlenko is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hart can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Manlenko controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Manlenko working away from the top, dropping strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brent Manlenko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Manlenko, 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brent Manlenko!