PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steven Walter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Hardy II (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy II has chosen Last Resort- Papa Roach as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Walter
vs
Hardy II

173 cm
21
152 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

180 cm
26
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Steven Walter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, James Hardy II!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walter tries to bum rush Hardy II with a series of wild strikes but Hardy II uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hardy II blocks a head kick by Walter.
Walter goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like James Hardy II has been cut.
A nice inside leg kick there by Walter. That's going to slow Hardy II down.
Walter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Walter throws a jab but it's blocked by Hardy II.
Walter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hardy II throws a leg kick which misses Walter's front leg but catches the back leg as Walter tries to avoid it.
Steven Walter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walter throws a low kick but Hardy II moves out of range easily.
Hardy II throws a body punch but Walter moves out of range.
Walter throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Walter looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardy II is just out of range.
Walter throws out a loose jab but Hardy II uses good head movement to avoid it.
Walter wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hardy II tried to score with a low kick but Walter checks it.
Walter checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walter throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Walter throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hardy II stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Walter throws a head kick but Hardy II moves out of range.
Walter lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hardy II takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hardy II misses with a body kick.
Walter feints and then cracks Hardy II's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hardy II down.
A good leg kick by Hardy II.
Walter lands a jab-cross combination.
Hardy II checks a low kick from Walter.
Walter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Walter lands with a kick to the ribs.
Hardy II looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Walter plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Walter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Walter throws a sloppy head kick and Hardy II moves out of range easily.
Danga de danga de dang - Walter scores with a four punch combination!

Walter tries to sprawl but Hardy II drives through with a takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Walter tries to kick Hardy II off in order to stand up. Hardy II Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Walter is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Hardy II has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Hardy II tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hardy II has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Hardy II tries for a kimura but Walter is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walter is pushing Hardy II's head away, looking to escape. Hardy II manages to hold on to the position though.

Hardy II tries for a kimura but Walter is defending well.
Hardy II has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Hardy II can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Walter is looking to escape.
Hardy II controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy II wants to control the pace but Walter is squirming around nicely.
Walter tries to buck Hardy II off but Hardy II takes his back!
Hardy II controlling from the back.
Well, with Hardy II on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Walter is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Walter is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Walter dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Hardy II's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hardy II throws a head kick that half lands.
A head kick misses from Walter.
Walter throws a head kick that half lands.
Hardy II misses with a head kick.
Walter connects with a jab.
Walter showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hardy II.
A head kick misses from Walter.
Walter throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hardy II's head.
Hardy II looks to land a body kick but Walter moved away.
Walter throws a head kick that misses.
Walter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walter checks a leg kick.
Hardy II throws a combination that misses
and Walter counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hardy II takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Steven Walter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Hardy II closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Walter quickly recovers to half guard.
Hardy II controlling the pace.
Walter pushes Hardy II off looking to stand but Hardy II dives back in and keeps control.
Walter knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hardy II on the ground.
Hardy II works his way into side control.

Hardy II is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Walter has escaped the position, nice work there.

Walter bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hardy II tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Walter tries a head kick but it misses.
Hardy II throws a head kick but Walter moves out of range.
Walter misses the shot to the body.
Steven Walter is winning the standup battle so far.
Hardy II takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Walter connects with an inside leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Hardy II lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Walter has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Walter and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Walter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Walter misses with a low kick.
Walter takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Walter misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy II throws a body kick that misses.
Walter plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Walter throws a head kick but Hardy II moves out of range.
Walter tries to bum rush Hardy II with a series of wild strikes but Hardy II uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hardy II displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Walter throws out the jab.
Walter throws a lazy uppercut

and Hardy II counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Walter's guard now.
Walter is looking to stand up but Hardy II isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hardy II controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
James Hardy II has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hardy II passes Walter's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy II is working for a submission of some sort.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hardy II wants to free his trapped foot but Walter is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Walter wants to get back to his feet.

Hardy II is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Walter has managed to free his arm - good work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walter tries to kick Hardy II off but Hardy II keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Steven Walter will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Hardy II's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Walter scores with a kick to the midsection.
Walter throws a sloppy head kick and Hardy II moves out of range easily.
Hardy II looks to land a combination but Walter avoids it well.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Walter.
Hardy II avoids the head kick by Walter.
Walter thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Hardy II if he has to take too many more of those.
Walter scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Walter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hardy II was well out of range. Poor timing from Walter.
Hardy II takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hardy II shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A head kick from Hardy II lands but Walter takes it in his stride.
Hardy II avoids the head kick by Walter.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hardy II throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walter scores with a kick to the midsection.
Walter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hardy II misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A nice combination there by Hardy II.
Walter scores with a spinning back kick!
Walter scores with a head kick. Hardy II tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Walter misses with a head kick.
Steven Walter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A good leg kick by Walter.
Walter misses with a wild combination.
Walter throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy II misses with the combination.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Walter. Hardy II shrugs it off though.
Walter throws a sloppy head kick and Hardy II moves out of range easily.
Hardy II throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice takedown defense from Walter. No joy for Hardy II on that attempt.
Walter misses with a combination
enabling Hardy II to counter with a crisp jab.
Hardy II will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Walter scores with a jab to the jaw.
Walter stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walter wants it to stay on the feet.
Steven Walter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Hardy II.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walter checks a leg kick.
Walter throws a head kick but Hardy II moves out of range.
Walter lands a high kick!
Walter pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Walter misses with the combination.
Nice body kick there by Walter.
Walter throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Walter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Walter fails to land with a series of punches.

Walter gets caught flat footed, as Hardy II shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Walter can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hardy II controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hardy II drops back looking for a leg! Walter is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Walter manages to kick Hardy II off! Hardy II jumps back into Walter's guard.
Walter is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hardy II is controlling him.

Hardy II thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walter wants to get back to his feet but Hardy II is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hardy II is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Walter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Walter, 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 James Atkins scores the fight for Steven Walter!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Steven Walter!
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight for Steven Walter!

Steven Walter wins by unanimous decision!