PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ba Lil IV (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy has chosen Ambitionz Az A Ridah as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lil IV
vs
Hardy

185 cm
23
204 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

178 cm
23
195 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ba Lil IV!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Andre Hardy!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Bruno Hogan and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lil IV swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Hardy counter with a right hand.
Lil IV drops his hands momentarily and Hardy takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Lil IV uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hardy.
Lil IV shoots for a double leg takedown but Hardy sprawls well. He's pushed Lil IV's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hardy waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lil IV.
Hardy fails to land with a series of punches.
Hardy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lil IV.
Lil IV misses with a low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lil IV is defended easily by Hardy.
Hardy throws a leg kick but Lil IV sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lil IV throws out a leg kick but Hardy moves out of range and Lil IV only half commits.
Lil IV takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Lil IV swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lil IV swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lil IV misses with an uppercut.
Lil IV moves out of range as Hardy strikes.
Hardy misses with the combination.
Lil IV misses with a hook
and Hardy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hardy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lil IV misses with a takedown
letting Hardy counter with a right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ba Lil IV. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lil IV drives through with a takedown into Hardy's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Lil IV works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hardy wants to improve his position but Lil IV is controlling well.
Hardy keeping hold of Lil IV's head, controlling as best he can.

Lil IV is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
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!
Lil IV tries to pass to full mount but Hardy defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lil IV lands strikes from half guard.
Lil IV throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Lil IV is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Lil IV wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.

Lil IV is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hardy has managed to free his arm - good work.
Lil IV not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Lil IV not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lil IV throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Lil IV is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lil IV is looking for a kimura but Hardy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lil IV to get the leverage.
Hardy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lil IV. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lil IV throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hardy is staying active underneath Lil IV, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hardy blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lil IV.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lil IV wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardy keeps working.
Lil IV missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ba Lil IV dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hardy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lil IV moves away.
Lil IV tries for a takedown but Hardy sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hardy thuds a left hand into Lil IV's body.
Lil IV lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hardy thuds a left hand into Lil IV's body.
Lil IV misses with a body shot
and Hardy counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Hardy misses with a body shot.
Hardy avoids the body shot from Lil IV.
Hardy is looking to chop away at Lil IV's legs.
Lil IV shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lil IV jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardy lands a right hook to the body.
Hardy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lil IV.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ba Lil IV. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lil IV on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Lil IV scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Lil IV walks into a left hand.
Horrible takedown by Lil IV or perhaps it was just good defense by Hardy which made him look bad.
A jab from Hardy misses.
Hardy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lil IV shoots in for a double leg but Hardy sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lil IV throws a hook but Hardy avoids it easily.
Hardy throws a hook but Lil IV avoids it easily.
Lil IV misses with a wild body shot.
Hardy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lil IV moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lil IV misses with a double jab.
Lil IV looks for a takedown but Hardy sprawls well.
Hardy ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hardy scores with a decent looking hook.
Lil IV takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy ducks under a wild hook from Lil IV.
Hardy checks the leg kick.
Lil IV shoots in for a takedown but Hardy shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hardy throws a series of punches but Lil IV avoids them all with ease.
Lil IV fails with the takedown.
Lil IV uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardy.
Lil IV fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Andre Hardy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hardy!
Lil IV throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lil IV slips a jab and a cross from Hardy.
Lil IV is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hardy sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hardy scores with a jab to the jaw.
Lil IV misses with a hook.
Hardy works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Hardy uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lil IV.
Lil IV misses the shot to the body.
Lil IV misses with a takedown
and Hardy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lil IV misses with a hook
and Hardy counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Hardy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hardy slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lil IV will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lil IV uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hardy.
A combination from Hardy does no damage.
Lil IV throws a looping overhand right but Hardy ducks down to avoid it.
Lil IV tries for a takedown but Hardy sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hardy throws a one two combo.
Lil IV takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Hardy throws a hook to the side of Lil IV's head but Lil IV sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hardy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lil IV.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ba Lil IV. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hardy throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lil IV slips under a jab from Hardy.
Hardy misses with a body shot.

Lil IV decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hardy wants to control but Lil IV is keeping busy.
Hardy is trying to stand back up but Lil IV is controlling him

Lil IV seems to be looking for submissions.
Hardy is not content to let Lil IV control the position.

Lil IV is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hardy defends it well.
Ba Lil IV overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy trying to control from the bottom.

Lil IV wants to work for an arm triangle but Hardy is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Hardy is defending against the submission attempts here by Lil IV.

Lil IV is looking for a kimura but Hardy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lil IV to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lil IV seems to be working for a kimura but Hardy defends the submission attempt.
Lil IV wants to control but Hardy is keeping him busy.

Lil IV is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Lil IV with the ground and pound but Hardy uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Lil IV tries to free his leg and advance position but Hardy is retaining full guard.
Hardy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lil IV.
Hardy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lil IV working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lil IV trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hardy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lil IV seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lil IV trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hardy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lil IV throws a big right hand that misses.
Hardy wants to stand up but Lil IV is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ba Lil IV showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lil IV has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ba Lil IV!
After winning the bout, Ba Lil IV thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.