PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rani Yayha Toure (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Hart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elijah Hart has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Yayha Toure
vs
Hart

193 cm
25
270 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

204 cm
26
265 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rani Yayha Toure!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Elijah Hart!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Winston Alpacca and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hart shoots in for a takedown but Toure shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hart takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Toure waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hart.
Hart has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Hart shoots in looking for a takedown. Toure tries to sprawl out of it but Hart keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Toure manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Toure throws a lazy right hand but Hart sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hart circles away from the clinch attempt.
Toure moves away from the strike by Hart.
Toure ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toure fails to land with a series of punches.
Toure throws a right hand that Hart ducks under and follows up with a left that Hart also avoids with ease.
Toure uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Hart has time to react.

It looks like Elijah Hart has been cut.
Hart dives in and grabs Toure's left leg, looking for a takedown. Toure pushes down on Hart's head and hops out.
Rani Yayha Toure has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elijah Hart.
A slow jab from Toure misses its intended target.
Hart takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Toure throws a series of punches but Hart moves out of range.
Toure swings for the body but Hart moves out of range.
Rani Yayha Toure seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hart with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Toure to score with a decent uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hart takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Toure throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Toure waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hart.
A telegraphed right hand from Toure misses the target.
Toure slips under a jab from Hart.
Nice defenses there by Hart.
Hart shoots in for a double leg but Toure sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Toure doesn't manage to clinch there - Hart circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toure moves in looking to clinch but Hart pushes him off.
Hart circles away from the clinch attempt.
A punch combination from Toure misses.
Hart swats away the attempt to clinch by Toure.
Toure thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hart uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Toure.
Hart is trying desperately to land a takedown but Toure is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Hart.

Toure fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hart, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart is looking to take this one to the mat.
Toure misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hart wants to get back to striking at distance but Toure won't allow it.
Hart goes for a takedown attempt but Toure pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Hart fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Toure manages to avoid it.
Toure thows a left - swing and a miss!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toure scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Toure misses with a straight left.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rani Yayha Toure dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Elijah Hart's cut.
That's time! Toure's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Toure lands a nice shot to the body.
Hart defending well as Toure loads up on a big left hand.
Hart moves out of range as Toure strikes.
The fighters circle momentarily. Toure darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Hart has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Toure tries to bum rush Hart with a series of wild strikes but Hart uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Toure will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hart takes a swing at Toure's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hart has a takedown stuffed.
Toure moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That has opened up Elijah Hart's cut even more.
Hart keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hart throws the left hand but Toure avoids the punch easily.
Hart looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Toure is fending him off so far but Hart persists. Nope, Toure circles away and we're back to standing.
Hart shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Toure as he jumps to the side.
Rani Yayha Toure has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elijah Hart.
Toure misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hart.
Toure pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Hart looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hart missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Toure on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Toure tries to get out of the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hart throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Toure works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hart throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hart is pushing down on Toure's leg trying to pass to half guard. Toure is fighting to maintain full guard but Hart has managed to sneak the leg through.
Hart is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hart is looking to take a break and control but Toure is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hart thows a huge punch but Toure dodges it nicely.
Toure is looking to control Hart's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Toure avoid being mounted?
Hart landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hart is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hart passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Toure!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toure in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hart has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A nice elbow there by Hart.

It looks like Rani Yayha Toure has been cut.
Hart is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Toure can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hart controlling from the full mount.
Toure working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Hart showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hart ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hart misses with a wild body shot.
Toure is looking to clinch.
Hart goes for a double leg but Toure avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Toure continues to drive forward.
Hart wants to break free but Toure has control.
Toure lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Toure softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Toure is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hart is keeping busy.
Toure dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hart wants to break free but Toure has control.
Toure misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hart wants to get back to striking at distance but Toure won't allow it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hart goes for a takedown attempt but Toure pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Toure uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Toure throws a series of punches but Hart moves out of range.
Toure misses with a looping right.
Rani Yayha Toure is winning the standup battle so far.

Toure has closed the distance and engaged Hart in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toure scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hart tries to circle away but Toure has him pinned against the cage.
Hart is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Toure lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A head punch on the inside from Toure fails to land.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hart drops down looking for an ankle pick but Toure pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rani Yayha Toure has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elijah Hart.
Hart on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

The cut above Elijah Hart's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Toure gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hart to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hart postures up.
Hart scoring with punches to the head and body.
Toure wants to get back to his feet but Hart is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hart throws a big right hand that misses.
Toure wants to sweep but no luck.
Hart postures up and lands a big shot to Toure's brow.
Toure might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hart is in close to Toure's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hart is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hart stands up over Toure, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hart is looking to work some ground and pound but Toure has wrist control.
Toure is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Toure knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hart on the ground.
Hart working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Toure's head.
Hart landing with the ground and pound.
Toure being controlled here, momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hart lands a couple of digs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elijah Hart comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hart has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Hart!