PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Harden (ranked 6284 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alcibiades Cleinias (ranked 3952 p4p, 488 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Harden
vs
Cleinias

185 cm
22
192 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

186 cm
21
200 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alcibiades Cleinias!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Steve Erwin and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping leg kick lands for Harden.
Cleinias on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Alcibiades Cleinias seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harden displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cleinias throws out the jab.

Harden forces Cleinias back against the cage and clinches.
Cleinias is trying to break the clinch but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Cleinias is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Harden fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cleinias is looking to break free of the clinch but Harden has double underhooks.
Harden connects with a nasty looking knee right to Cleinias's face.

It looks like Alcibiades Cleinias has been cut.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Cleinias wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Harden lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Cleinias tries to break the clinch but Harden is controlling the position.
Harden struggles to land a body shot inside as Cleinias controls his hands.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harden tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cleinias looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Harden lands an elbow inside.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Cleinias looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Harden scores with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Harden.
Cleinias is trying to push Harden away but Harden has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Harden tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cleinias's elbow.
Nice body punch from Harden - that landed with a thud.

Cleinias breaks the clinch.
Harden scores with a nice head shot.
Cleinias swings for the body but Harden moves out of range.
Harden moves away from the strike by Cleinias.
Cleinias misses with a hook.
A punch combination from Cleinias misses.
Harden wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Harden takes the fight into the clinch.
Harden lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cleinias wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Harden pushes Cleinias back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Cleinias is looking to break free of the clinch but Harden has double underhooks.
Cleinias's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Still in the clinch, Harden scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right from Harden.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harden lands with a light punch inside.
Harden makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Harden - that landed with a thud.
Cleinias wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Cleinias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cleinias has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Harden seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Cleinias can turn it around.
Harden lands with a left to the head.
Harden lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cleinias.
Cleinias working hard to break the clinch.
Cleinias blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Cleinias's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cleinias has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cleinias there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cleinias scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like James Harden has been cut.
Cleinias scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Harden lands an overhand right.
Harden lands with a straight right. Cleinias didn't see that one coming.
Cleinias misses with an uppercut.
Cleinias has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cleinias there as he acknowledges the shot.

Cleinias is rocked!
Harden throws a right hand that Cleinias ducks under and follows up with a left that Cleinias also avoids with ease.
Cleinias misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harden.
Cleinias takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cleinias scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A big right from Cleinias misses.
Harden tries to move into range but Cleinias moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Cleinias scores with a nice right hand.

Harden darts in and clinches Cleinias up against the cage.
Harden lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Harden tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cleinias wants to break free but Harden has control.
Harden lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
Cleinias is trying to break the clinch but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Harden digs a right hand underneath Cleinias's ribcage. Cleinias let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Harden with a knee to the head.
Cleinias tries to break the clinch but Harden is controlling the position.
Harden lands a body shot in the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harden makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Harden lands a left hand.
Cleinias is trying to break the clinch but Harden is controlling him.
Harden pushes Cleinias back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Cleinias tries to break the clinch but Harden is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Harden.
Harden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cleinias's efforts to push away.
Harden misses with a hook from the clinch.
Harden lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Harden scores with a hook to the body.
Harden lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Harden lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Harden.
A frustrated look appears on Cleinias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A hook to the body from Harden.
Cleinias looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Harden has Cleinias pressed against the cage, preventing Cleinias from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Harden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cleinias's efforts to push away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harden swings wildly with an uppercut but Cleinias uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short uppercut from Harden.
Harden lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Cleinias.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Harden dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Harden closes the distance and clinches.
Harden lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A frustrated look appears on Cleinias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Harden lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cleinias tries to break the clinch but Harden is controlling the position.
Harden works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Harden lands a left hand.
Harden lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Harden.
Harden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Harden working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Harden works on Cleinias's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Harden.
Harden lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Harden lands a shoulder strike.
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!
A short left from Harden.
Cleinias has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cleinias wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Harden cracks Cleinias with a nice body shot.
James Harden has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cleinias is breathing heavily.
A short left from Harden.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cleinias's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Harden lands with a light punch inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harden.
Harden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harden scores with a hook to the body.
Cleinias wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Cleinias is trying to break the clinch but Harden has him pressed against the cage.

Harden breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cleinias takes a swing at Harden's ribcage but misses.
Cleinias on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Harden listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Cleinias is still on wobbly legs! Can Harden finish him?
Harden uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cleinias.
Cleinias lands with a cross.
Cleinias seems to have recovered his senses.

James Harden's cut is getting worse.

Harden pushes Cleinias up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Harden scores with a nice hook to the head.
Cleinias wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Cleinias can't break the clinch.
Cleinias is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harden is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cleinias can do to turn this around?
Cleinias wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cleinias blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cleinias is trying to force a seperation but Harden has the dominant position.
A frustrated look appears on Cleinias's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cleinias tries to circle away but Harden has him pinned against the cage.
Cleinias working hard to break the clinch.
Harden lands a right hand.
Cleinias wants to get back to striking at distance but Harden won't allow it.
Harden working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cleinias is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Harden lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
Harden lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Harden lands a body punch.

Cleinias breaks the clinch.

Harden clinches up with Cleinias and pushes him back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Harden.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Harden lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Harden lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A right hand to the body from Harden.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden scores with a shoulder strike.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Harden lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Cleinias wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harden creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cleinias's defenses.

That has opened up Alcibiades Cleinias's cut even more.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Harden creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A body shot lands from Harden.
Harden lands with a short shot to the head.
A short right from Harden.
Cleinias has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cleinias wants to break free but Harden has control.
Nice body punch from Harden - that landed with a thud.
A nice left hand lands by Harden.
Harden working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Still in the clinch, Harden scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harden lands a nice shot to the body.
Harden lands a body shot.
Harden lands with a short shot to the head.
Harden lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cleinias tries to break free but Harden pushes him back against the cage.
Cleinias is looking to break free of the clinch but Harden has double underhooks.
Harden lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harden lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Harden has picked Cleinias up - he's going for a ride! Harden dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Still in half guard, Harden seems content to control.
Harden trying to pass the guard but Cleinias defending well.

Cleinias pushes Harden off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harden fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cleinias looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Harden ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Harden gets a clinch.
Cleinias is trying to break the clinch but Harden is controlling him.
Cleinias is trying to force a seperation but Harden has the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Harden dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cleinias takes a swing at Harden's ribcage but misses.
Cleinias gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Harden pushes Cleinias back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Harden lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
A shot in the inside from Harden.
Harden scores with a knee to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Harden.
Harden lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
Harden lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cleinias backwards.
Cleinias takes a knee to the side of the body.
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!
Cleinias takes a shot to the head.
Harden lands a big knee! That's hurt Cleinias! Oh, he's all over the place! Harden lands another knee that sends Cleinias to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Harden!
A less than humble James Harden misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.