PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Harden (ranked 4384 p4p, 454 weight class) and Paul Sight (ranked 3812 p4p, 408 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Harden
vs
Sight

185 cm
22
192 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

195 cm
24
192 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Sight!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Bruno Hogan and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sight loads up on a big right hand but Harden slips the punch.
Harden shoots for a double leg takedown but Sight sprawls well. He's pushed Harden's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sight slaps away a takedown attempt from Harden, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A combination from Sight does no damage.
Sight lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like James Harden has been cut.

Harden shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sight blocking the ground and pound attempt from Harden.
Harden not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sight won't allow Harden to pass to mount.
Sight wants to get back to his feet.
Harden thows a huge punch but Sight dodges it nicely.
Harden controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harden lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sight is trying to stand up here but Harden is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Harden sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sight defending well though.
Harden wants to take a breather but Sight is having none of it.

That's two 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.
Harden stops Sight from getting back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Sight has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Harden is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Paul Sight is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Harden is working for takedown but Sight is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Harden. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harden has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Sight after a bit of a struggle.
Sight wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Harden has him pressed against the cage.
Our sources have told us that Harden has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Harden drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sight pulls his leg out and moves away.
Harden shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sight as he avoids it easily.
Some wild striking there from Sight.
Sight with a jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Harden is defended easily by Sight.
Sight blocks a head kick by Harden.
Sight misses with a straight right.
Harden shoots for a double leg takedown but Sight sprawls well. He's pushed Harden's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sight rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harden moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Harden takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sight works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sight has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Harden fails with a takedown attempt.

Sight lands a left and a right that send Harden crashing to the mat, dazed. Sight thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sight misses the shot to the body.
Sight throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Harden changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sight tries to avoid it but Harden manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sight to the ground. Sight escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sight misses with a double jab.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

Sight drops Harden with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Harden looks back up at him and smiles so Sight waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Harden is rocked!

James Harden's cut is getting worse.
Sight ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Harden takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Harden is breathing heavily.
Sight misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Sight. No joy for Harden on that attempt.
A little jabbing left from Sight on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sight takes a swing at Harden's ribcage but misses.
Sight misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harden looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

James Harden's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
A combination from Sight does no damage.
Harden fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sight dips to his left and cracks Harden with an uppercut!
Oh Harden is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Harden gets tagged by a hook that puts him to sleep! Sight points and yells something to his unconcious foe before strutting off. Harden wakes up just in time to hear Sight thank his coaches in the post fight interview.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:31 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Paul Sight!
James Harden was interviewed post fight and said 'Back to the drawing board for me folks, this is just a bump in the road. I'll be back better than before soon!'.