PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Hernandez (ranked 2756 p4p, 5023 weight class) and Tim Pante (ranked 366 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Hernandez
vs
Pante

189 cm
25
195
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
183
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Hernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tim Pante!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hernandez takes the fight into the clinch.
Hernandez working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hernandez lands a left hand.
Hernandez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pante blocks it with crossed arms.
Good body shot from Hernandez.

Pante breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pante darts in looking for a takedown but Hernandez gets double underhooks and turns Pante into the cage.
It looked like Hernandez was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Pante.

Hernandez clinches up against the cage.
Hernandez lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pante is trying to pull guard but Hernandez has him pressed against the cage.
Hernandez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pante is defending well for now.
A short left from Hernandez.
Pante blocks the elbow strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hernandez.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hernandez lands a right hand.
Hernandez misses with a knee strike.
Pante tries to pull guard but Hernandez holds him up against the cage and eventually Pante drops back down to his feet.
Matt Hernandez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Pante.
Hernandez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pante.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez is pressed up against the cage. Pante has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hernandez down to the mat. Hernandez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pante looks winded!
Hernandez looks to throw the jab but Pante is out of range.
Hernandez thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hernandez connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

It looks like Tim Pante has been cut.
Hernandez catches Pante with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Hernandez lands with a good body shot.
Pante misses with a wild combination.
Matt Hernandez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hernandez cracks Pante with an open hand slap.
Hernandez looks to throw the jab but Pante is out of range.
Pante misses with the combination.
Matt Hernandez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pante moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez lands with a hook. Pante tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hernandez rushes Pante and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hernandez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pante drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hernandez scores with a hook to the body.
Hernandez misses with a knee strike.
Pante avoiding damage as Hernandez throws knees to the body.
Hernandez tries a knee to the head but Pante blocks it.
Hernandez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pante blocks the elbow strike.
Hernandez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Pante fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hernandez lands a shoulder strike.
Hernandez looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez lands a shot to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hernandez throws an elbow but misses.
Hernandez looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Pante trying to stall but Hernandez improves his position.
Hernandez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hernandez tries to land a knee to the head but Pante blocks with his arms.
Pante avoids a wild elbow strike from Hernandez.
Pante has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hernandez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hernandez misses with a knee to the head.
Pante avoids the elbow strike from Hernandez, against the cage.
Hernandez throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hernandez lands with a light punch inside.
Hernandez scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pante dodges an elbow strike from Hernandez.
Hernandez misses with an elbow strike.

Pante breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez loads up on a big right hand but Pante slips the punch.
Pante tries to clinch but Hernandez is having none of it.
Hernandez connects with a crisp jab.

That has opened up Tim Pante's cut even more.
Hernandez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A nice side step and Pante releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Hernandez gets a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pante's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hernandez throws a shot to the body.
Hernandez thuds his right hand into Pante's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hernandez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Donk. Hernandez catches Pante right on the button with a cross.
Hernandez takes a swing at Pante's ribcage but misses.
Hernandez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pante ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Pante shoots in but no luck this time.
It looked like Hernandez wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hernandez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tim Pante's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hernandez!

Hernandez moves into the clinch.
Pante blocks an elbow strike from Hernandez.
Hernandez working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Hernandez fails to land.
Hernandez tries a body shot but Pante blocks it.
Hernandez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Pante backwards.
Hernandez misses with a knee strike.
Hernandez lands an elbow just above Pante 's eye.
Hernandez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hernandez misses with an elbow over the top.

Pante manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hernandez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pante is trying to control the position but Hernandez postures up.
Hernandez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pante working a defensive guard here.
Pante can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hernandez controls the pace.
Hernandez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pante on the ground.
Hernandez wants to control from the top but Pante keeps moving.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Pante keeping full guard, as Hernandez tries to pass.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hernandez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pante can do to turn this around?
Hernandez keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hernandez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pante.
Pante tries to counter with a clinch but Hernandez shakes him off and moves away.
Pante shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hernandez pinned against the cage. Hernandez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hernandez throws an elbow but misses.
Hernandez lands a right hand.
Pante blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pante is looking to control Hernandez's arms but Hernandez gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pante has his back to the cage.
Hernandez can't find room to land a body shot as Pante controls the action.
Hernandez trying to land knees to the body.
Hernandez throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pante pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pante.
Good standup being displayed there by Hernandez as he connects with a hook.
Hernandez scores with a hook.
Pante tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hernandez defends well and Pante ends up having to push Hernandez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A big left from Hernandez misses.
Pante throws a counter combo.
Hernandez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Pante's hands.

Pante darts in and clinches Hernandez up against the cage.
Hernandez misses with a knee strike.
Pante tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hernandez smiles and moves away.
Matt Hernandez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Pante.
Pante is breathing heavily.

Pante instigates a clinch.
Hernandez is leaning against Pante and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Matt Hernandez has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez lands with a short punch from the clinch.

The cut above Tim Pante's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hernandez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Pante's brow.
Hernandez misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hernandez lands with a left to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hernandez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Pante avoiding damage as Hernandez throws knees to the body.
Hernandez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hernandez lands a hook that snaps the head of Pante backwards.
Hernandez lands a nice uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Hernandez.
Hernandez misses with an elbow strike.
Hernandez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hernandez stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hernandez trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hernandez throws an elbow but misses.
Pante avoids a wild elbow strike from Hernandez.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hernandez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tim Pante's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hernandez rushes Pante and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hernandez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hernandez gets through Pante's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pante is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hernandez is defending well.
Pante jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hernandez walks away with a smile on his face. Pante gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hernandez leaves Pante with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Matt Hernandez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Pante.
Danga de danga de dang - Hernandez scores with a four punch combination!
Pante walks into a stiff left hand from Hernandez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pante ducks under a wild hook from Hernandez.
Hernandez lands a nice shot that snaps Pante's head back.

Pante is rocked!
A looping hook to the body misses from Hernandez. Pante does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pante takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pante uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hernandez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pante throws a sloppy head kick and Hernandez moves out of range easily.
Hernandez blocks a head kick by Pante.
Hernandez swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Matt Hernandez is winning the standup battle so far.
Hernandez scores with a sloppy right hand. Pante should have avoided that one.
Pante is still on wobbly legs! Can Hernandez finish him?

Hernandez lands a big right hand that sends Pante crashing to the mat! Hernandez stays standing though and waves Pante back to his feet!
Hernandez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pante.
Hernandez throws a lazy right hand but Pante sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hernandez fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Tim Pante's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Pante slips a straight right by Hernandez.
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!
Hernandez throws an overhand right that lands on Pante's shoulder, as Pante tries to avoid the shot.
A head kick misses from Pante.
Pante seems to have recovered his senses.
Pante uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hernandez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hernandez gets through Pante's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Hernandez manages to break the clinch.
Hernandez lands a jab.

Hernandez cracks Pante with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Pante looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Hernandez finish him?
Pante closes the distance but Hernandez moves to the side
and Hernandez counters with a series of strikes that practically lifts Pante off his feet! He tumbles backwards, his head bouncing off the mat - Hernandez follows up with more strikes before the ref can step in but Pante was out before he hit the floor.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Matt Hernandez!