PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roman Hayes (ranked 3896 p4p, 3894 weight class) and Brandon Hera (ranked 0 p4p, 248 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hayes
vs
Hera

172 cm
24
145
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
145
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roman Hayes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Brandon Hera!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hayes gets a clinch.
Hayes has a couple of punches blocked by Hera.
Hera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hera tries to circle away but Hayes has him pinned against the cage.

Hera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hayes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hera as he jumps to the side.
Hayes moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromHera.

Hera closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hayes to the mat! Hayes manages to get full guard.
Hera would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hayes pulls Hera in to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hayes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Hera wants to get up but he can't break Hayes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hera controlling from the top position.
Hera preventing the sweep.
Hera engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hera won't allow Hayes to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hera connects with a nice looking jab.
Hera fails with an attempt to clinch.

Hera fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hayes to the ground. Hera is now in Hayes's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hayes is on top in guard.

Hera keeping full guard, as Hayes tries to pass.
Hera pulls Hayes in to control the position.
Hayes won't allow Hera to sweep him here.
Hayes controlling from the top position.
Hera has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hera avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hayes trying to control the position from guard on top but Hera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hayes wants to stand but Hera has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hayes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hera avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hayes.
Hera can't do much from the bottom here.
Hera wants to get back to his feet but Hayes drags him back down.
Hera dodges the ground and pound from Hayes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hera tries to improve position but can't.
Hayes laying and praying for a moment but Hera takes advantage and regains half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Brandon Hera will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hera tries to keep at a distance but Hayes has taken the fight into the clinch.

Hera has clasped his hands together around Hayes's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hayes tries to control but Hera manages to take his back.
Hera has the hooks in. Hayes is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Hera biding his time, looking for the opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hera struggling to keep hold of the position.
Hayes breaks Hera's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Hayes trying to control the position from guard on top but Hera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hera is trying to control the position but Hayes postures up.
Hera is wriggling around but Hayes manages to pass to half guard.
Hayes trying to advance position but Hera counters by regaining guard.
Hera has a closed guard, preventing Hayes from standing up.
Hayes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hayes wants to stand but Hera has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hayes postures up.
Hayes forces his way into half guard.

Hera actively working from the bottom here.
Hayes stalling.
Hayes drops an elbow to the side of Hera's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hera does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hayes with the ground and pound but Hera uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Hera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hayes's guard.

Hera being controlled here momentarily.
Roman Hayes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hayes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hera slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hera.
Hayes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hera pinned against the cage. Hera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hera throws a sloppy head kick and Hayes moves out of range easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hayes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hayes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hera just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hayes misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roman Hayes will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Hera changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hayes looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Hayes manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hayes passes the guard and advances to mount!
Hera taking shots to the head.
Hera avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hayes.
Hera wants to hold on but Hayes pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hayes lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hera regains half guard.
Hera trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Hayes manages to pass to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes breaks from Hera's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hayes controlling from the full mount.
Hayes lands a big shot there that rocks Hera but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hera is desperately trying to improve his position but Hayes has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hera is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Hayes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hayes raining down shots from the mount!
Hayes controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hayes controlling from mount.
Hera is trying to escape the mount.
Hayes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hera can do to turn this around?
Hayes working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hera manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hera taking some punishment here, with Hayes in his half guard.
Hayes controlling the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hayes seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hera for as long as he can get away with.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Hayes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hayes 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight for Roman Hayes!
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Roman Hayes!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Roman Hayes!

Roman Hayes wins by unanimous decision!