PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aleczander Povetskin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hymie Herrera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Herrera has chosen Yo Soy Dominicano as his entrance music. Hymie Herrera looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Povetskin
vs
Herrera

166 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
21
142 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Aleczander Povetskin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hymie Herrera!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Eddie Farnsworth and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herrera fails with an attempt to clinch.

Herrera clinches.
Herrera is working Povetskin over against the cage.

Herrera manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Herrera manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Povetskin manages to get himself to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Herrera controls from within his opponent's guard.
Povetskin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Herrera on the ground.
Herrera trying to control but Povetskin is working from the bottom.
Herrera throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Povetskin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Herrera accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Povetskin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Povetskin wants to get back to his feet but Herrera is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Herrera stays in close to Povetskin's body and controls the position.
Herrera has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Herrera keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Povetskin's head.
Herrera throwing strikes from guard but Povetskin blocks nicely.
Herrera postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Herrera throwing strikes but missing.
Herrera wants to control from the top but Povetskin keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herrera content to stall in guard here.
Herrera thows a big elbow that misses.
Povetskin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Povetskin keeping moving, preventing Herrera from controlling successfully.
Herrera postures up in Povetskin's guard and throws a big left but Povetskin blocks it.
Herrera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Herrera throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera slips nicely into half guard.
Herrera not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Herrera throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Herrera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Povetskin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Herrera performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Herrera working over Povetskin with some ground and pound. Povetskin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Herrera is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Herrera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Povetskin's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herrera not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Herrera not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Herrera sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Herrera is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Herrera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Povetskin's head.
Povetskin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hymie Herrera dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Herrera chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Povetskin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Povetskin cracks a nice hook into Herrera's ribs.
Herrera throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hymie Herrera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Povetskin throws a right hand that Herrera ducks under and follows up with a left that Herrera also avoids with ease.
Herrera takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herrera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Danga de danga de dang - Herrera scores with a four punch combination!
Herrera throws a right and a left that Povetskin avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herrera wants to clinch.
Nice shot by Povetskin.
Herrera swinging wildly here.

Herrera clinches up against the cage.

Herrera manages to pull guard.

Herrera wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herrera uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Povetskin.
Herrera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Povetskin jabs Herrera right on the nose. Herrera blinks but takes it well.
Povetskin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Herrera throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Povetskin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Povetskin misses the body punch

and Herrera counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Herrera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Herrera throws a left and a right that both miss
and Povetskin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Povetskin lands a nice shot to the body.
Herrera tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Herrera is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Herrera throws a sloppy body shot
and Povetskin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Herrera walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Herrera tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Povetskin swivels and escapes.
Hymie Herrera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Herrera is breathing heavily.
Herrera tries to clinch up.
Povetskin lands a nice looking body shot.
Herrera throws a leg kick that is checked
and Povetskin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Herrera throws a combination that misses
letting Povetskin counter with a right hand.
Povetskin scores with a nice strike.
Herrera swings widly with a right hand
enabling Povetskin to counter with a crisp jab.
Aleczander Povetskin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Povetskin blocks a head kick by Herrera.
Povetskin slaps away a takedown attempt from Herrera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Povetskin scores with a hook to the body. Herrera takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Povetskin misses with a double jab.
Herrera takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Herrera shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Povetskin is trying to defend but Herrera finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Povetskin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Herrera missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hymie Herrera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Herrera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Povetskin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Herrera falls off balance throwing a combination
and Povetskin counters with a nice uppercut.
Povetskin jabs at Herrera's body.
Herrera wants to clinch up but Povetskin keeps it at a distance.
Povetskin moves into range and connects with a jab.
Herrera takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herrera fails with a takedown attempt.
Povetskin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Herrera's head backwards.
Herrera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Povetskin feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Herreras jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Povetskin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Herrera takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Herrera tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Povetskin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Herrera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Povetskin scores with a hook to the body. Herrera takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Good shot there by Povetskin.
Povetskin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Herrera.
Herrera is looking to clinch but Povetskin is avoiding it.
Aleczander Povetskin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Povetskin lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Herrera gets a clinch.
Herrera pressing his opponent against the cage.
Povetskin has had enough of the clinch but Herrera keeps him there for the moment.

Herrera works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Herrera thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Herrera working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Povetskin working a defensive guard here.
Herrera trying to control the position from guard on top but Povetskin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Povetskin wants to stand and escape but Herrera is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera postures up in Povetskin's guard and throws a big left but Povetskin blocks it.
Herrera missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Herrera wants to control from the top but Povetskin keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Povetskin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Povetskin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Herrera is one step ahead there.
Herrera is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Hymie Herrera wasn't active enough on the ground.
Herrera tries to clinch but Povetskin moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Povetskin lands a jab to Herrera's midsection.
Povetskin slaps away a takedown attempt from Herrera, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Herrera moves forwards but Povetskin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Hymie Herrera is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Povetskin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Herrera to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Povetskin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Herrera.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Povetskin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hymie Herrera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Herrera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hymie Herrera!