PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hernan Molinari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Cormier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cormier has chosen Grafh - Knock'em Down as his entrance music. Daniel Cormier will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Molinari
vs
Cormier

200 cm
25
270 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

179 cm
24
230 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hernan Molinari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Cormier!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cormier fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Cormier shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Molinari is trying to defend but Cormier finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Cormier thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Molinari tries to roll over but Cormier keeps him under control.
Cormier trying to pass the guard but Molinari defending well.

Molinari looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Molinari has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cormier is working away from the top position though.

Cormier is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Cormier is trying to control the action in half guard but Molinari is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Molinari looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cormier is thwarting Molinari's attempts to control the position.
Molinari is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Molinari looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cormier trying to mount his opponent but Molinari defends it.
Cormier wants to take a breather but Molinari is having none of it.
Cormier sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Molinari defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cormier controlling the pace.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Cormier missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Molinari is looking for a sweep. Cormier is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cormier is keen to just control but Molinari is a slippery customer.
Molinari trying to control from the bottom.
Cormier passes the guard and advances to mount!
Molinari is looking to improve his position but Cormier isn't that keen on the idea.
Cormier trying to control but he's not successful this time.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Molinari tries to hold on but Cormier postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cormier looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Cormier raining down shots from the mount!
Cormier really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Molinari. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Molinari is looking to get to half guard.
Cormier wants to control the pace but Molinari is squirming around nicely.
Molinari really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Cormier is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Molinari can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Cormier with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Molinari that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Molinari is wriggling around trying to escape.
Molinari is just holding on here. Cormier manages to take his back.
Cormier lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cormier trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Cormier is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Molinari has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Molinari wants to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Molinari is working hard here to advance position.
Molinari trying to control the hands but Cormier won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Molinari gets caught napping as Cormier dives in and scores a takedown. Molinari manages to retain guard.
Molinari keeping moving, preventing Cormier from controlling successfully.

Molinari is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cormier is aware though and is defending well.

Molinari has an active guard here but Cormier has managed to pass into half guard.
Molinari wants to get back to full guard.
Daniel Cormier has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cormier thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Molinari's head.
Cormier working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Molinari actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Molinari is not content to let Cormier control the position.

Cormier escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cormier closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cormier is keen to just control but Molinari is a slippery customer.
Cormier wants to stand up but Molinari has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Molinari looking for submissions off his back.

Molinari looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cormier performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Cormier throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cormier is looking to take a break and control but Molinari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Molinari looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Molinari looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Molinari tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Cormier has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Cormier unloading with bombs!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cormier lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Molinari hang on?
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Cormier. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Cormier looking to control but Molinari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cormier looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cormier tries to control but Molinari wriggling away.
Cormier breaks from Molinari's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Molinari is in all sorts of trouble here.
Cormier looking to control but Molinari is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Molinari wants to control but Cormier is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molinari is squirming around, avoiding Cormier's attempts to control the action.
Molinari sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Molinari looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Cormier trying to control from half guard but Molinari is working away.

Molinari looking for submissions off his back.
Cormier is looking to take a break and control but Molinari is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Molinari looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Cormier showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Molinari gets tackled into the cage by Cormier. Cormier maintains the clinch.
Cormier crunches a lovely knee into Molinari's ribcage.

Cormier breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hernan Molinari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Molinari closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cormier quickly recovers to half guard.
Cormier wants to control but Molinari is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Molinari prevents Cormier from improving his position.
Cormier wants to control but Molinari is keeping busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Molinari is trying to work for a kimura but Cormier is defending well.
Molinari prevents Cormier from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier trying to hold on to Molinari's head to control him but Molinari postures up.
Cormier blocking the ground and pound attempt from Molinari.

Molinari is working for a kimura but Cormier is defending it quite comfortably.
Cormier is looking to escape.
Cormier wants to improve his position but Molinari is controlling well.
Cormier makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cormier.
Molinari wants to control from the top but Cormier keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molinari content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Molinari passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Molinari tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Molinari has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cormier tries to buck Molinari off but Molinari is having none of it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cormier taking a bit of punishment here - Molinari scoring with strikes.
Molinari in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Cormier gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Molinari is looking for a kimura but Cormier is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Molinari to get the leverage.

Molinari is looking for a kimura but Cormier is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Molinari to get the leverage.
Cormier tries to roll over but Molinari keeps him under control.
Cormier is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Molinari is nestled in close to Cormier, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Molinari will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cormier is trying to get back to full guard.
Molinari working over Cormier with some ground and pound. Cormier looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Cormier is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Molinari pulls his head out easily.
Molinari works his foot free and advances to mount.
Hernan Molinari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cormier keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cormier wants to control but Molinari is having none of it.

Molinari is working to isolate an arm here. It's a telegraphed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! Molinari extends the arm and Cormier is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Hernan Molinari!
Hernan Molinari bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.