PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Espiridion Araya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Hendo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Araya
vs
Hendo

201 cm
22
195 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

180 cm
26
190 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Good knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good elbows
Powerful

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Espiridion Araya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Danny Hendo!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hendo moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hendo throws an elbow but misses.

Hendo manages to break the clinch.
We've been informed that Hendo has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Hendo wants to clinch but Araya slips to the side

and Araya counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hendo lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Espiridion Araya has been cut.
Araya drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hendo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Araya swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Araya tries a head kick but it misses.

Hendo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Araya, pushing him back against the cage.
Hendo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Araya's defenses.
Our sources have told us that Araya has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Araya gets underhooks to prevent Hendo's takedown attempt.
Hendo throws an elbow that misses.
Hendo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Araya pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hendo looking for a takedown.
Espiridion Araya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danny Hendo.
Hendo lands a knee to the head.

Araya has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hendo is trying to keep an underhook but Araya manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Araya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Araya tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Hendo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Araya is working away from the top position though.
Hendo wants to get back to his feet.
Araya prevents Hendo from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Araya seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hendo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Araya seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hendo is trying to get back to full guard.
Araya throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hendo is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hendo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Araya really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hendo is trying to maintain the position but Araya is very close to passing his half guard.

Araya stands up from half guard.
Hendo tries for a takedown but Araya circles away easily
and Araya counters with a head kick.
Hendo tries to clinch but Araya moves away
and Araya counters with an inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Araya scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hendo doesn't seem bothered though.
Hendo tries to clinch up but Araya circles away and keeps his distance.
Araya misses with a jab, cross combination.
Araya punishes Hendo's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Araya.
Araya slaps away a takedown attempt from Hendo, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Hendo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Araya, pushing him back against the cage.
Araya blocks an elbow strike from Hendo.
Hendo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Araya tries for a takedown. No joy.

Araya breaks the clinch.
Hendo checks a leg kick.
Araya fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Hendo rushes Araya and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hendo has Araya pressed against the cage.
Hendo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Araya's defenses.
Araya has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hendo after a bit of a struggle.
Hendo looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Araya wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hendo lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hendo throws an elbow that misses.
Hendo gets underhooks to prevent Araya's takedown attempt.
Araya drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hendo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Araya scores with a kick to the midsection.
Araya wants to land a leg kick but Hendo is out of range.
Hendo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hendo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Araya manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the liver by Hendo. Beautiful body shot.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hendo tries to clinch there but Araya circles away.
Hendo tries to clinch up.
Araya just misses with a punch to the body.
Araya tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Espiridion Araya will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Espiridion Araya's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The crowd cheers as Araya lands an impressive looking overhand right. Hendo doesn't seem phased though.
Hendo fails to land the takedown.
Araya throws a sloppy head kick and Hendo moves out of range easily.
Hendo scores with a jab to the jaw.

Hendo forces Araya back against the cage and clinches.
Araya blocks an elbow strike from Hendo.
Hendo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hendo scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hendo misses with an elbow over the top.
Hendo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Araya blocks it with crossed arms.
Araya wants to take the fight to the mat but Hendo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Araya on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short right from Hendo.
Araya blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Araya is trying to push Hendo away but Hendo has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hendo throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Araya.
Hendo misses with a knee to the head.
Araya dodges an elbow strike from Hendo.
Araya can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Espiridion Araya. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hendo tries to land knees in the clinch but Araya avoids the damage to the body.
Araya working hard to break the clinch.
Araya is pushing Hendo up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Hendo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Danny Hendo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hendo wants to clinch up but Araya keeps it at a distance.
Araya tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Araya rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hendo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendo connects with a knee to the head.
Araya drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Danny Hendo seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hendo gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Araya is looking for a takedown.
Hendo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hendo lands an elbow inside that Araya shrugs off.
Hendo gets underhooks to prevent Araya's takedown attempt.
Hendo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hendo is pressed up against the cage. Araya has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hendo down to the mat. Hendo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hendo wants to clinch but Araya slips to the side
and Araya counters with a head kick.
Araya uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hendo.

Hendo pushes Araya up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo wants a takedown but no success here.

Araya breaks from the clinch.
Hendo tries to clinch but Araya moves out of range.
Araya plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hendo takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Araya lands a jab to the head.
Araya dives in for a single leg takedown but Hendo sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Araya takes an elbow to the temple.
Hendo missing with knees to the body.
Hendo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hendo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Araya lands with a right to the head.
Hendo lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hendo misses with a knee to the head.
Araya avoiding damage as Hendo throws knees to the body.
Araya changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hendo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Araya is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Araya throws a head kick that misses.
A punch combination from Hendo misses.
Hendo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hendo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Araya works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hendo moves out of range of the body kick.
Hendo takes one to the chin there.
Araya is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hendo moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hendo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Danny Hendo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Espiridion Araya's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Araya throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Hendo blocks a head kick by Araya.

Hendo moves into the clinch successfully.
Hendo avoiding damage.
Hendo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Araya avoids it.
Araya has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hendo after a bit of a struggle.
Araya misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hendo has Araya pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Araya manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Araya looking to stall.
Hendo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Araya can't get the takedown.
Araya lands a knee to the body.
Hendo tries to land a knee to the head but Araya blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hendo as Araya tries to tie him up.
Araya looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hendo comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hendo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hendo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Araya avoids it.
Araya is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Espiridion Araya. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Araya gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hendo regains guard.
Hendo keeping moving, preventing Araya from controlling successfully.
Hendo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Araya!
Hendo dominating with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendo landing shots from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendo is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Araya is rocked!
Hendo wants to control the pace but Araya is squirming around nicely.
Hendo with the ground and pound from mount.
Oh Araya is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hendo postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked Araya badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Hendo around the waist but Hendo pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Hendo is the winner by TKO! Hendo jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Danny Hendo!
After winning the bout, Danny Hendo thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.