PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Romeo Hernanes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roberto Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hernanes comes into the arena with Awolnation - Sail blaring out of the sound system. Rodriguez has chosen Dan Balan Beautiful Girl as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Romeo Hernanes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hernanes
vs
Rodriguez

170 cm
31
145 lbs
13 - 6 - 1

176 cm
31
135 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.

VICIOUS FIGHT GEAR

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 13 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Romeo Hernanes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Roberto Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hernanes throws a head kick that misses.
Hernanes stuffs the takedown.
Rodriguez wants to clinch up but Hernanes keeps it at a distance.
Rodriguez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rodriguez shoots in and drives through. Hernanes sprawls well.
Romeo Hernanes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Rodriguez.
Hernanes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rodriguez's sensitive parts.
Rodriguez looks for a takedown but Hernanes sprawls well.

Hernanes has managed to clinch.
Rodriguez has Hernanes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hernanes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hernanes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hernanes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Hernanes connects with a massive knee from the clinch and Rodriguez goes down! Hernanes jumps into full mount looking to finish!

Rodriguez is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hernanes trying to control but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Rodriguez is still in real trouble! Can Hernanes finish him?
Hernanes wants to take Rodriguez's back here but Rodriguez is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Hernanes is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Rodriguez seems to have recovered his senses.
Rodriguez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hernanes wants to take Rodriguez's back but he can't do it this time.

Hernanes moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Rodriguez has worked his arm free - good work by Rodriguez!
Rodriguez can't do much from the bottom here.
Rodriguez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two 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.
Hernanes trying to control the action but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Hernanes prevents Rodriguez from improving his position.

Hernanes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rodriguez defends it well.
Rodriguez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hernanes wants to stand but Rodriguez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rodriguez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes wanted to stand there but Rodriguez had control of the position.

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

Rodriguez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rodriguez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hernanes gets the underhooks and prevents it.
I was talking to Hernanes's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rodriguez pulls guard successfully.
Hernanes wants to stand but Rodriguez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hernanes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodriguez is keeping the position for now.
Hernanes trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hernanes is looking to stand up but Rodriguez won't let him.
Hernanes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodriguez is keeping the position for now.
Hernanes trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodriguez looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hernanes preventing the sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez is trying to keep Hernanes in close.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hernanes misses with a series of wild punches.
Rodriguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romeo Hernanes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez blocks a head kick by Hernanes.
Rodriguez takes a kick to the side of the head.

Hernanes closes the distance and clinches.
Hernanes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rodriguez smiles and moves away.
Rodriguez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hernanes defends it nicely.

Hernanes moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown but Hernanes manages to get underhooks.
Romeo Hernanes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Rodriguez.
Hernanes misses with a knee to the head.
Rodriguez wants a takedown but no success here.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.
Rodriguez is trying to drag Hernanes to the mat but Hernanes just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hernanes throws an elbow but it misses.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rodriguez has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hernanes is trying to keep an underhook but Rodriguez manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez working the head and body with strikes.
Rodriguez is nestled in close to Hernanes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hernanes trying to control but Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez is keen to just control but Hernanes is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez seems to be working for a kimura but Hernanes defends the submission attempt.

Rodriguez is trying to work for a kimura but Hernanes is defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hernanes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hernanes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodriguez manages to get himself to full guard.

Rodriguez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hernanes manages to get himself to full guard.

Roberto Rodriguez has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes is pulling down on Rodriguez's head to control his posture.
Hernanes controls Rodriguez momentarily but Rodriguez frees himself.
Rodriguez trying to control but Hernanes is working from the bottom.
Rodriguez looking to pass the guard.
Rodriguez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hernanes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rodriguez can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rodriguez lands a couple of elbows.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Hernanes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hernanes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hernanes has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rodriguez has passed into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rodriguez tries for a kimura but Hernanes is defending well.

Rodriguez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Romeo Hernanes will probably get the nod.
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!

Rodriguez fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hernanes to the ground. Rodriguez is now in Hernanes's guard.
Rodriguez throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriguez slips nicely into half guard.
Hernanes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rodriguez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rodriguez's back!
Rodriguez tries to escape but Hernanes has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez keeps trying to improve his position.

Hernanes looking for the choke from the back.
Rodriguez staying busy and making it hard for Hernanes to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to roll but Hernanes sticks to his back.

Hernanes is persistently looking for the submission but Rodriguez is defending it well.
I would not like to be Rodriguez right now.
Rodriguez breaks Hernanes's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rodriguez trying to control but Hernanes is working from the bottom.
Hernanes wants to get back to his feet but Rodriguez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes keeping moving, preventing Rodriguez from controlling successfully.
Hernanes looking for a sweep. Not yet Hernanes, not yet.

Hernanes is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rodriguez is aware though and is defending well.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rodriguez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rodriguez with a nice head shot there.
Hernanes wants to sweep here but Rodriguez controlling him for the moment.

Hernanes working for a triangle but Rodriguez defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hernanes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rodriguez is one step ahead there.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hernanes slaps away a takedown attempt from Rodriguez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Roberto Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A big left from Hernanes misses.

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.

Hernanes has closed the distance and engaged Rodriguez in a clinch.
Rodriguez can't get the takedown.
Hernanes stops a takedown attempt from Rodriguez.
Romeo Hernanes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roberto Rodriguez.
Hernanes connects with a knee to the head.
Hernanes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rodriguez blocks it with crossed arms.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.
Hernanes trying to land knees to the body.
Hernanes is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Hernanes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rodriguez uses from the top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rodriguez stopping the sweep attempt from Hernanes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Romeo Hernanes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hernanes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Romeo Hernanes!
A relieved looking Romeo Hernanes thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
The defeated Roberto Rodriguez had this to say: 'I`m strong it`s not my first fight I`LL COME BACK!!!'.