PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Agashi Saroyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Agashi Saroyan has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Saroyan
vs
Henderson

190 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Very confident

Schwarzenegger Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Agashi Saroyan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dan Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saroyan tries to clinch but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson fails with the takedown.
Henderson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Saroyan swivels and escapes.
Henderson closes the distance and clinches up with Saroyan, looking for a takedown. Henderson pushes Saroyan against the cage but Saroyan circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Agashi Saroyan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Henderson.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.
Saroyan lands a with a good body shot.

Henderson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Saroyan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Saroyan tries to strike from the bottom.
Saroyan wants to sweep here but Henderson controlling him for the moment.
Saroyan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Saroyan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henderson's guard.
Saroyan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Henderson is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saroyan throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson wants to sweep but no luck.
Henderson working a defensive guard here.
Saroyan looking to pass the guard.
Henderson lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Henderson is trying to keep Saroyan in close.
Saroyan wants to control from the top but Henderson keeps moving.
Henderson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saroyan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Henderson with that takedown attempt.

Henderson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Henderson showed some decent athleticism there.
Henderson looks gassed!
Ground and pound from Henderson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saroyan is pressing down on Henderson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Saroyan keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Saroyan trying to keep a closed guard but Henderson is proving a slippery customer.
Saroyan looking for a sweep. Not yet Saroyan, not yet.

Saroyan had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Henderson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Saroyan Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Henderson's back instead.
Saroyan doesn't have the hooks in and Henderson manages to turn into his guard.
Saroyan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Henderson manages to get himself to full guard.

Saroyan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Saroyan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Henderson wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson throws a couple of heel strikes.
Saroyan wants to get up but he can't break Henderson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Saroyan is fighting to break Henderson's control of his arms but Henderson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Henderson striking off his back.
Henderson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Henderson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Saroyan has his foot on Henderson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Henderson works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Henderson wants to control from the top but Saroyan keeps moving.
Henderson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Saroyan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saroyan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Henderson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Henderson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Henderson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Saroyan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Henderson wants to hold on but Saroyan pushes him away.
Saroyan prevents Henderson from getting the reversal.
Henderson has given up his back here.

Saroyan has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Saroyan has the hooks in. Henderson is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
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 Agashi Saroyan will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Saroyan tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saroyan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Henderson avoids the body shot from Saroyan.
Dan Henderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Saroyan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Henderson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Dan Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Saroyan keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Henderson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Henderson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Henderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Henderson stands up out of Saroyan's guard for a moment - Saroyan manages to land a nice upkick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson cracks Saroyan with a solid left hand.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Saroyan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Saroyan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Henderson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Henderson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Henderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Henderson landing with the ground and pound.
Saroyan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Henderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Saroyan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Henderson landing with the ground and pound.
Henderson preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Henderson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Henderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saroyan is keeping the position for now.
Henderson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Saroyan is trying to keep Henderson in close.

Saroyan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Saroyan wants to sweep here but Henderson controlling him for the moment.

Saroyan has his foot on Henderson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Henderson works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saroyan looking to control.
Henderson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Henderson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Henderson looking to sit in guard and control but Saroyan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Henderson is trying to control the position but Saroyan postures up.
Saroyan trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Henderson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saroyan won't allow Henderson to sweep him here.
Saroyan trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson working a defensive guard here.
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Saroyan from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Saroyan with a lazy takedown attempt

and Henderson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Saroyan's guard.
Saroyan working a defensive guard here.
Henderson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Henderson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Saroyan's head.
Henderson throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Henderson 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Saroyan tries for a takedown but Henderson circles away easily

and Henderson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Henderson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Saroyan is pressing down on Henderson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Saroyan looking for a guillotine here but Henderson defends easily.
Saroyan has momentary wrist control but Henderson slips an elbow through the middle.
Henderson scoring with some ground and pound.
Saroyan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henderson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saroyan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Henderson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Saroyan is looking for a triangle but Henderson pushes his legs off easily.
Saroyan working a defensive guard here.
Henderson stopping the sweep attempt from Saroyan.
Henderson stands up over Saroyan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Henderson distracts Saroyan with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Saroyan keeps moving.
Henderson chips away with some ground and pound.
Henderson won't allow Saroyan to get back to his feet.
Henderson landing with the ground and pound.
Henderson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Henderson lands a couple of digs.
Henderson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Henderson lands a couple of elbows.

Saroyan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Henderson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Henderson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Henderson is working Saroyan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saroyan is keeping the position for now.
Saroyan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Henderson.
Henderson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Saroyan is trying to control the position but Henderson postures up.
Henderson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Saroyan's head.
Saroyan keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.
Henderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Saroyan has wrist control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Saroyan moves into the clinch successfully.
Saroyan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saroyan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Henderson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Saroyan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Henderson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saroyan lands a nice elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Henderson.
Henderson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Saroyan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Saroyan avoiding damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Henderson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Henderson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Henderson!