PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darrell Fernandez (ranked 6540 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny McBryan (ranked 5734 p4p, 421 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Fernandez
vs
McBryan

167 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

182 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Darrell Fernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Johnny McBryan!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McBryan clinches with his opponent.

McBryan pulls Fernandez into guard.
Fernandez wants to pass the guard but McBryan is keeping the position.
Fernandez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McBryan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
McBryan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fernandez engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
McBryan is striking from the bottom but Fernandez uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McBryan trying to hold on to Fernandez's head to control him but Fernandez postures up.
McBryan is looking for a sweep. Fernandez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
McBryan wants to control but Fernandez is keeping busy.
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.
McBryan is trying to control but Fernandez passes into side control!
Fernandez controls the position.
McBryan is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Fernandez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fernandez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks McBryan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Fernandez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed McBryan's head.
Fernandez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Fernandez is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McBryan trying to hold on to Fernandez's head to control him but Fernandez postures up.
Fernandez stalling.
Fernandez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
McBryan trying to control but Fernandez postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Fernandez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McBryan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Fernandez pulls guard effortlessly.
McBryan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fernandez looking for a sweep. Not yet Fernandez, not yet.
Fernandez keeping moving, preventing McBryan from controlling successfully.
Fernandez is trying to control the position but McBryan postures up.
McBryan looking to sit in guard and control but Fernandez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

McBryan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez lands a couple of elbows.
Fernandez controlling from the top position.
Fernandez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Fernandez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fernandez stops McBryan from standing up.
Fernandez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrell Fernandez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

McBryan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Fernandez!
McBryan in the domination position with Fernandez hanging on.
Fernandez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fernandez is pushing McBryan's head away, looking to escape. McBryan manages to hold on to the position though.
Fernandez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McBryan throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The ground and pound from McBryan seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Fernandez tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McBryan trying to control the action but Fernandez is working from the bottom.

McBryan goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Fernandez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for McBryan but great work by Fernandez.
Fernandez scoring with punches and elbows.

Fernandez stands up.
Fernandez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McBryan can do to turn this around?

McBryan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. McBryan showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez manages to get to full guard.
Fernandez has control of McBryan's left arm, preventing McBryan from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst McBryan is controlling him.
Fernandez has his hands on McBryan's head, controlling the position.
McBryan wanted to stand there but Fernandez had control of the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

McBryan moves into the clinch.

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.

Fernandez has clasped his hands together around McBryan's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Fernandez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
McBryan is looking for a sweep.

Fernandez decides to stand back up.
McBryan thumps Fernandez with a low kick.
Good leg kick by McBryan there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

McBryan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Fernandez has one foot on McBryan's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
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 Darrell Fernandez will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

McBryan rushes Fernandez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

McBryan breaks from the clinch.
Johnny McBryan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McBryan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

McBryan changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Fernandez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

McBryan has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Fernandez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

McBryan closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Fernandez makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

McBryan has Fernandez up against the cage in a clinch.
Fernandez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
McBryan stops a takedown attempt from Fernandez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darrell Fernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McBryan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A combination from McBryan does no damage.
Fernandez is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from McBryan.
McBryan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
McBryan throws a sloppy head kick

and Fernandez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fernandez.

Fernandez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Darrell Fernandez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Fernandez clinches with his opponent.
Fernandez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by McBryan after a bit of a struggle.
Fernandez throws a punch but it's blocked by McBryan.

Fernandez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
McBryan trying to control but Fernandez is working from the bottom.
McBryan tries to free his leg and advance position but Fernandez is retaining full guard.
McBryan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez keeping moving, preventing McBryan from controlling successfully.

McBryan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Fernandez is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of McBryan, into his guard.

Fernandez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fernandez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McBryan, up you get!
McBryan throws a right and a left that both miss.

McBryan gets a takedown into half guard.

McBryan decides to stand and escape the position.
McBryan throws a sloppy head kick

and Fernandez counters with a shoot takedown. McBryan fights it but they end up in guard.
McBryan is wriggling around but Fernandez manages to pass to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McBryan trying to control but Fernandez postures up.
Fernandez working McBryan over with strikes.
Fernandez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Fernandez is trying to work for a kimura but McBryan is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Darrell Fernandez.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fernandez, 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Darrell Fernandez!