PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Herrera (ranked 3106 p4p, 3476 weight class) and Yoji Anjo Anjo (ranked 389 p4p, 430 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Herrera
vs
Anjo

185 cm
25
180
7 - 13 - 0

188 cm
32
178
18 - 29 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Herrera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 29 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yoji Anjo Anjo!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paulsen Ambrosius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anjo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Herrera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
It looked like Herrera was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Herrera shoots in looking for a takedown but Anjo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Herrera's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Herrera shoots in and bounces Anjo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Herrera gets to his feet - Anjo follows without any prompting.

Anjo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Herrera looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Anjo passes into side control.
A lull in the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herrera is looking to regain half guard here but Anjo keeps moving and retains side control.

Anjo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Anjo working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Anjo slows the pace down.
Herrera is trying to get back to half guard.
A lull in the action here as Anjo stalls from top position.

Anjo tries for a kimura but Herrera is defending well.

Anjo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera is trying to improve his position.
Herrera tries to escape but Anjo is in control.
Anjo wants to control but Herrera is keeping him busy.
Anjo cracks Herrera with an elbow. That is naaassty.

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.
Herrera is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Anjo off and has taken his back!
Herrera controlling well, preventing Anjo from escaping the position.
Herrera trying to control.
Anjo wants to control his opponent's hands but Herrera gets his hands free.
Anjo tries to break free.
Anjo trying to control but not successfully.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Herrera's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
I really don't envy Anjo right now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Yoji Anjo Anjo will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Anjo doesn't manage to clinch there - Herrera circles away.
Paul Herrera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Anjo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Herrera has a takedown stuffed.
Anjo tries to clinch up but Herrera circles away and keeps his distance.
Anjo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Herrera sprawls well. Herrera wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Anjo gets slowly back to his feet.
Anjo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Herrera but Herrera pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paul Herrera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoji Anjo Anjo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herrera tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Anjo counters with a shoot takedown. Herrera fights it but they end up in guard.
Anjo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Herrera has his foot on Anjo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Anjo works his way back into a safe position though.
Anjo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herrera looking to control.
Anjo preventing the sweep.
Herrera keeping full guard, as Anjo tries to pass.
Anjo trying to control the position from guard on top but Herrera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anjo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Herrera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Herrera definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Anjo stays in close to Herrera's body and controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Anjo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herrera gets back to half guard.
Herrera is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Anjo stalling away here and it's allowed Herrera to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Anjo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Herrera keeping moving, preventing Anjo from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anjo sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yoji Anjo Anjo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Herrera working a defensive guard but Anjo passes into half guard.
Anjo controlling the action here.

Herrera actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Anjo in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Herrera wants to control but Anjo is keeping busy.
Anjo tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Herrera scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Anjo doesn't seem bothered though.
Anjo tries to clinch there but Herrera circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Anjo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Anjo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Herrera was covering up waiting for the punch and Anjo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Anjo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Herrera is keeping the position for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yoji Anjo Anjo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Anjo tries for a takedown but Herrera circles away easily
and Herrera counters with a straight right hand.
Herrera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Herrera slaps away a takedown attempt from Anjo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Herrera seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Paul Herrera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoji Anjo Anjo.
Anjo fails to land the takedown.

Herrera tries to sprawl but Anjo drives through with a takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anjo wants to control but Herrera is keeping him busy.
Anjo controlling the pace.
Anjo trying to control from half guard but Herrera is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anjo is controlling the pace.
Herrera trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Anjo controlling his opponent.
Anjo wants to control the pace but Herrera is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Anjo controlling from mount.
Herrera tries to hold on but Anjo pushes him away.
Herrera is squirming around, avoiding Anjo's attempts to control the action.
Anjo landing shots from mount.
Herrera is in all sorts of trouble here.
Anjo controlling from the full mount.
Anjo pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herrera is desperately trying to improve his position but Anjo has a good base and remains in mount.
Anjo controlling the position easily from mount.
Herrera can't escape the position.
Anjo looking to control but Herrera is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Anjo landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anjo tries to control but Herrera wriggling away.
Anjo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The referee warns Herrera that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Anjo looking to control and managing it successfully.
Anjo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Herrera is looking to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Anjo landing strikes from the mount and Herrera is in trouble!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoji Anjo Anjo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Anjo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoji Anjo Anjo!
A relieved looking Yoji Anjo Anjo thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Paul Herrera spoke after the fight, saying 'I love you all!'.