PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Drew Herd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JC Pasicolan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Herd
vs
Pasicolan

180 cm
25
154 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Drew Herd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, JC Pasicolan!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Pasicolan has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Herd regains guard immediately.

Pasicolan stands up from Herd's guard - Pasicolan perhaps looking for a knockout.
Herd tries to clinch up

so Pasicolan counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Herd being controlled here, momentarily.
Pasicolan working some strikes from top position.
Pasicolan won't allow Herd to sweep him here.
Pasicolan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Herd controls Pasicolan momentarily but Pasicolan frees himself.
Pasicolan passes Herd's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pasicolan takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Herd taking some punishment here, with Pasicolan in his half guard.
Pasicolan is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are battling for position here. Herd manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Herd keeping moving, preventing Pasicolan from controlling successfully.
Herd working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Pasicolan stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Herd with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pasicolan counters with a shoot takedown. Herd fights it but they end up in guard.
Herd 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.
Herd might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pasicolan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Herd 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.
Pasicolan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Herd's head.
Pasicolan passes Herd's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Pasicolan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herd wants to control but Pasicolan is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Pasicolan is working for a submission of some sort.
Pasicolan stalling.
Herd punching from the bottom.
Herd is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pasicolan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pasicolan's back!

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.
Herd throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Pasicolan trying to control the action but Herd just sinks the hooks in.
Pasicolan turns into Herd and is now in his guard.
Herd controls Pasicolan momentarily but Pasicolan frees himself.
Pasicolan pushing down on Herd's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Herd manages to get to full guard.
Herd is breathing heavily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pasicolan controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JC Pasicolan dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Herd tries for a takedown but Pasicolan circles away easily

and Pasicolan counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pasicolan trying to control the position from guard on top but Herd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Herd looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pasicolan is one step ahead there.
Pasicolan trying to control but Herd is working from the bottom.
Pasicolan stands and throws Herd's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Pasicolan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Pasicolan is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herd trying to control but Pasicolan flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

Pasicolan patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Pasicolan is trying to stick to Herd's back but Herd is turning into Pasicolan. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Pasicolan's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Herd.

Pasicolan looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Herd has picked Pasicolan up and slammed him! Pasicolan can't keep hold of the triangle and Herd manages to pass to side control!
Herd works to advance to full mount. Pasicolan defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Herd tries to control but Pasicolan wriggling away.
Herd thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Herd there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Herd working the ground and pound effectively.
Pasicolan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Pasicolan is looking to control Herd's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pasicolan avoid being mounted?
Herd thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pasicolan keeps working.
Pasicolan is controlling Herd's trapped leg to prevent Herd from advancing to side control.
Herd passes to full mount!
Pasicolan holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Herd tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Pasicolan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pasicolan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four 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.

Pasicolan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pasicolan is staying active underneath Herd, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pasicolan looks like he's trying to stand up.
Herd is looking to take a break and control but Pasicolan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JC Pasicolan 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! This is the final round!

Herd shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Pasicolan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Herd trying to hold on to Pasicolan's head to control him but Pasicolan postures up.
Herd is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pasicolan is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Pasicolan is taking a breather. Herd says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Pasicolan is looking to advance position but Herd won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Pasicolan decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Herd shoots and misses

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Pasicolan.

Herd is fighting off a takedown attempt but Pasicolan is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Herd to the mat. Herd regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
JC Pasicolan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Herd is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pasicolan looking to pass the guard.
Herd is trying to keep Pasicolan in close.
Pasicolan wants to pass the guard but Herd is keeping the position.
Pasicolan has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Herd is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pasicolan tries to free his leg and advance position but Herd is retaining full guard.
Herd keeping moving, preventing Pasicolan from controlling successfully.
Herd is trying to control the position but Pasicolan postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Herd looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Herd looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Drew Herd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Herd thows a body shot but no joy.
Herd closes the distance but Pasicolan moves to the side

and Pasicolan counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pasicolan grinds an elbow into Herd's temple.
Herd throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

Pasicolan stands up and beckons Herd to his feet.
Herd misses with a takedown attempt

and Pasicolan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Pasicolan trying to control from Herd's half guard. Herd has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Pasicolan won't allow Herd to sweep him here.
Pasicolan trying to control the position from guard on top but Herd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pasicolan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herd wants to stand but Pasicolan is controlling the position.
Herd keeping moving, preventing Pasicolan from controlling successfully.
Pasicolan stops Herd from standing up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Herd throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Drew Herd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
JC Pasicolan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Herd goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
JC Pasicolan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pasicolan 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JC Pasicolan!