PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Danny Hendo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dirk Diggler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Diggler's choice of entrance music: acdc back in black. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Hendo
vs
Diggler

180 cm
23
190 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

185 cm
26
200 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

Dragon

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Danny Hendo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Diggler!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diggler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Diggler misses the shot to the body.
Diggler takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Diggler slips a jab from Hendo.
Diggler is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hendo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Diggler throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Diggler misses with a two punch combination.
Diggler wants to clinch.
Hendo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Diggler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diggler lands a front kick.
Hendo misses with a looping right.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Diggler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hendo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diggler swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Diggler walks into a left hand.
Diggler is looking to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Diggler will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A punch combination from Hendo misses.
Hendo misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Digglers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hendo misses with the combination.
Diggler avoids the body shot from Hendo.
Hendo throws a nice looking combination but Diggler bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sloppy strikes from Hendo. Those never looked like landing.
A combination from Hendo does no damage.
Diggler looks to land a combination but Hendo avoids it well.
Hendo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Diggler counters with a nice leg kick.
Diggler lands a really nice looking cross but Hendo seems unphased.
Hendo throws out a loose jab but Diggler uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hendo ducks right into an uppercut from Diggler.
Diggler scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A punch combination from Hendo misses.
Diggler throws a right hand that Hendo ducks under and follows up with a left that Hendo also avoids with ease.

Diggler clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendo lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hendo managing to block the knees to the body from Diggler.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Diggler throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hendo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Hendo manages to break the clinch.
Hendo misses with a hook.
Diggler stuffs the takedown.
An inside leg kick lands from Diggler.
Nice defenses there by Diggler.
Diggler tries to move into range but Hendo moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Diggler jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Diggler swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hendo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Diggler misses with a series of wild punches.
Diggler scores with a jab. Hendo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Hendo is looking to clinch but Diggler is avoiding it.
Hendo looks to throw the jab but Diggler is out of range.
Hendo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo tries a head kick but it misses.
Hendo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hendo looks to land a right hand but Diggler moved out of range.
Diggler misses with a jab, cross combination.

Diggler tries to keep at a distance but Hendo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Diggler obliges.
Hendo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Diggler blocks it with crossed arms.
Diggler tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Diggler tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hendo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Diggler has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hendo avoiding damage as Diggler throws knees to the body.
Hendo has had enough of the clinch but Diggler keeps him there for the moment.
Diggler tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hendo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Diggler trying to land knees to the body.
Diggler taking a breather.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Diggler obliges.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diggler looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diggler landing knees to the head.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hendo avoids it.
Diggler creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Hendo misses with a body punch.
Diggler is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hendo is defending well for now.

Hendo has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Diggler regains guard immediately.
Diggler is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hendo postures up and lands a big shot to Diggler's brow.
Hendo connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dirk Diggler will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hendo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diggler does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Diggler avoids the body shot from Hendo.
Hendo walks into a jab.
Diggler scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Diggler avoids a punch combination nicely.
Diggler misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hendo tries to clinch but Diggler moves out of range.
Danny Hendo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Diggler moves into the clinch.
Diggler utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Diggler is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hendo is defending well for now.
Hendo throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Diggler trying to land knees to the body.
Diggler unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hendo lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hendo lands a nice uppercut.
Diggler with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Diggler gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hendo is trying to force a seperation but Diggler has the dominant position.
Hendo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hendo avoids it.

Hendo breaks from the clinch.
Diggler throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hendo.
Hendo takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Diggler moves into the clinch.
Hendo lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the head but Hendo blocks with his arms.
Diggler lands a knee to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Diggler just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hendo's brow.
Hendo tries to break free but Diggler pushes him back against the cage.
Hendo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hendo is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Diggler is keeping busy.
A frustrated look appears on Hendo's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hendo managing to block the knees to the body from Diggler.

Hendo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hendo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diggler moves away.
Diggler throws a series of punches but Hendo avoids them all with ease.
Diggler swinging wildly here.
Diggler throws a nice looking combination but Hendo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A swing and a miss from Hendo.
Diggler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hendo tries to move into range but Diggler moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Hendo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diggler moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hendo throws a series of punches but Diggler moves out of range.
Hendo throws a series of punches but Diggler avoids them all with ease.
Diggler scores with a head kick.
Diggler ducks under a wild hook from Hendo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Diggler misses.
An inside leg kick from Diggler misses.
No joy there for Diggler, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hendo swats away the attempt to clinch by Diggler.
Diggler throws a combination. Hendo tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Diggler lands with a nice combination. Hendo backs away looking to recover.
Diggler doesn't manage to clinch there - Hendo circles away.
Diggler swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Diggler scores with a jab. Hendo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nice takedown defense from Diggler. No joy for Hendo on that attempt.
Diggler throws a right hand that Hendo ducks under and follows up with a left that Hendo also avoids with ease.
Hendo tries to clinch up but Diggler circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diggler looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hendo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Diggler counters with a one-two to the body.
Diggler lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diggler lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Diggler tries to clinch but Hendo is having none of it.
Hendo shoots in for a takedown but Diggler shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Hendo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hendo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Diggler, pushing him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hendo is looking to break free of the clinch but Diggler has double underhooks.
Diggler avoids a wild elbow strike from Hendo.
Dirk Diggler seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hendo takes a knee to the side of the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hendo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Diggler landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Diggler.
Diggler with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Danny Hendo has been cut.
Diggler throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hendo blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Diggler trying to land knees to the body.
Diggler lands an elbow inside that Hendo shrugs off.
Diggler blocks the elbow strike.
Diggler working Hendo over with knees to the body.
Diggler scores a nice knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Diggler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Danny Hendo's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Good leg kick by Diggler there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Diggler moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hendo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Diggler tries for a takedown but Hendo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Diggler takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Hendo moves in looking to clinch but Diggler pushes him off.
Diggler throws a low kick, looking for Hendo's leg but Hendo calmly moves out of range.
Hendo lands with a right hand.
Diggler scoring well with a low kick there.
Diggler looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Diggler connects with a crisp jab.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Diggler.
Hendo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Diggler throws a head kick that misses.
Diggler lands a really nice looking cross but Hendo seems unphased.
Hendo throws a one two combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Diggler pushes Hendo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hendo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Diggler misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hendo.

Hendo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A swing and a miss from Hendo.
Dirk Diggler seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hendo wants to clinch up but Diggler keeps it at a distance.
Diggler wants to clinch up but Hendo keeps it at a distance.
A chopping leg kick lands by Diggler.
Hendo misses with a combination
and Diggler counters with a good low kick that Hendo was not able to check.
A nice leg kick lands there from Diggler.
Diggler misses with a few strikes there.
Diggler doesn't manage to clinch there - Hendo circles away.

Diggler gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diggler scores with a knee to the head.
Hendo is trying to push Diggler away but Diggler has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Diggler scores with a knee to the head.
Diggler throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hendo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hendo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Diggler with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Hendo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hendo wants to clinch.
Hendo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Diggler circles away quickly and effectively.
Diggler throws a low kick, looking for Hendo's leg but Hendo calmly moves out of range.
Hendo tries to clinch but Diggler moves out of range.
Diggler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diggler uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hendo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Diggler was well out of range. Poor timing from Hendo.
Diggler tries to close the distance and clinch but Hendo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
That kick from Diggler tenderised Hendo's leg. Hendo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Diggler lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hendo circles away quickly and effectively.
Hendo loads up on a big right hand but Diggler slips the punch.
Hendo tries to bum rush Diggler with a series of wild strikes but Diggler uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Diggler tries to clinch but Hendo is having none of it.
Hendo throws a sloppy head kick and Diggler moves out of range easily.
Hendo throws a head kick that misses.
Hendo misses with a combination

and Diggler moves into the clinch.
Hendo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hendo lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hendo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Diggler looking to throw knees to the head but Hendo is blocking nicely.
Diggler trying to land knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Diggler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hendo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hendo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Diggler manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Diggler fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hendo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A head kick misses from Hendo.
Diggler scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Hendo on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diggler moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Diggler misses with a few strikes there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Diggler scores with a decent looking hook.
Donk. Diggler catches Hendo right on the button with a cross.
Hendo throws a right and a left that Diggler avoids nicely.
Diggler throws a head kick that Hendo semi-blocks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Diggler really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Danny Hendo's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hendo throws a right hand that misses
and Diggler counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hendo dodges the punch combination from Diggler.
Diggler lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Hendo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hendo throws the left hand but Diggler avoids the punch easily.
Diggler defending well as Hendo loads up on a big left hand.
Hendo looks for a takedown but Diggler sprawls well.
Diggler throws a body punch but Hendo moves out of range.
Hendo is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hendo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Diggler looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hendo tries to clinch but Diggler is having none of it.
Diggler throws a head kick that misses.
Hendo tries to clinch up but Diggler circles away and keeps his distance.
Hendo misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diggler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hendo misses with a series of wild punches.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Diggler jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Diggler throws a right and a left that Hendo avoids nicely.
Diggler throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diggler moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Horrible takedown by Diggler or perhaps it was just good defense by Hendo which made him look bad.
Diggler lands a nice looking body shot.
Hendo thuds his right hand into Diggler's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hendo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Diggler stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hendo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hendo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hendo walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Diggler clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendo just leaning against Diggler, taking a breather.
Diggler landing knees to the head.
Diggler prevents the takedown attempt.
Diggler prevents a body shot from Hendo.
Diggler connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hendo's face.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hendo is working for takedown but Diggler is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Hendo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diggler with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hendo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Digglers head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Diggler throws an elbow but misses.
Hendo blocks an elbow strike from Diggler.
Hendo lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Diggler or not.
Hendo putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Diggler in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Hendo with a knee to the head.
Diggler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Hendo.
Diggler misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hendo.
Diggler pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo lands a left hand that snaps the head of Diggler backwards.
Diggler throws a knee to the head but misses.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hendo avoids it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hendo.
Hendo blocks an elbow strike from Diggler.
Hendo throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Diggler tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hendo avoids it.
Diggler takes a shot to the head.
Hendo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Nice elbow from Diggler.
Diggler is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hendo is defending well for now.
Diggler landing knees to the head.
Hendo is trying to break the clinch but Diggler is controlling him.

Hendo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Diggler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hendo.
Diggler throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diggler throws a right hand that Hendo ducks under and follows up with a left that Hendo also avoids with ease.
Diggler lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Diggler.
Diggler bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Hendo's head backwards.
Hendo tries to clinch up.
Diggler throws a leg kick that misses.
Diggler tries to close the distance and clinch but Hendo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Diggler takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hendo moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Good shot there by Diggler.
A big right from Diggler misses.
Diggler throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hendo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Diggler is rocked!
Hendo measures up his opponent and throws a superman punch that connects to the jaw! Down goes Diggler! The ref steps in, and that's the ball game folks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Superman Punch). Danny Hendo!
Danny Hendo retains his middleweight title!
A victorious Danny Hendo thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.