PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Hernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitch Connel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Connel has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Mitch Connel looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Hernandez
vs
Connel

185 cm
24
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rodrigo Hernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mitch Connel!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Winston Alpacca and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hernandez fails to land the takedown.
Connel looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Hernandez feints a jab promting Connel to slip. Hernandez then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Connel slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Hernandez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Hernandez gets a clinch.

Hernandez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Connel sprawls well. Connel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hernandez gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hernandez lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Hernandez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hernandez.
Mitch Connel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hernandez lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Hernandez has taken the fight to the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Hernandez breaks the clinch.
Hernandez fails to land the takedown.
Hernandez goes for a double leg but Connel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Connel continues to drive forward.
Hernandez scores with a shoulder strike.
Hernandez tries to score a body lock takedown but Connel shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hernandez can't get the takedown.

Hernandez successfully pulls guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Hernandez manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Hernandez explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Hernandez has closed the distance and engaged Connel in a clinch.

Hernandez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hernandez is defended easily by Connel.
Connel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hernandez misses with a takedown attempt - Connel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Connel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Connel's waist but Connel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hernandez off to one side.
Connel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Connel wants it to stay on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Hernandez. No joy for Connel on that attempt.

Hernandez takes the fight into the clinch.

Hernandez pulls guard successfully.
Hernandez has his hands on Connel's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hernandez is controlling Connel's posture.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Connel wants to control from the top but Hernandez keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rodrigo Hernandez wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Connel as he avoids it easily.
Hernandez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Connel avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Hernandez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hernandez has managed to clinch.

Hernandez jumps guard and drags Connel to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Hernandez scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Hernandez plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hernandez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Connel's head.
Connel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hernandez.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hernandez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Connel avoids it really well and circles away.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Connel sprawls well. Connel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hernandez gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connel throws a head kick that misses
and Hernandez counters with a nice body kick.

Hernandez clinches up with Connel and pushes him back against the cage.
Hernandez scores with a nice hook to the head.
Connel gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hernandez.

Hernandez breaks the clinch.
Rodrigo Hernandez is winning the standup battle so far.
Hernandez moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez is working for takedown but Connel is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hernandez lands a knee to the head.
Connel drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hernandez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hernandez lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Hernandez moves in looking to clinch but Connel pushes him off.
Hernandez fails with a takedown attempt.
Hernandez has a takedown stuffed.
Hernandez fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Connel tries to circle away but Hernandez has him pinned against the cage.

Hernandez decides to pull guard.

Connel avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hernandez keeping moving, preventing Connel from controlling successfully.
Hernandez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connel wanted to stand there but Hernandez had control of the position.
Connel wants to control from the top but Hernandez keeps moving.
Hernandez has control of Connel's left arm, preventing Connel from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rodrigo Hernandez just wasn't active enough.
Hernandez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hernandez pushes Connel up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Hernandez dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Connel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Connel wants it to stay on the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Connel as Hernandez shoots in.
Hernandez shoots in but Connel avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Connel tries to keep at a distance but Hernandez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hernandez content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Hernandez jumps into guard, dragging Connel to the mat.

Hernandez is looking for a triangle but Connel pushes his legs off easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez looking for a sweep. Not yet Hernandez, not yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Connel passes Hernandez's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez wants to control but Connel is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Hernandez makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Connel circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Connel gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hernandez.
Hernandez has Connel pushed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hernandez looks for a takedown but Connel sprawls well.
Connel stuffs the takedown.

Hernandez gets a clinch.

Hernandez gets control of Connel's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hernandez will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hernandez 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.
Hernandez controls Connel momentarily but Connel frees himself.
Hernandez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rodrigo Hernandez wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Connel tries to keep at a distance but Hernandez has taken the fight into the clinch.

Hernandez manages to break the clinch.
Connel takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Connel slaps away a takedown attempt from Hernandez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Connel tries to clinch but Hernandez moves away

and Hernandez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hernandez putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Connel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Connel uses from the top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Connel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Connel sitting in guard here, content to control.

Hernandez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Connel tries to free his leg and advance position but Hernandez is retaining full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hernandez holds on and takes a little breather.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Hernandez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hernandez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Hernandez!