PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cu Chulainn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Herald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chulainn comes to the cage accompanied by The Blood of Cu Chulainn. This should be a great matchup!

Chulainn
vs
Herald

183 cm
32
190 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

186 cm
37
191 lbs
18 - 9 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cu Chulainn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Travis Herald!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chulainn changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Herald tries to avoid it but Chulainn manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Herald to the ground. Herald escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Chulainn tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Herald swivels and escapes.

Herald closes the distance and clinches.
Herald presses Chulainn against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Chulainn is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Herald is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cu Chulainn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Herald swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Chulainn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Herald is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Herald misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Herald lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Herald misses with a punch to the body.
Herald misses with a punch to the body.
Herald lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Chulainn.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Herald creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chulainn throws a head punch that misses.
Herald misses with a punch on the inside.
Herald scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Chulainn tries to score a body lock takedown but Herald shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A right hand to the body from Herald.
Chulainn is looking for a takedown.
Herald misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chulainn can't break the clinch.
Herald tries to throw a body punch but Chulainn avoids it by throwing Herald back against the cage.
Herald swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Herald misses with a hook to the ribs.
Herald lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Herald lands a right hand.
Chulainn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Chulainn can't get the takedown.

Herald's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Herald enables Chulainn to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Herald manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Herald controlling Chulainn's posture.
Chulainn chips away with some ground and pound.
Chulainn trying to control the position from guard on top but Herald is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Herald 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn postures up.
Herald is pulling down on Chulainn's head. It's preventing any offense from Chulainn, at least for the moment.
Chulainn postures up in Herald's guard and throws a big left but Herald blocks it.
Herald has his hands on Chulainn's head, controlling the position.
Chulainn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Chulainn chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Chulainn trying to control the action but Herald is working from the bottom.
Chulainn postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Herald gets back to half guard.
Chulainn looks to land a strike but Herald avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Chulainn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Chulainn makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Chulainn throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herald is trying to control the position but Chulainn postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chulainn trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Herald manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Chulainn has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Herald has passed into side control.
Chulainn is looking to regain half guard here but Herald keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chulainn is working hard here to advance position.
Chulainn gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Herald wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Herald dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Herald looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Chulainn staying out of range there.
Herald moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Chulainn fails with the takedown.

Chulainn scores with a takedown into Herald's guard.
Chulainn throws a strike but Herald rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Herald looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herald would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herald's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Herald advances position into side control!
Chulainn is trying to get back to half guard.
Chulainn sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Herald trying to pass the guard but Chulainn defending well.
Chulainn trying to get back to full guard but Herald takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Chulainn manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Chulainn is trying to get back to full guard.
Herald takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Chulainn works his way to full guard. Good work.
Chulainn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Herald has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Chulainn bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Herald's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn looking to sit in guard and control but Herald gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Herald stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chulainn swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Herald stopping the sweep attempt from Chulainn.
Herald trying to control the position from guard on top but Chulainn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chulainn is trying to keep Herald in close.
Herald stopping the sweep attempt from Chulainn.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herald trying to control the position from guard on top but Chulainn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Herald forces his way into half guard.
Herald passes to side control.
Herald is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Chulainn will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

Herald thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Herald trying to control the action but Chulainn is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Herald showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Chulainn looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Herald!
Herald is looking for a sweep.
Chulainn landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Herald tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Chulainn trying to control the position but Herald is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chulainn throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Chulainn throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Herald managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Chulainn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Herald's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cu Chulainn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Herald manages to work his way to half guard, despite Chulainn's best efforts.
We've been hearing that Chulainn has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Chulainn takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ground and pound from Chulainn.
Herald blocking the ground and pound attempt from Chulainn.
Nice strikes from Chulainn there.
Chulainn thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Herald's head.
Herald keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Chulainn throws a strike but Herald avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Chulainn trying to control but Herald is working from the bottom.
Chulainn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herald keeping moving, preventing Chulainn from controlling successfully.
Chulainn throws a big elbow that misses.
Herald has control of Chulainn's left arm, preventing Chulainn from doing any damage.
Chulainn trying to control the position from guard on top but Herald is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Herald is pulling down on Chulainn's head. It's preventing any offense from Chulainn, at least for the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Herald avoids the body shot from Chulainn.
Chulainn scores with a nice right hand.
Herald throws an overhand right that lands on Chulainn's shoulder, as Chulainn tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Chulainn throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Herald tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Chulainn is in Herald's guard.
Chulainn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Chulainn throwing strikes from guard but Herald blocks nicely.
Herald is trying to control the position but Chulainn postures up.
Herald seems keen to control Chulainn's posture.
Herald is continuing to stall.
Chulainn trying to move into half guard but instead Herald has managed to sweep!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chulainn manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Herald manages to get himself to full guard.

Herald has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Herald avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chulainn postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Chulainn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chulainn pushing down on Herald's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Herald has hold of Chulainn's hands but Chulainn slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cu Chulainn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Chulainn lands a nice short elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cu Chulainn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Herald has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travis Herald!
A very excited looking Travis Herald rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.