PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lowell Herring (ranked 25224 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Pascoal (ranked 5494 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Herring
vs
Pascoal

216 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

161 cm
25
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lowell Herring!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julio Pascoal !
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herring misses with a wild combination.
Herring throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pascoal is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Sloppy strikes from Herring. Those never looked like landing.
Pascoal is looking for the big counter here.
Herring scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Herring slaps away a takedown attempt from Pascoal , before circling back to the center of the mat.
Pascoal shoots in but Herring avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Herring fires out a quick counter leg kick but Pascoal just manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herring wants to clinch up but Pascoal keeps it at a distance.
Pascoal with the counter takedown but Herring avoids it easily.
Herring misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herring tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Herring stuffs the takedown.
Lowell Herring has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Pascoal .
Herring doesn't manage to clinch there - Pascoal circles away.
Pascoal shoots for a double leg takedown but Herring sprawls well. He's pushed Pascoal 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A lazy left from Pascoal finds it's target.
Pascoal will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Herring went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Herring takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Pascoal closes the distance and clinches.
Pascoal is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Herring really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pascoal blocks a body shot from Herring.
Herring lands a body shot in the clinch.

Pascoal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pascoal fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pascoal tries for a takedown but Herring sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pascoal looks winded!

Herring gets tackled into the cage by Pascoal . Pascoal maintains the clinch.
Herring is trying to force a seperation but Pascoal has the dominant position.
Herring tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pascoal avoids it.
Pascoal wants to take the fight to the mat but Herring manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Pascoal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lowell Herring is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Herring misses with a hook.
Herring thows a leg kick but Pascoal checks it
and Herring takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pascoal misses with a takedown attempt - Herring sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herring is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Herring lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Pascoal has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Pascoal and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
The fight stays on the outside here - Herring looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Herring throws a leg kick but Pascoal moved away.

Pascoal rushes Herring and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Herring tries to score a body lock takedown but Pascoal shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Herring letting Pascoal take a breather here.
Herring misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herring is looking for a takedown.

Pascoal pulls guard effortlessly.
Herring will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Herring showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Herring would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Pascoal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pascoal will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Pascoal pulls Herring in close to prevent any damage.
Pascoal wants to stand but Herring is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lowell Herring will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice sprawl there from Herring as Pascoal shoots in.
Herring tries to clinch but Pascoal moves out of range.
Herring misses with a jab to the body

and Pascoal counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pascoal .
Herring tries to circle away but Pascoal has him pinned against the cage.

Pascoal breaks the clinch.

Pascoal darts in and clinches Herring up against the cage.
Herring is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Pascoal is defending well.
Come on Pascoal - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Herring is trying to force a seperation but Pascoal has the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pascoal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pascoal shoots for a double leg takedown but Herring sprawls well. He's pushed Pascoal 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pascoal fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lowell Herring has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Pascoal .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herring stuffs the takedown.
It looked like Herring was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Pascoal is breathing heavily.
Pascoal looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Lowell Herring is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Herring throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pascoal shoots in for a takedown but Herring shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pascoal looks for a takedown but Herring sprawls well.
Herring will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Pascoal tries to counter by closing the distance.
Good leg kick by Herring there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Herring rushes Pascoal and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Pascoal is trying to drag Herring to the mat but Herring just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Herring breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pascoal gets a clinch.
Herring has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pascoal is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Herring drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pascoal pulls his leg out and moves away.
Herring looks to land a combination but Pascoal avoids it well.
Herring scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Pascoal doesn't seem bothered though.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pascoal .
Herring is looking for a counter combo.
Pascoal fails to land the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herring swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pascoal pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Pascoal clinches up against the cage.
Herring tries to land knees in the clinch but Pascoal avoids the damage to the body.
Herring has had enough of the clinch but Pascoal keeps him there for the moment.
Herring tries to break the clinch but Pascoal is controlling the position.
Herring is trying to break free.
Herring looking for a takedown.
The referee is keeping an eye on Pascoal - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Herring tries to land knees in the clinch but Pascoal avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herring is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pascoal is defending well for now.

Pascoal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pascoal decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Herring is looking to get back to is feet but Pascoal passes into side control.
Pascoal in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Sloppy strikes there by Pascoal .
Herring tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Herring gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pascoal throwing strikes here but Herring is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Julio Pascoal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pascoal is defended easily by Herring.
Herring stuffs the takedown.
It looked like Herring was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Pascoal .
Pascoal throws a quick inside leg kick.

Herring has closed the distance and engaged Pascoal in a clinch.
Pascoal avoiding damage as Herring throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hand to the body from Herring.
Herring missing with knees to the body.
Pascoal is trying to drag Herring to the mat but Herring just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Lowell Herring has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Pascoal .
Pascoal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Herring scores with a shoulder strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pascoal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pascoal with a poor takedown
and Herring counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Herring tries to clinch up but Pascoal circles away and keeps his distance.

Pascoal rushes Herring and presses him up against the cage.
Pascoal drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Herring wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pascoal has him pressed against the cage.
Herring being controlled against the cage.
Herring misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herring misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pascoal .

Herring pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Herring keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pascoal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Herring but Herring pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Pascoal has taken the fight to the clinch.
Herring is trying to break the clinch but Pascoal is controlling him.
Pascoal tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Pascoal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Herring gets a clinch.
Herring misses with a hook to the ribs.
Knees in the clinch landing for Herring.
Pascoal jumps guard but Herring turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Pascoal breaks from the clinch.
Herring throws a solid leg kick but Pascoal takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Herring.
Herring lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pascoal circles away quickly and effectively.
Pascoal shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Herring defends it nicely.
Herring moves in looking to clinch but Pascoal pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pascoal tries a head kick but it misses.
Herring is looking for a counter combo.
Julio Pascoal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Herring dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pascoal . That did some damage!
Pascoal fails with a takedown attempt.
Lowell Herring is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice defenses there by Herring.
Herring tries to clinch but Pascoal is having none of it.
Herring throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pascoal dives in for a single leg takedown but Herring sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Herring tried to score with a low kick but Pascoal checks it.
Pascoal drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Herring defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lowell Herring showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Herring has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lowell Herring!