PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jamal Hernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and gracie barra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). barra has chosen rock with you as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hernandez
vs
barra

185 cm
20
178 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
178 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jamal Hernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, gracie barra!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

barra moves into range and clinches up with Hernandez.
Hernandez tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hernandez goes for a takedown attempt but barra pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A combination from barra does no damage.
barra tries to clinch there but Hernandez circles away.
barra lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hernandez circles away quickly and effectively.
barra is looking to clinch but Hernandez is avoiding it.

Hernandez tries to keep at a distance but barra has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hernandez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamal Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hernandez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but barra pulls him back up using the underhooks.

barra's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
barra wants to clinch.
Hernandez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Hernandez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Hernandez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, barra has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Hernandez but great work by barra.
Hernandez prevents barra from improving position.
Hernandez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
barra frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

barra working for a guillotine from mount but Hernandez is in no mood to give up.
Hernandez is looking to get to half guard.
Hernandez regains half guard.
barra trying to mount his opponent but Hernandez defends it.
Hernandez is looking for a sweep. barra is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hernandez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

barra avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
barra must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hernandez wants to sweep but no luck.

barra stands up from Hernandez's guard - barra perhaps looking for a knockout.
barra wants to clinch.
barra tries to clinch there but Hernandez circles away.

Hernandez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hernandez lands in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
barra wants to stand up but Hernandez is controlling him.
barra not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hernandez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Hernandez tries for a kimura but barra is defending well.
Hernandez creates some space and throws a big elbow, but barra sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Hernandez in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Hernandez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. barra knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez is breathing heavily.
Hernandez wants to lay and pray for a moment but barra keeps working.
barra regains half guard there - taking advantage of Hernandez's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
barra trying to control here.
Hernandez moves nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Hernandez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

barra avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Hernandez gets a takedown into half guard.
barra is in trouble now - Hernandez has advanced to mount!
You get the feeling that barra really doesn't like being in this position too much.

Hernandez jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… barra is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by barra and Hernandez has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
barra is trying to improve his position.

Hernandez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Hernandez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by barra, who protects the arm well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
barra tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on barra's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
barra is looking for a sweep.

Hernandez is trying to get an arm triangle but barra is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Hernandez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, barra has escaped the position, nice work there.
barra manages to work his way to half guard, despite Hernandez's best efforts.
barra is looking for a sweep. Hernandez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hernandez trying to control the action but barra is working from the bottom.
Hernandez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
barra manages to get to full guard.
barra trying to keep a closed guard but Hernandez is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Hernandez advances nicely into full mount.
Hernandez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as barra is looking to escape.
barra is in all sorts of trouble here.

Hernandez goes for an armbar but he's not got it… barra turns into him and now he's in Hernandez's guard.
barra stopping the sweep attempt from Hernandez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
barra trying to control the position from guard on top but Hernandez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jamal Hernandez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Hernandez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and barra defends well.

Hernandez looking for subs off his back but barra has passed one foot through into half guard.
Still in half guard, barra seems content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Hernandez dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hernandez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
barra fails in his attempt to clinch.
barra is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hernandez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Hernandez or perhaps it was just good defense by barra which made him look bad.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown but barra shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamal Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
barra looks to land a combination but Hernandez avoids it well.
barra clinches but Hernandez breaks the clinch
and Hernandez counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says barra as he avoids it easily.
barra is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
barra tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hernandez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hernandez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
barra looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

barra has closed the distance and engaged Hernandez in a clinch.
Hernandez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but barra pulls him back up using the underhooks.
barra looking to stall.
barra connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hernandez's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez avoiding damage as barra throws knees to the body.
barra tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
barra landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hernandez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. barra just stands there and leans against the cage.

barra breaks from the clinch.

barra darts in and clinches Hernandez up against the cage.
barra tries a knee to the head but Hernandez blocks it.
barra with an attempt at a knee that misses.

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

Hernandez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but barra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hernandez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hernandez postures up.
Hernandez wants to pass the guard but barra is keeping the position.
Hernandez pushes down on barra's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez tries to pass the half guard into mount. barra knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
barra is looking to control Hernandez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can barra avoid being mounted?
barra gets back to full guard.
Hernandez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
barra working a defensive guard here.
Hernandez pushing down on barra's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
gracie barra has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez is pressing down on barra's thigh, looking to free his foot. barra is holding on for now.

Hernandez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
barra wants to improve his position but Hernandez is controlling well.

Hernandez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and barra defends it well.

Hernandez seems to be working for a kimura but barra defends the submission attempt.

Hernandez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hernandez is pressing down on barra's thigh, looking to free his foot. barra is holding on for now.
barra is looking to escape.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
barra wants to clinch.
Hernandez shoots in for a takedown but barra shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
barra rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hernandez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hernandez shoots in and drives through. barra sprawls well.
barra tries to clinch up.
Jamal Hernandez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hernandez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. barra tries to avoid it but Hernandez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag barra to the ground. barra escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
gracie barra is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
barra lands a jab-cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to gracie barra.
I think Hernandez 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28

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