PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jack Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Hendricks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Mason
vs
Hendricks

177 cm
18
172 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Mason!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steven Hendricks!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hendricks looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hendricks is keen to just control but Mason is a slippery customer.
Mason is trying to get back to full guard.
Hendricks thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mason's head.
Mason trying to hold on to Hendricks's head to control him but Hendricks postures up.
Hendricks looks to land a strike but Mason avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mason trying to control the position.
Hendricks trying to control the position from guard on top but Mason is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks throws a strike but Mason rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hendricks is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hendricks is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hendricks holds on and takes a little breather.
Hendricks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mason. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mason thows a big elbow that misses.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hendricks can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Hendricks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hendricks has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Mason off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Mason fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hendricks instigates a clinch.
Mason doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A bit of stalling here from Mason.
Hendricks stalling.
Mason keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hendricks's efforts to push away.
Mason looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hendricks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mason.
Mason tries to land a knee to the head but Hendricks blocks with his arms.
Mason swings wildly with an uppercut but Hendricks uses good head movement to avoid it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mason takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Hendricks drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hendricks wriggles free and stands up.
Hendricks shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mason as he jumps to the side.
Hendricks looks gassed!
Mason closes the distance but Hendricks moves to the side

and Hendricks counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mason tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hendricks looking to sit in guard and control but Mason gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mason trying to control but Hendricks is working from the bottom.

Mason thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason wants to control from the top but Hendricks keeps moving.
Mason postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mason working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Mason drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mason jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mason darts in trying to clinch

and Hendricks counters by moving into the clinch.
Mason taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Hendricks dominated that round.
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.

Mason wants to clinch but Hendricks slips to the side

so Hendricks counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mason is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hendricks slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hendricks trying to control but Mason is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mason pulls Hendricks in close to prevent any damage.
Hendricks is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mason is on top in guard.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Hendricks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mason drops back looking for a leg! Hendricks is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hendricks manages to kick Mason off! Mason jumps back into Hendricks's guard.

Mason is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hendricks is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hendricks has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hendricks stopping the sweep attempt from Mason.
Hendricks throws and elbow that misses. Mason uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hendricks's guard. Nice move by Mason!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason trying to control but Hendricks is working from the bottom.
Mason controls from within his opponent's guard.
Mason stops Hendricks from standing up.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Hendricks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Mason postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hendricks is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Mason, into his guard.

Hendricks got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mason has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hendricks has managed to get both his arms back between Mason's legs - danger averted.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hendricks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Hendricks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mason tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Hendricks holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hendricks works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Hendricks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A big right from Mason misses.
Mason looks to clinch
and Hendricks cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mason throws a predictable looking body shot
and Hendricks connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hendricks throws a right hand that Mason ducks under and follows up with a left that Mason also avoids with ease.
Mason misses with a double jab.
Hendricks shoots in for a takedown but Mason shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason wants to clinch

and Hendricks counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hendricks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mason pulls Hendricks in close to prevent any damage.
Mason controls Hendricks momentarily but Hendricks frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mason swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hendricks postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mason controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mason manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mason sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Hendricks blocking the ground and pound.
Mason with the ground and pound from mount.
Steven Hendricks has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mason wants to control the pace but Hendricks is squirming around nicely.
Hendricks is looking to improve his position but Mason isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mason looking to secure an arm triangle but Hendricks defends it well.

Mason looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Steven Hendricks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mason working Hendricks over with strikes here.

Mason looking for a guillotine from mount but Hendricks is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason cracks Hendricks with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Mason unloading with bombs!
Mason fails to move to back control.
Mason is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Mason working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Hendricks looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Mason! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Jack Mason!