PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vampiro Valez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henderson comes to the cage accompanied by Thunderhorse. Vampiro Valez will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Henderson
vs
Valez

191 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 9 - 0

210 cm
26
180 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vampiro Valez!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Valez as he jumps to the side.

Henderson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Valez did well to prevent Henderson getting side control.
Valez is trying to control but can't.
Valez is looking for a sweep. Henderson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valez wants to get back to his feet.
Valez won't allow Henderson to pass to mount.

Henderson is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Valez as he works his way to full guard.
Henderson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Henderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Valez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Valez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Valez's guard.
Valez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Henderson is trying to control the action in half guard but Valez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Henderson seems to be looking for submissions.
Henderson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Henderson is working for a kimura but Valez is defending it quite comfortably.
Henderson is controlling the pace.
Henderson is breathing heavily.

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.

Valez is defending against the submission attempts here by Henderson.
Valez is trying to stand back up but Henderson is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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

Henderson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Valez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Valez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Henderson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Valez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson throws an elbow but Valez slips to the side and avoids it well.
Henderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valez keeps working.

Henderson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Henderson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Henderson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Henderson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Henderson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Henderson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dan Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Henderson dives in and grabs Valez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Valez pushes down on Henderson's head and hops out.
Valez throws a nice looking combination but Henderson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Henderson shoots in but no luck this time.
Henderson fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Henderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henderson fails to land the takedown.
Valez swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valez tests Henderson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Henderson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Valez is fending him off so far but Henderson persists. Nope, Valez circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valez fakes the leg kick and cracks Henderson in the body.
Vampiro Valez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Henderson.
Henderson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Valez circles away.
Valez scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Henderson shoots in looking for a takedown. Valez tries to sprawl out of it but Henderson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Valez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Valez throws a series of punches but Henderson moves out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Valez misses with the combination.
Valez misses with a few strikes there.
Henderson fails to land the takedown.
Henderson shoots for a double leg takedown but Valez sprawls well. He's pushed Henderson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Valez throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Valez pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Valez slaps away a takedown attempt from Henderson, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two 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.
A punch lands to the side of Henderson 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Henderson fails to land the takedown.
Henderson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Valez as he jumps to the side.
Henderson moves out of range of the body kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Henderson crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Valez - the referee stops the clock and Henderson gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Valez. Henderson manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Henderson looking to secure an arm triangle but Valez defends it well.
Henderson tries to control but Valez wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valez has given up his back here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Henderson looking for the RNC.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Henderson wants to control but Valez is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
What can Valez do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Valez controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

Henderson working for a choke but Valez is defending well.

Henderson is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Valez is defending well though. Henderson let's go of the attempt for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Henderson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Valez stuffs the takedown attempt from Henderson. Henderson gets slowly back to his feet.
Valez getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

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

Henderson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Valez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Valez wants to control but Henderson postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henderson is trying to get an arm triangle but Valez is defending well.

Henderson swings around for an armbar but Valez sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Henderson's guard.
Valez trying to control but Henderson is working from the bottom.
Henderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

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.
Valez is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Henderson tries to control but Valez wriggling away.

Henderson looking for a guillotine from mount but Valez is having none of it.
Valez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Henderson.
Vampiro Valez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valez tries to buck Henderson off but he can't manage it.
Valez holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Henderson tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Valez wants to try and get back to his feet.

Henderson swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Valez is now in Henderson's guard. A big mistake from Henderson there, giving up the dominant position!
Henderson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four 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.
Henderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Henderson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Henderson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Henderson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Henderson!