PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Ko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Hendricks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Ko
vs
Hendricks

188 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Ko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sam Hendricks!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Skip Squint and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ko looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Ko is working for a submission of some sort.
Hendricks wants to get back to full guard.

Ko is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hendricks has managed to free his arm - good work.
Hendricks keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Ko with the ground and pound but Hendricks uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Ko preventing the sweep.
Ko is pushing down on Hendricks's leg trying to pass to half guard. Hendricks is fighting to maintain full guard but Ko has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks is refusing to be controlled, as Ko sits in half guard.

Ko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hendricks does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hendricks has hold of Ko's hands but Ko slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

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

Ko seems to be working for a kimura but Hendricks defends the submission attempt.
Ko is breathing heavily.
Hendricks wants to control but Ko is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Ko is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hendricks sees it coming and defends easily.

Ko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hendricks is just riding it out for now. Ko eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hendricks trying to control from the bottom.
Ko wants to control but Hendricks is keeping him busy.
Hendricks is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hendricks fails with the takedown

and Ko counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hendricks won't be happy with that.
Hendricks is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ko is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ko fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Hendricks struggling a bit here.
Hendricks is looking to reverse the position.
Ko wants to control but Hendricks is keeping him busy.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Ko wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hendricks, who protects the arm well.
Ko working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ko looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hendricks is fending him off so far but Ko persists. Nope, Hendricks circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hendricks tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ko counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ko wants to control from the top but Hendricks keeps moving.
Ko throws and elbow that misses. Hendricks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ko's guard. Nice move by Hendricks!

Ko is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hendricks defends well.
Hendricks passes easily into side control. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Ko dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hendricks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Ko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Ko won't allow Hendricks to get back to his feet.
Hendricks keeping moving, preventing Ko from controlling successfully.
Ko is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hendricks is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

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

Hendricks pushes Ko off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hendricks pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ko counters with an inside leg kick.
Hendricks misses with a takedown attempt

so Ko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hendricks is breathing heavily.
Ko throws a big right hand that misses.
Ko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ko wants to control from the top but Hendricks keeps moving.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ko is trying to get back to full guard.
Bruce Ko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ko is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hendricks pulls his head out easily.
Ko is not content to let Hendricks control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hendricks moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Ko.
Ko is looking for a sweep.
Hendricks trying to control the position but Ko is working away.
Hendricks is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four 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.
Ko wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Hendricks trying to control the position but Ko is working away.
Ko is looking to regain half guard here but Hendricks keeps moving and retains side control.
Hendricks taking a break here but Ko is having none of it and regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Ko dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hendricks tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Ko counters with a takedown into side control.
Hendricks is trying to improve his position.

Ko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hendricks keeps working.

Ko is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hendricks 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.
Ko creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Hendricks sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendricks gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hendricks is positioning himself well to prevent Ko advancing to mount.
Ko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hendricks is looking to control Ko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hendricks avoid being mounted?
Ko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hendricks does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Ko is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ko trying to control from Hendricks's half guard. Hendricks has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hendricks is trying to control the position but Ko postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hendricks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ko counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hendricks!
Hendricks is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hendricks tries to hold on but Ko pushes him away.

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

Ko looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hendricks tries to hold on but Ko pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendricks tries to control the position but Ko now has his back.
Ko trying to control.

Ko is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Hendricks defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Ko doesn't have the hooks in and Hendricks manages to turn into his guard.
Hendricks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hendricks content to stall in guard here.

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.
Hendricks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ko swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bruce Ko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hendricks trying to control but Ko is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hendricks looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Ko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ko has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Ko!