PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hernan Sallazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aruneru Hero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hernan Sallazar could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Aruneru Hero's chin.

Sallazar
vs
Hero

177 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
152 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hernan Sallazar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aruneru Hero!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hero shoots in for a takedown but Sallazar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sallazar tries to clinch up.
Sallazar throws a head kick that half lands.
Horrible takedown by Hero or perhaps it was just good defense by Sallazar which made him look bad.
Hero blocks a head kick by Sallazar.

Hero gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sallazar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sallazar on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sallazar is trying to force a seperation but Hero has the dominant position.
A short right from Hero on the inside.
Sallazar tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hero smiles and moves away.
Sallazar buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Sallazar throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hero was covering up waiting for the punch and Sallazar finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hero throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hero keeping moving, preventing Sallazar from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sallazar is one step ahead there.
Sallazar tries to stand but Hero is controlling from the bottom.

Sallazar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sallazar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hero turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

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.
Hero gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sallazar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hernan Sallazar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aruneru Hero.
Hero looks gassed!
Hero gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sallazar decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hero's guard.
Sallazar sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hero's guard.
Sallazar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hero does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sallazar drops an elbow to the side of Hero's head.
Sallazar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hero does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hero wants to control but Sallazar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hero punching from the bottom.
Well, if Sallazar is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Sallazar is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hero sees it coming and defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Sallazar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hero is fending him off so far but Sallazar persists. Nope, Hero circles away and we're back to standing.

Hero gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

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

Hero scores with a takedown into Sallazar's guard.
Sallazar controls Hero momentarily but Hero frees himself.
Hero trying to control but Sallazar is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hero trying to control but Sallazar is working from the bottom.
Sallazar is looking to stand up but Hero isn't so interested in that idea.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Left hook, right uppercut from Hero.
Sallazar throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hero counters by moving into the clinch.
Sallazar is trying to force a seperation but Hero has the dominant position.
Hero tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Sallazar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hero stops a takedown attempt from Sallazar.
Hero throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sallazar blocks it with crossed arms.
Hero scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hero throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sallazar blocks it with crossed arms.
Sallazar tries to land a knee to the head but Hero blocks with his arms.
Sallazar is trying to break free.
Hero misses with a knee strike.

Hero manages to pull guard.
Hero trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sallazar trying to control but Hero is working from the bottom.

Hero looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sallazar wants to stand but Hero is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sallazar trying to control but Hero is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sallazar tries to free his leg and advance position but Hero is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sallazar wants to stand but Hero is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sallazar postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Hero closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hero trying to control the action but Sallazar is working from the bottom.
Sallazar parries the strikes from Hero easily there. Hero is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sallazar to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hero decides to stand back up. Hero steps back and let's Sallazar get back to his feet.
Hero stuffs the takedown.
Sallazar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hernan Sallazar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sallazar leaves Hero with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sallazar looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Sallazar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sallazar takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Hero shoots in looking for a takedown. Sallazar tries to sprawl out of it but Hero keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sallazar manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Sallazar instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sallazar's face.
A body shot lands from Sallazar.
Hero keeps control of Sallazar as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Sallazar manages to break the clinch.

Sallazar closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hero pushes Sallazar back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Sallazar is trying to force a seperation but Hero has the dominant position.
Hero looking to throw knees to the head but Sallazar is blocking nicely.
Hero fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hero goes for a takedown attempt but Sallazar pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Sallazar closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sallazar has knee on belly momentarily but Hero bucks him off and regains half guard.
Sallazar tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Hero.
Hero trying to hold on to Sallazar's head to control him but Sallazar postures up.
Hero is trying to get back to full guard.
Sallazar is keen to just control but Hero is a slippery customer.
Sallazar is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Aruneru Hero will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Sallazar doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Sallazar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Sallazar tries to keep at a distance but Hero has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hero has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sallazar avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hero lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sallazar is trying to break free.
Hero softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Sallazar breaks the clinch.
Hero clobbers Sallazar with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sallazar stuffs the takedown.
Sallazar with a poor takedown

and Hero counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Sallazar with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A right handed body shot lands from Sallazar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hero with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sallazar tries to pull guard but Hero won't allow it.
Sallazar scores with a shot to the side of Hero's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero lands a damaging elbow.
Hero with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Sallazar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Hero with that takedown attempt.
Hernan Sallazar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aruneru Hero.
Sallazar shoots in but Hero avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Hero scores a takedown into full mount!

Hero working for a guillotine from mount but Sallazar is in no mood to give up.
Hero controlling the pace for now.
Hero working Sallazar over with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero with a couple of short strikes.
Sallazar wants to control but Hero is having none of it.
Hero throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sallazar is trying desperately to improve position.
Hero fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hero looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Aruneru Hero has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sallazar is looking to improve his position but Hero isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero controlling the pace for now.
BOOM! Hero connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hero wants to control the pace but Sallazar is squirming around nicely.
Sallazar on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sallazar tries to get out of the position.
Sallazar tries to reverse the position but Hero maintains control.
Hero controlling the position easily from mount.
Sallazar tries to reverse the position but Hero maintains control.
Sallazar tries to lock up and control but Hero gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sallazar taking shots to the head.
Hero avoids the attempt from Sallazar to control.
Hero lands a big elbow.
Sallazar tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sallazar takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Hero has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sallazar wants to get back to his feet.
Hero lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hero lands a big elbow.
Sallazar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hero on the ground.
Hero raining down shots from the mount!
Hero with the ground and pound from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aruneru Hero comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hero has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aruneru Hero!