PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Reuben Hernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Sassafrass (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hernandez comes to the cage accompanied by A Little Piece of Heaven - Avenged Sevenfold. Reuben Hernandez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hernandez
vs
Sassafrass

225 cm
25
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Reuben Hernandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brian Sassafrass!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

A jab-cross combination lands for Hernandez and sends Sassafrass crashing to the mat! Hernandez follows him down to the mat - Sassafrass regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

It looks like Brian Sassafrass has been cut.
Hernandez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sassafrass looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hernandez prevents Sassafrass from standing back up.
Hernandez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hernandez is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Hernandez slips a nice elbow through Sassafrass's hands, connecting with Sassafrass's forehead.
Sassafrass trying to control here.
Hernandez with the ground and pound but Sassafrass uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Sassafrass is trying to control the position but Hernandez postures up.
Sassafrass working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hernandez.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hernandez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sassafrass bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hernandez's guard.
Hernandez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sassafrass's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sassafrass is trying to keep Hernandez in close.

Sassafrass is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sassafrass is trying to control the position but Hernandez postures up.
Hernandez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hernandez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hernandez throws a big right hand that misses.
Hernandez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sassafrass works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sassafrass not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sassafrass looks gassed!
Hernandez is looking to stand up but Sassafrass won't let him.
Hernandez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sassafrass working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hernandez.
Hernandez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hernandez tries to stand but Sassafrass is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sassafrass is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hernandez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hernandez is looking to stand up but Sassafrass won't let him.
Hernandez throwing strikes from guard but Sassafrass blocks nicely.
Hernandez throwing strikes but missing.
Sassafrass lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hernandez!
Hernandez working to try and regain half guard.
Sassafrass content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sassafrass looking for a guillotine from mount but Hernandez is having none of it.
Hernandez tries to reverse the position but Sassafrass maintains control.
Hernandez has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Hernandez rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Sassafrass slows the pace down in half guard.

Sassafrass stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Hernandez to get to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez wants to clinch up but Sassafrass keeps it at a distance.

Hernandez has managed to clinch.

Hernandez pulls guard successfully.
Sassafrass preventing the sweep.
Hernandez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Sassafrass decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hernandez, up you get!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hernandez falls off balance throwing a combination

so Sassafrass counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sassafrass is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hernandez has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Sassafrass has passed into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reuben Hernandez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brian Sassafrass's cut.
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.

Hernandez is looking to clinch but Sassafrass is avoiding it.
Sassafrass tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hernandez was well out of range. Poor timing from Sassafrass.
Hernandez looks to land a combination but Sassafrass avoids it well.
Hernandez lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Hernandez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hernandez with the ground and pound but Sassafrass regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Hernandez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hernandez with the ground and pound but Sassafrass uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Hernandez postures up in Sassafrass's guard and throws a big left but Sassafrass blocks it.
Hernandez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sassafrass works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sassafrass is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Sassafrass looking for a guillotine here but Hernandez defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sassafrass not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sassafrass bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hernandez's guard.
Hernandez wants to improve his position but instead Sassafrass has moved into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sassafrass trying to control from half guard but Hernandez is working away.
Hernandez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sassafrass prevents Hernandez from standing back up.
Hernandez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sassafrass escapes and gets back to his feet.
Hernandez closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sassafrass counters with a single leg into guard. Hernandez didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hernandez keeping moving, preventing Sassafrass from controlling successfully.
Hernandez trying to keep a closed guard but Sassafrass is proving a slippery customer.
Hernandez wants to sweep but no luck.
Hernandez throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hernandez throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hernandez keeping moving, preventing Sassafrass from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Hernandez looking for a sweep. Not yet Hernandez, not yet.
Hernandez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sassafrass puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Hernandez wants to get back to his feet.
Sassafrass passes the guard and advances to mount!
Hernandez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sassafrass looking to control but Hernandez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sassafrass landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez throwing hammer fists to the chest of Sassafrass. What's that going to do exactly?
Sassafrass dominating with strikes here.
Sassafrass lands a big shot there that rocks Hernandez but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Sassafrass controlling his opponent.
Sassafrass raining down shots from the mount!
Hernandez is wriggling around trying to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brian Sassafrass will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Brian Sassafrass's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Sassafrass misses with a takedown attempt - Hernandez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hernandez tries to clinch up but Sassafrass circles away and keeps his distance.
Sassafrass avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hernandez is looking to clinch but Sassafrass is avoiding it.

Sassafrass manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hernandez on his heels. He'll look to pass Hernandez's guard now, I'm sure.
Sassafrass not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Sassafrass won't allow Hernandez to sweep him here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hernandez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sassafrass.

Sassafrass stands up from Hernandez's guard - Sassafrass perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hernandez connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sassafrass misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sassafrass shoots in looking for a takedown but Hernandez manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sassafrass's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Reuben Hernandez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Sassafrass.
Hernandez dives in and grabs Sassafrass's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sassafrass pushes down on Hernandez's head and hops out.

Sassafrass scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hernandez is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Sassafrass wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hernandez keeps working.
Hernandez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sassafrass wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sassafrass looks up at the clock and then as Hernandez takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Sassafrass smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Sassafrass cracks Hernandez with a big elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sassafrass is looking to take a break and control but Hernandez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hernandez lands with an elbow strike from the bottom.
Hernandez gets back to half guard.
Sassafrass is keen to just control but Hernandez is a slippery customer.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hernandez trying to control here.
Sassafrass wants to control but Hernandez is keeping him busy.
Hernandez gets full guard.
Hernandez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sassafrass manages to get himself to full guard.
Hernandez stands up over Sassafrass, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hernandez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sassafrass is keeping the position for now.
Sassafrass trying to keep a closed guard but Hernandez is proving a slippery customer.
Hernandez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Sassafrass has momentary wrist control but Hernandez slips an elbow through the middle.
Sassafrass trying to control the position.
Sassafrass is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hernandez is working Sassafrass over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez throwing strikes from guard but Sassafrass blocks nicely.
Hernandez wants to get up but he can't break Sassafrass's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Brian Sassafrass has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sassafrass controls Hernandez momentarily but Hernandez frees himself.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hernandez landing with the ground and pound.
Hernandez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sassafrass works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sassafrass looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hernandez is one step ahead there.
Hernandez throws a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Reuben Hernandez.
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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!