PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hermes Croko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sef Sarmiento (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sef Sarmiento acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Croko
vs
Sarmiento

188 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
20
189 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hermes Croko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sef Sarmiento!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sarmiento stuffs the takedown.
Croko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Croko.

Sarmiento gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Croko is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Croko stopping the sweep attempt from Sarmiento.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sarmiento drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sarmiento jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sarmiento wants to pass the guard but Croko is keeping the position.
Croko is trying to keep Sarmiento in close.
Sarmiento must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sarmiento wants to pass the guard but Croko is keeping the position.
Sarmiento prevents Croko from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Croko is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sarmiento is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hermes Croko just wasn't active enough.
Croko looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Croko scores with a takedown into Sarmiento's guard.
Croko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sarmiento swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sarmiento trying to keep a closed guard but Croko is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Sarmiento had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Croko defends it easily.

Sarmiento had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Croko defends it easily.
Croko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croko passes into half guard.
Croko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Croko not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Croko looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hermes Croko 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.

Sarmiento blocks a leg kick.
Croko shoots in for a takedown but Sarmiento shows good takedown defense.
Croko throws a front kick aimed at Sarmiento's knee but Sarmiento avoids it well.
Croko tries to clinch up but Sarmiento circles away and keeps his distance.

Croko fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sarmiento sprawls well initially but Croko persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Croko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sarmiento defending well though.
Croko is looking to take a break and control but Sarmiento is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sarmiento keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sarmiento is trying to stand back up but Croko is controlling him
Sarmiento is trying to get back to full guard.
Croko slips a nice elbow through Sarmiento's hands, connecting with Sarmiento's forehead.

Croko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sarmiento is just riding it out for now. Croko eventually gives up the hold.
Sarmiento wants to control but Croko is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Croko prevents Sarmiento from improving his position.
Croko is looking to take a break and control but Sarmiento is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Croko is stalling here. Sarmiento is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Croko seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Sarmiento has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Croko wants to control but Sarmiento postures up.

Sarmiento is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Croko has escaped the position, nice work there.
Croko is trying to get back to his feet.

Sarmiento wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Croko, who protects the arm well.
Croko is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Sarmiento is looking for a kimura here.
Sarmiento is breathing heavily.
Croko desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sarmiento wants to work for an arm triangle but Croko is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Croko trying to hold on to Sarmiento's head to control him but Sarmiento postures up.
Croko is pressing down on Sarmiento's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sarmiento wants to pass the guard but Croko is keeping the position.

Croko is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sarmiento tries to free his leg and advance position but Croko is retaining full guard.
Croko is adopting a defensive guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Croko closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Croko wants to stand up but Sarmiento has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Croko is keen to just control but Sarmiento is a slippery customer.
Croko wants to stand but Sarmiento has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Croko stands up and beckons Sarmiento to join him on the feet.
Croko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sarmiento checks a leg kick.
Hermes Croko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Croko tries to land a front kick but Sarmiento steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Croko throws a head kick but Sarmiento moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sarmiento showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Croko.
Croko tries to clinch up but Sarmiento circles away and keeps his distance.
Croko throws a leg kick but Sarmiento sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Croko has taken the fight to the clinch.
Sarmiento keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Croko's efforts to push away.
Sarmiento tries to score a body lock takedown but Croko shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sarmiento is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Croko stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Croko wants to break free but Sarmiento has control.
Croko with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Croko jumps guard and drags Sarmiento to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Croko wants to sweep but no luck.
Croko is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sarmiento trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Croko seems keen to control Sarmiento's posture.
Sarmiento advances to half guard.

Sarmiento is working for a submission of some sort.

Sarmiento is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Sarmiento is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Croko has managed to free his arm - good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hermes Croko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Croko 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hermes Croko!