PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Romeo Hernanes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Keller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Hernanes might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Awolnation - Sail. On his way into the cage it seems that Romeo Hernanes has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Romeo Hernanes seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Hernanes
vs
Keller

170 cm
26
145 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
143 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Romeo Hernanes!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sam Keller!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hernanes scores with a push kick.
Keller throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Sam Keller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hernanes walks into a jab.
Keller throws a body punch but Hernanes moves out of range.
Hernanes moves in looking to clinch but Keller pushes him off.
Hernanes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Keller throws a hook but Hernanes blocks it.
Hernanes lands a nice hook to Keller's body. Keller takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Keller misses with a hook. Hernanes ducked under it nicely.
Decent striking displayed by Keller there.
Hernanes tries to clinch up but Keller circles away and keeps his distance.
Hernanes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Keller scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hernanes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keller.
Keller throws a hook to the side of Hernanes's head but Hernanes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Keller circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Keller throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hernanes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A left lands for Keller.
Keller looks to score with a jab to the body but Hernanes is just out of range.
Keller chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hernanes can pounce on him.
Keller tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Keller misses with a double jab.
Hernanes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keller.
Keller goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hernanes misses with a wild combination.
Hernanes fakes the leg kick and cracks Keller in the body.
Hernanes ducks under a wild hook from Keller.
Keller takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes throws a sloppy head kick and Keller moves out of range easily.
Keller just misses with a punch to the body.
Keller tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hernanes was well out of range. Poor timing from Keller.
Hernanes tries to close the distance and clinch but Keller swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Keller lands with an uppercut that bounces Hernanes off the cage and back into range.
A jab from Keller misses.
Hernanes throws a push kick but Keller slaps the foot to one side.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hernanes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hernanes misses with a two punch combination.
Keller throws an overhand right that lands on Hernanes's shoulder, as Hernanes tries to avoid the shot.
Keller takes a swing at Hernanes's ribcage but misses.
Hernanes lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Keller backs up against the cage.
Hernanes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Keller misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A combination from Keller does no damage.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller moves out of range.
Hernanes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Keller loads up on a big right hand but Hernanes slips the punch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hernanes, right into the meat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hernanes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A left and a right from Hernanes both land. Nice combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Hernanes!
Keller waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hernanes.
Hernanes tries to clinch up.
Keller misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Hernanes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Keller. Hernanes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Keller throws a right hand that misses
and Hernanes counters with a nice body kick.
Hernanes ducks under a wild hook from Keller.
Keller throws a right and a left that Hernanes avoids nicely.
Keller connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hernanes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hernanes tries to clinch up.

Hernanes instigates a clinch.
Hernanes blocks an uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hernanes connects with a nasty looking knee right to Keller's face.
Keller content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A knee to the head by Hernanes.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Romeo Hernanes will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Keller takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Hernanes misses with an uppercut. Keller saw that one coming.
Nice shot by Keller.
Keller connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hernanes momentarily.
Hernanes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Keller uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Hernanes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Keller swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Keller connects with a body shot.
Hernanes pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Keller back to the cage. Hernanes follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A jab from Keller finds it's way through Hernanes's defenses.
Keller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hernanes.
Keller missing with a left hand there. Hernanes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sam Keller seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Keller misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Hernanes to counter with a crisp jab.
Hernanes scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller blocks the body kick.
Hernanes scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller is having none of it.
Keller avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hernanes ducks under a wild hook from Keller.
Keller looks to land a left hand but Hernanes moved out of range nicely.
Hernanes falls off balance throwing a combination
and Keller counters with a stiff right hand.
Hernanes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Keller.
Hernanes looks to land a body kick but Keller moved away.
Keller 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.
Hernanes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Keller swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hernanes explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice jab there from Keller.
Hernanes slips under a jab from Keller.

Hernanes moves into the clinch.
Keller has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Hernanes.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but Keller blocks with his arms.
Keller dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hernanes missing with knees to the body.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keller blocks it with crossed arms.
Hernanes misses with a knee to the head.

Keller pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice cross by Keller.
Keller throws a lazy right hand but Hernanes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Keller smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Keller.
Hernanes darts in trying to clinch
and Keller counters with a stiff right hand.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller moves out of range.
Keller lands an overhand right.
Keller fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hernanes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice defenses there by Keller.
Hernanes scores with a sloppy right hand. Keller should have avoided that one.
Hernanes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hernanes looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Hernanes throws a nice inside leg kick.
Keller swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Hernanes counter with a right hand.
Hernanes takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keller avoids a punch combination nicely.
Keller looks to throw the jab but Hernanes is out of range.
Hernanes fakes the leg kick and cracks Keller in the body.
A swing and a miss from Hernanes.
Keller thows a left - swing and a miss!
Jab by Keller.
Keller scores with a hook.
Hernanes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Keller avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keller catches Hernanes with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Hernanes misses with a double jab.
Keller moves out of range of the body kick from Hernanes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sam Keller will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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.

Hernanes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Keller.
Keller thows a body shot but no joy.
Keller lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hernanes circles away quickly and effectively.
Hernanes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hernanes throws a nice head kick!
Keller misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hernanes.
Hernanes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Keller.
Hernanes dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Keller. That did some damage!
Keller throws a sloppy body shot
and Hernanes counters with a body kick that stops Keller in his tracks momentarily.
Keller throws a series of punches but Hernanes avoids them all with ease.
Hernanes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Hernanes closes the distance and pushes Keller back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hernanes's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Keller creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Keller avoiding damage as Hernanes throws knees to the body.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but Keller blocks with his arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hernanes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Keller has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hernanes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hernanes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Keller lands a body punch.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Keller lands a shot to the body.
Keller's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller avoids the elbow strike from Hernanes, against the cage.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.
Keller working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hernanes throws a knee to the head but misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Keller.
Keller can't find room to land a body shot as Hernanes controls the action.
Keller lands an uppercut.
Hernanes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Keller has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Keller.
Hernanes misses with a knee to the head.
Keller lands with a right to the head.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but Keller blocks it.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but Keller blocks it.
Hernanes looking to throw knees to the head but Keller is blocking nicely.
Hernanes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Keller has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A nice left hand lands by Keller.
A shot in the inside from Keller.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.

Keller breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Keller connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A nice combination there by Keller.
Hernanes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hernanes slips under a jab from Keller.
Keller throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hernanes wants to slow Keller down by chopping away at his legs.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Hernanes. Keller shrugs it off though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keller lands a really nice looking cross but Hernanes seems unphased.
Hernanes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Keller.
Keller misses with a body shot.
Keller misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hernanes throws a sloppy head kick and Keller moves out of range easily.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller is having none of it.
Romeo Hernanes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick from Hernanes lands but Keller takes it in his stride.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keller stalks Hernanes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hernanes's face. Hernanes staggers backwards, shaken.
Keller throws a nice looking combination but Hernanes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hernanes tries to clinch up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hernanes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keller.
Keller misses with a looping left.
Hernanes does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Sam Keller just about did enough to take it.
That's time! Hernanes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hernanes throws a nice looking combination but Keller bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Keller.
Crunch! Hernanes slams his shin into Keller's torso.
Keller just misses with a punch to the body.
Hernanes tries to clinch up.
Keller swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big right from Keller misses.
Keller fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Keller throws a looping overhand right but Hernanes ducks down to avoid it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hernanes.
Keller looks to score with a jab to the body but Hernanes is just out of range.
Keller misses with a wild body shot.
Keller scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernanes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nice defenses there by Hernanes.
Keller will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hernanes moves out of range as Keller strikes.
Hernanes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Keller manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hernanes pushes Keller up against the cage in a clinch.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Keller takes a knee right on the jaw!
Hernanes looking to throw knees to the head but Keller is blocking nicely.
Hernanes with a knee to the head.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Hernanes looking to throw knees to the head but Keller is blocking nicely.
Hernanes misses with a knee strike.
Keller wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Keller can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller leaning his opponent against the cage.
A short right from Keller on the inside.
Keller softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but Keller blocks it.
Keller tries to circle away but Hernanes has him pinned against the cage.
Keller presses Hernanes against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Keller lands with a short shot to the head.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keller blocks it with crossed arms.
Romeo Hernanes has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Keller manages to break the clinch.
Keller just misses with a punch to the body.
Keller has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Hernanes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hernanes misses with a low kick.
Hernanes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Keller paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hernanes bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hernanes defending well as Keller loads up on a big left hand.
Keller throws an overhand right that lands on Hernanes's shoulder, as Hernanes tries to avoid the shot.
Keller slips a jab and a cross from Hernanes.
Keller's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Keller misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hernanes slips a jab from Keller.
Keller looks to throw the jab but Hernanes is out of range.
Hernanes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Keller looks to land a combination but Hernanes avoids it well.
Keller lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hernanes misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Some wild striking there from Keller.
Hernanes walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Hernanes defending well as Keller loads up on a big left hand.
Hernanes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller moves out of range.
Hernanes wants to clinch up but Keller keeps it at a distance.
Keller swinging wildly here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hernanes misses with a series of wild punches.
Hernanes defending well as Keller loads up on a big left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Keller dominated that fourth round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Keller lands with a nice body punch.
Hernanes is looking to clinch.
Hernanes tries to clinch up but Keller circles away and keeps his distance.
Keller lands a really nice looking cross but Hernanes seems unphased.
Hernanes is looking to clinch.
Hernanes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A combination from Hernanes does no damage.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hernanes.
Keller rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hernanes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Jab from Keller.
Hernanes connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Keller's hands.
Hernanes tries a head kick but it misses.
Hernanes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernanes walks into a stiff left hand from Keller.
Keller misses the shot to the body.
Hernanes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Keller.
Keller misses with a series of wild punches.
Keller throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hernanes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Keller misses with a hook.
Keller takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Hernanes moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Keller throws a looping overhand right but Hernanes ducks down to avoid it.
Keller throws a right and a left that Hernanes avoids nicely.
Hernanes tries to clinch there but Keller circles away.
Keller swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes tries to bum rush Keller with a series of wild strikes but Keller uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hernanes tries to clinch but Keller moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Keller misses the target.
Hernanes throws a body kick that misses.
Keller throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Keller misses with a combination
and Hernanes counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Keller is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hernanes looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Hernanes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keller blocks it with crossed arms.
Hernanes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keller.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes with a knee to the head.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Knees to the body from Hernanes.
Keller looking to slow down the pace here.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Keller is trying to break free.
Keller misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Keller's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but Keller blocks with his arms.
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but Keller blocks it.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keller blocks it with crossed arms.
Still in the clinch, Keller scores with a nice short uppercut.
Sam Keller is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernanes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hernanes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hernanes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keller blocks it with crossed arms.
Keller is trying to force a seperation but Hernanes has the dominant position.
Hernanes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Still in the clinch, Keller scores with a nice short uppercut.
Keller lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Romeo Hernanes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hernanes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Keller's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A big left from Keller misses.
Keller throws a series of punches but Hernanes avoids them all with ease.
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.
Hernanes moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Keller throws a shot from downtown. Hernanes moves away and avoids it.
Hernanes closes the distance and lands a one-two.

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 Romeo Hernanes.
I think Keller 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 49:46
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 47:48
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 47:49

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Sam Keller!
Sam Keller is the new bantamweight champion!
A very excited looking Sam Keller made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.