PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Esteban Herring (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sven Staale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sven Staale has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Esteban Herring's chin.

Herring
vs
Staale

180 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

180 cm
18
189 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Esteban Herring!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sven Staale!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Staale clinches up with Herring and pushes him back against the cage.
Staale tries to throw a body punch but Herring avoids it by throwing Staale back against the cage.
Staale landing knees to the head.
Herring takes a knee to the side of the body.
Staale lands a damaging elbow.

Herring lands a takedown into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Herring postures up and lands a big shot to Staale's brow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Staale is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Herring is aware though and is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Herring scoring with punches to the head and body.
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!
Herring is working Staale over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Herring has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Staale trying to keep a closed guard but Herring is proving a slippery customer.
Herring preventing the sweep.
Herring scoring with punches to the head and body.
Staale is looking to stand up but Herring isn't so interested in that idea.
Herring is in close to Staale's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Herring scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herring content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Herring's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Staale throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Herring is stalling in the full guard.
Herring keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Staale's head.
Staale trying to control the position.

Staale working for a triangle but Herring defends it easily.
Staale is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herring postures up and lands a big shot to Staale's brow.

Herring got a little sloppy there for a moment and Staale has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Herring has managed to get both his arms back between Staale's legs - danger averted.
Herring sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Herring working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Staale's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Herring scoring with some ground and pound.

Herring avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Herring cracks Staale with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staale being controlled here, momentarily.
Herring postures up and lands a big shot to Staale's brow.
Herring scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Herring keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Staale's head.
Herring postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Herring's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Staale looking for a sweep. Not yet Staale, not yet.
Staale really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Herring. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Herring is in close to Staale's body, working some short punches and elbows.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Staale wants to sweep here but Herring controlling him for the moment.
Herring postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Herring gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Staale with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Herring counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Staale closes the distance and pushes Herring back into the cage.

Herring successfully pulls guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Staale working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Staale works over Herring with some ground and pound from guard.
Staale wants to control from the top but Herring keeps moving.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staale is looking to stand up but Herring won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esteban Herring dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Esteban Herring's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Herring feints and as Staale raises his hands in defense, Herring changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Herring distracts Staale with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Herring makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Herring postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Herring works over Staale with some ground and pound from guard.
Herring working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Staale's head.
Herring with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Herring distracts Staale with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Herring is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Herring stands up over Staale, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Esteban Herring overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Herring postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Staale has momentary wrist control but Herring slips an elbow through the middle.
Herring landing with the ground and pound.
Herring working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staale trying to control the position.
Herring controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Herring lands a couple of digs.

Staale is rocked!
Herring is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Staale can do to turn this around?
Staale being controlled here, momentarily.
Staale looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Herring lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Herring gets to his feet - Staale follows without any prompting.

Staale clinches up with Herring and pushes him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Herring breaks the clinch.

Staale closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herring wants to take the fight to the mat but Staale manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Staale is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Staale lands an elbow that stopped Herring in his tracks for a moment.
Herring takes an elbow to the temple.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Staale obliges.
Nice elbow from Staale.
Staale tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Herring avoids it.
Herring takes an elbow to the temple.
Staale tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Herring avoids it.
Staale tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Herring tightens his grip and picks Staale up, before dumping him to the ground. Staale manages to land in guard.
Herring stops Staale from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herring lands a couple of elbows.
Herring landing some decent shots from guard.
Herring stays in close to Staale's body and controls the position.
Herring working some strikes from top position.
Herring advances position into side control!
Herring working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Staale on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Staale is looking to reverse the position.
Staale is breathing heavily.
Herring landing a few strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Herring working the ground and pound.
Staale wants to control but Herring postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Herring has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Staale is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Herring yanks on the arm and Staale is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Herring.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Esteban Herring!