PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Devan Hennings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Planck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Hennings
vs
Planck

183 cm
23
178 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

182 cm
27
169 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Devan Hennings!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Max Planck!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Ryoma Takatsuka and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hennings staying out of range there.
Planck connects with a jab.
Hennings lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Planck has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Planck takes the fight into the clinch.
Hennings is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Hennings looking to slow down the pace here.
Planck has Hennings pushed against the cage.

Hennings's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Planck gets tackled into the cage by Hennings. Hennings maintains the clinch.
Hennings wants to break free but Planck has control.

Hennings has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Planck regains guard immediately.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hennings cracks Planck with a solid left hand.
Planck manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hennings manages to get himself to full guard.
Planck throwing strikes but missing.
Planck has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Planck controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hennings seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Hennings utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Planck's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hennings wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Planck manages to pass to side control.
Planck seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hennings wants to control but Planck is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hennings is looking for a sweep. Planck is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hennings trying to control here.
Planck trying to pass the guard but Hennings defending well.
Hennings is looking to escape.
Planck wants to pass the guard but Hennings is defending well.
Well, if Planck 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.

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.

Hennings closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Planck sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hennings wants to free his trapped foot but Planck is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Planck tries to get to full guard but Hennings has control of the leg.
Hennings stalling.
Planck trying to control but Hennings postures up.
Planck is concentrating on defense, preventing Hennings from advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hennings looks to land a strike but Planck avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Planck pulls Hennings in to control the position.
Planck wants to sweep here but Hennings controlling him for the moment.
Planck seems keen to control Hennings's posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Planck tries to land a leg kick but Hennings saw it coming and moves away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Planck tries to keep at a distance but Hennings has taken the fight into the clinch.
Planck prevents a body shot from Hennings.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hennings gets underhooks to prevent Planck's takedown attempt.

Hennings's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
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 Devan Hennings will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hennings closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Hennings is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Planck regains full guard. Nicely done.
Planck trying to strike off his back.
Hennings trying to control the position from guard on top but Planck is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Planck is pulling down on Hennings's head to control his posture.
Hennings trying to control the position from guard on top but Planck is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Planck is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hennings trying to control the position from guard on top but Planck is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Devan Hennings wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Planck enables Hennings to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Planck manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Planck is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Planck keeping moving, preventing Hennings from controlling successfully.
Planck is trying to control the position but Hennings postures up.

Planck had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hennings defends it easily.
Planck keeping full guard, as Hennings tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Planck bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hennings's guard.
Planck is looking to advance position but Hennings has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Planck regains half guard.
Max Planck has got the better of the ground game so far.
Planck is looking for a sweep. Hennings is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Planck is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hennings seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Planck blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hennings.
Hennings trying to control from half guard but Planck is working away.
Hennings wants to pass to mount but Planck is defending the position.
Planck slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Planck is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Hennings trying to control but Planck is working from the bottom.

Devan Hennings has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Hennings closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Planck to the mat! Planck manages to get full guard.
Hennings wants to pass the guard but Planck is keeping the position.
Planck looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Planck's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Planck 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.
Planck is trying to control the position from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Max Planck wasn't active enough on the ground.

Hennings shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hennings showed some decent athleticism there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Planck wants to control but Hennings is keeping busy and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hennings wants to stand but Planck has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Hennings wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Planck uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Devan Hennings dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hennings clinches up against the cage.

Hennings has clasped his hands together around Planck's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Planck tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hennings working away.
Hennings trying to control the action but Planck is working from the bottom.
Hennings cracks Planck with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Planck can't do much from the bottom here.
Planck is looking for a sweep.
Planck struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Planck is trying to improve his position.
Planck is trying to control Hennings's posture but Hennings avoids it.
Planck is looking for a sweep.
Hennings lands an elbow.
Planck is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hennings wants to lay and pray for a moment but Planck keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Planck trying to hold on to Hennings's head to control him but Hennings postures up.

Hennings seems to be working for a kimura but Planck defends the submission attempt.
Hennings seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Planck gets back to full guard.
Hennings trying to control but Planck is working from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Planck manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Planck controlling the position easily from mount.
Hennings tries to hold on but Planck pushes him away.
Planck takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hennings is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Planck looking to finish with strikes here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Planck controlling the position easily from mount.
Planck wants to take his opponent's back but Hennings doesn't allow it.
Planck avoids the attempt from Hennings to control.
Hennings reaches up to try and control the position but Planck seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Hennings rolls and tries to escape and now Planck has his back!
Max Planck has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Planck controlling the positon.
Hennings rolls, trying to escape but Planck keeps control of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Max Planck.
Well Hennings 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Devan Hennings!