PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Graig Mcneil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Hernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Hernandez will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Mcneil
vs
Hernandez

165 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

214 cm
25
184 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Graig Mcneil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Hernandez!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Daniel Blasius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hernandez forces Mcneil back against the cage and clinches.

Hernandez turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mcneil tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Hernandez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mcneil is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mcneil sneaks back into half guard.
Hernandez is just content to waste time from the top position. Mcneil takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Hernandez trying to control but Mcneil is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hernandez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Mcneil is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hernandez is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcneil trying to keep a closed guard but Hernandez is proving a slippery customer.

Hernandez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Hernandez stands up and waves to Mcneil to follow him.

Hernandez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hernandez wants to control but Mcneil is keeping him busy.
Hernandez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Hernandez seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Mcneil trying to control from the bottom.
Mcneil might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez moves nicely into side control.
Mcneil could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Hernandez postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Mcneil is trying to improve his position.

Hernandez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hernandez working away.
Hernandez throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Hernandez stands up.

Hernandez rushes Mcneil and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mcneil clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Hernandez tightening his grip on Mcneil, looking for the choke.

Hernandez working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Hernandez is trying to control but Mcneil is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.

Hernandez is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Hernandez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mcneil, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez has Mcneil pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hernandez pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mcneil tumbling to the mat - Hernandez dives into Mcneil's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hernandez wants to stand but Mcneil is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mcneil tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mcneil working a defensive guard here.
Mcneil preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mcneil looking to control.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hernandez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Hernandez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mcneil, up you get!

Mcneil gets tackled into the cage by Hernandez. Hernandez maintains the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Hernandez dominated that 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.

Mcneil throws a sloppy head kick
and Hernandez counters with a low kick, right behind Mcneil 's knee.
Nice cross by Hernandez.

Hernandez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hernandez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Hernandez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Hernandez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hernandez wants to sweep here but Mcneil controlling him for the moment.
Hernandez trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hernandez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Mcneil puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Mcneil is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez moves into full guard.
Hernandez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mcneil's guard.
James Hernandez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hernandez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hernandez looking to sit in guard and control but Mcneil gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hernandez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mcneil manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez postures up and lands a big shot to Mcneil's brow.
Hernandez trying to control but Mcneil is working from the bottom.
Hernandez chips away with some ground and pound.
Hernandez passes Mcneil's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hernandez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hernandez prevents Mcneil from standing back up.
Hernandez lands strikes from half guard.
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!
Hernandez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Hernandez wants to control but Mcneil is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcneil moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hernandez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Hernandez tries to free his leg and advance position but Mcneil is retaining full guard.
Mcneil trying to control the position here.
Hernandez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mcneil is keeping the position for now.
Hernandez postures up in Mcneil's guard and throws a big left but Mcneil blocks it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mcneil holds on and takes a little breather.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Graig Mcneil just wasn't active enough.

Hernandez darts in and clinches Mcneil up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez wants the takedown. Mcneil is fighting it off but Hernandez persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Mcneil's guard against the cage.
Hernandez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mcneil tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hernandez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hernandez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hernandez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hernandez working the body and head with strikes.
Hernandez trying to control the action but Mcneil is working from the bottom.
Hernandez controls the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hernandez trying to control the position but Mcneil is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Hernandez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Mcneil slips a jab and a cross from Hernandez.

Hernandez drives through and clinches with Mcneil against the cage.

Hernandez is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Mcneil can't fight it off and eventually Hernandez manages to take the fight to the floor. Mcneil looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mcneil looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hernandez is one step ahead there.
Hernandez passes Mcneil's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mcneil wants to get back to his feet.
Hernandez trying to pass the guard but Mcneil defending well.
Hernandez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez is trying to control. Mcneil wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hernandez trying to control the pace.
Hernandez throwing shots but Mcneil is blocking nicely.
Hernandez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hernandez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mcneil's head.
Hernandez prevents Mcneil from standing back up.
Mcneil is not content to let Hernandez control the position.
Hernandez takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hernandez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hernandez wants to take a breather but Mcneil is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by James Hernandez.
Hernandez misses with a double jab.

Hernandez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Mcneil's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hernandez gets to his feet. Mcneil looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Hernandez has closed the distance and engaged Mcneil in a clinch.

Hernandez jumps guard.
Hernandez pulls Mcneil in to control the position.
Mcneil chips away with some ground and pound.
Mcneil being controlled here momentarily.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Hernandez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James Hernandez has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Hernandez moves into the clinch.
Mcneil avoiding damage.

Hernandez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mcneil uses from the top position.
Hernandez wants to stand and escape but Mcneil is having none of it.
Mcneil is looking to stand up but Hernandez won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mcneil passes into side control.
Hernandez is trying to control Mcneil's posture but Mcneil avoids it.

Mcneil is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hernandez has escaped the position, nice work there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hernandez tries to improve position but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Hernandez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hernandez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Hernandez!
After winning the bout, James Hernandez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.