PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roger Villarreal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gerald Hendo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Villarreal
vs
Hendo

181 cm
20
193 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roger Villarreal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gerald Hendo!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Igor Prikhodko and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hendo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Hendo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hendo showed some decent athleticism there.
Hendo wants to pass to mount but Villarreal is defending the position.
Villarreal is looking for a sweep. Hendo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hendo in particular looking to stall.
Hendo tries to stand but can't do so whilst Villarreal controls his leg.
Hendo sitting and controlling from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Villarreal trying to control but Hendo postures up.
Villarreal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Villarreal is trying to stand up here but Hendo is controlling him well.
Villarreal tries to get to full guard but Hendo has control of the leg.

Hendo is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Hendo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Villarreal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Villarreal pushes Hendo off looking to stand but Hendo dives back in and keeps control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Hendo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hendo showed some decent athleticism there.
Villarreal won't allow Hendo to pass to mount.
Villarreal is pressing down on Hendo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hendo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hendo won't allow Villarreal to sweep him here.
Villarreal is looking to stand up but Hendo isn't so interested in that idea.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Villarreal is on top in guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Villarreal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Villarreal is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Hendo dives into side control.
Hendo trying to control the position but Villarreal is working away.
Hendo tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Villarreal is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Hendo is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Hendo content just to control the position here.

Hendo is working for a guillotine from mount but Villarreal frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Villarreal can't escape the position.
Villarreal is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Hendo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Villarreal wants to get back to his feet.
Hendo manages to capitalize on a mistake by Villarreal to take his back!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hendo patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Villarreal trying to control the hands but Hendo breaks the grip.
Hendo landing with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerald Hendo dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Villarreal shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hendo as he jumps to the side.

Villarreal tries to sprawl but Hendo drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Villarreal looking for submissions off his back.
Villarreal moves into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hendo lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hendo postures up in Villarreal's guard and throws a big left but Villarreal blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hendo trying to control the position from guard on top but Villarreal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Villarreal looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Villarreal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hendo's guard.

Hendo controls Villarreal momentarily but Villarreal frees himself.
Villarreal throws a strike but Hendo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hendo trying to control the position from guard on top but Villarreal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Villarreal is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Hendo is trying to stand up here but Villarreal is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hendo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Villarreal.
Villarreal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Villarreal wants to take a breather but Hendo is having none of it.
Villarreal with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Hendo wants to get back to his feet.
Hendo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Villarreal throwing shots but Hendo is blocking nicely.
Villarreal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hendo wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hendo is looking to get back to is feet but Villarreal passes into side control.
Hendo manages to work his way to half guard, despite Villarreal's best efforts.
Hendo tries to roll over but Villarreal keeps him under control.
Villarreal sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hendo defending well though.
Villarreal throwing shots but Hendo is blocking nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hendo moves in looking to clinch but Villarreal pushes him off.

Hendo decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hendo is breathing heavily.
Villarreal is looking to control Hendo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Villarreal avoid being mounted?
Still in half guard, Hendo seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Villarreal tries to roll over but Hendo keeps him under control.
Villarreal wants to get back to his feet.
Hendo sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Villarreal is looking to improve his position.
Villarreal tries to kick Hendo off but Hendo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hendo stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hendo throws a lazy head kick

and Villarreal counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roger Villarreal will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hendo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Villarreal did well to prevent Hendo getting side control.
Villarreal wants to get back to his feet.
Villarreal tries to roll over but Hendo keeps him under control.
Villarreal moves into full guard.
Villarreal keeping moving, preventing Hendo from controlling successfully.
Hendo pushes down on Villarreal's leg and manages to get into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hendo slows the pace down in half guard.
Villarreal wants to improve his position but Hendo is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hendo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Villarreal keeps working.

Hendo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Villarreal is just riding it out for now. Hendo eventually gives up the hold.
Hendo stops Villarreal from getting back to his feet.
Villarreal tries to get to full guard but Hendo has control of the leg.
Villarreal pushes Hendo off looking to stand but Hendo dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hendo is trying to control. Villarreal wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Hendo shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hendo showed some decent athleticism there.
Hendo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Villarreal wants to control but Hendo is keeping busy.

Villarreal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Villarreal is trying to get back to full guard.
Hendo winds up and cracks Villarreal with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Villarreal tries to roll over but Hendo keeps him under control.
Villarreal keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Villarreal scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Hendo manages to mount him!
Villarreal is working to get back to half guard.
Hendo sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Villarreal is trying to stand but he's just given Hendo his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hendo looking for the RNC.
Villarreal breaks Hendo's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Villarreal is looking to work some ground and pound but Hendo has wrist control.
Hendo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Villarreal throwing strikes from guard but Hendo blocks nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hendo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hendo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerald Hendo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hendo 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerald Hendo!