PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Walter Herman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Stonner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Herman
vs
Stonner

175 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

177 cm
18
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Walter Herman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ricky Stonner!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Bart Greer and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stonner drives through and clinches with Herman against the cage.
Stonner throws a head punch that misses.
Stonner misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stonner is looking to take this one to the mat.
Stonner misses with a punch on the inside.

Herman has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Stonner is trying to keep an underhook but Herman manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Stonner pushes Herman off looking to stand but Herman dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stonner is looking to get back to is feet but Herman passes into side control.
Stonner is pushing Herman's head away, looking to escape. Herman manages to hold on to the position though.
Herman scores with a couple of short elbows.
Herman staying calm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stonner looks to move to half guard but instead Herman has passed into mount! Damn!
Stonner is trying to escape the mount.
Stonner is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Stonner is looking to escape.
Stonner is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Stonner should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Herman putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Herman controlling his opponent.
Herman looking to control but Stonner is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Herman punishing his opponent with strikes.
Herman landing shots from mount.
Herman lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Stonner hang on?
Herman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Stonner wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herman controlling the pace for now.
Herman 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.
Herman is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Stonner can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Stonner is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Herman content just to control the position here.
Herman working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Herman wants to control the pace but Stonner is squirming around nicely.
Stonner is trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herman blocks Stonner's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Herman controlling his opponent.
Stonner tries to reverse the position but Herman maintains control.
Stonner wants to get back to his feet.
Herman content just to control the position here.
Herman wants to control the pace but Stonner is squirming around nicely.
Herman controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stonner working to try and regain half guard.
Stonner is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Herman tries to control but Stonner wriggling away.
Herman content just to control the position here.
Stonner is trying to stand.
Herman landing strikes from the mount.
Stonner is trying to stand up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Herman trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Herman raining down shots from the mount!
Herman tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Walter Herman dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Stonner moves into the clinch.

Herman breaks from the clinch.

Herman is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Stonner's half guard.
Herman is trying to control the action in half guard but Stonner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Stonner is staying active underneath Herman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Herman looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Herman controlling the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herman takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Herman slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Stonner throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Walter Herman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Herman stops Stonner from standing up.

Stonner has his feet on Herman's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Stonner is looking to clinch.

Stonner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Stonner working aggressively here.
Stonner has a couple of punches blocked by Herman.
Herman blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Herman is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stonner can do to turn this around?
Stonner misses with the head strike.

Herman breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Herman feints and as Stonner raises his hands in defense, Herman changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stonner is looking to stand back up but Herman counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Stonner.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stonner wants to get back to his feet.
Stonner pushes Herman off but Herman dives into side control.

Stonner throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Walter Herman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stonner fails with an attempt to clinch.

Herman drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stonner is wriggling around but Herman manages to pass to half guard.

Stonner looks like he's trying to stand up.
Stonner is breathing heavily.
Herman content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Herman is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Stonner is staying active underneath Herman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Herman stops Stonner from getting back to his feet.
Stonner on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Herman stalling.
Stonner is trying to stand back up but Herman is controlling him
Herman seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stonner does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Herman controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stonner is trying to stand.
Ground and pound from Herman.
Herman is trying to control the action in half guard but Stonner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Stonner looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Stonner tries to sprawl but Herman drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Stonner is looking to get back to is feet but Herman passes into side control.
Herman happy to just control the position for now.
Herman advances to full mount.
Herman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
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 Walter Herman will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stonner tries to clinch but Herman moves away

and Herman counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Herman controlling the action here.
Stonner is trying to stand back up but Herman is controlling him

Stonner kicks off Herman and gets to his feet.
Stonner shoots in for a takedown but Herman shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stonner tries to close the distance and clinch but Herman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Herman seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

Herman gets a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Herman stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Stonner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Herman closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stonner misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Herman is trying to trip Stonner. He has hold of a leg but Stonner is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Herman persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Stonner is looking to stand back up but Herman counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Stonner.

Herman content to control rather than advance.
Stonner tries to get to full guard but Herman has control of the leg.

Herman is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Herman is controlling the pace.
Stonner is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herman performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Herman wants to take a breather but Stonner is having none of it.
Stonner looks like he's trying to stand up.

Herman is looking for a kimura here.
Stonner is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herman wants to pass to mount but Stonner is defending the position.
Herman seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Herman controlling the pace.
Stonner pushes Herman off looking to stand but Herman dives back in and keeps control.
Herman trying to control the action but Stonner is working from the bottom.
Herman is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Stonner is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Stonner wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Herman on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Stonner gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Herman to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Stonner scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Stonner with that takedown attempt.

Herman gets a takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stonner is staying active underneath Herman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Herman is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Stonner is looking to escape.
Ricky Stonner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walter Herman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Herman perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Walter Herman showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Herman, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Walter Herman!
Walter Herman spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.