PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Piotr Hermano (ranked 2660 p4p, 258 weight class) and Zhan Dhelan (ranked 2912 p4p, 271 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hermano
vs
Dhelan

168 cm
26
150 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

150 cm
20
145 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Piotr Hermano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zhan Dhelan!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Alyssa Summers and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hermano swats away the attempt to clinch by Dhelan.
Dhelan tries to clinch up
enabling Hermano to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Zhan Dhelan has been cut.
Dhelan's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hermano connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Dhelan scrambles back to his feet.
Hermano avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dhelan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hermano manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hermano connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Hermano lands an overhand right.
Dhelan is looking to clinch but Hermano is avoiding it.
Hermano swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hermano is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Dhelan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dhelan tries to clinch up but Hermano circles away and keeps his distance.
Decent striking displayed by Hermano there.

Dhelan darts in and clinches Hermano up against the cage.
Hermano scores with a nice hook to the head.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Dhelan has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hermano working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Dhelan trying to control the position but instead, Hermano has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dhelan into the cage.
Hermano lands a right hand that snaps the head of Dhelan backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hermano tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hermano tries to throw a body punch but Dhelan avoids it by throwing Hermano back against the cage.
Hermano softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dhelan presses Hermano against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Hermano is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hermano lands with a left to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hermano misses with some punches.
Hermano stalling.
Dhelan drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dhelan avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Hermano fails to land.

Hermano manages to break the clinch.

Dhelan closes the distance and clinches.
Dhelan misses with a body punch.
Dhelan is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hermano is defending well.
Dhelan lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Dhelan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hermano lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Hermano slows down the pace here.

Hermano pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hermano looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Dhelan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Dhelan drives through and clinches with Hermano against the cage.
Dhelan misses with a body punch.
Dhelan tries to throw a body punch but Hermano avoids it by throwing Dhelan back against the cage.
Hermano misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dhelan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hermano pushes Dhelan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dhelan.
Hermano struggles to land a body shot inside as Dhelan controls his hands.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dhelan.
Hermano fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dhelan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dhelan can't get the takedown.
Piotr Hermano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zhan Dhelan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hermano throws a punch but it's blocked by Dhelan.
Dhelan looking for a takedown.
Dhelan blocks an uppercut.
Hermano pushes Dhelan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Hermano slowing the pace effectively.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hermano.
Dhelan has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hermano avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Dhelan swings wildly with an uppercut but Hermano uses good head movement to avoid it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Dhelan misses with a punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hermano.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hermano taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piotr Hermano dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zhan Dhelan's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Dhelan moves in looking to clinch but Hermano pushes him off.
Hermano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dhelan manages to avoid it.
Dhelan moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Dhelan wants to clinch up but Hermano keeps it at a distance.
A counter left hand to the body from Hermano misses its target.

Hermano darts in and clinches Dhelan up against the cage.
Hermano lands a body punch in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hermano - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Dhelan lands a right hand.
A short right from Dhelan.
Hermano prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hermano doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hermano lands a right hand that snaps the head of Dhelan backwards.
Nice body punch from Hermano - that landed with a thud.
Dhelan misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dhelan trying to control the position but instead, Hermano has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dhelan into the cage.
Hermano lands a right hand.
Hermano content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hermano throws a punch but it's blocked by Dhelan.
Hermano's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Hermano wants the takedown. Dhelan is fighting it off but Hermano persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Dhelan's guard against the cage.
Hermano has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dhelan is proving hard to escape from.

Dhelan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hermano defends it easily.
Dhelan 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hermano wants to control from the top but Dhelan keeps moving.
Hermano working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hermano is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Hermano advances position into side control!
Dhelan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dhelan on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Hermano wants to stand but Dhelan has his arm trapped.
Hermano is looking to take a break and control but Dhelan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dhelan tries to improve position but can't.
Hermano will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan can't do much from the bottom here.
Dhelan is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hermano off and has taken his back!
Hermano wants to get back to his feet.
Hermano trying to control the action but Dhelan just sinks the hooks in.

Dhelan is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Hermano is defending well though. Dhelan let's go of the attempt for now.

Dhelan patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Dhelan controlling well, preventing Hermano from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dhelan working for the choke.
Dhelan avoiding Hermano 's attempts to control his hands.

Hermano preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Dhelan.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dhelan is looking for the choke from the back position but Hermano is controlling his hands well.
Hermano rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Piotr Hermano dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zhan Dhelan's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hermano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dhelan manages to avoid it.
Hermano is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dhelan.
Dhelan looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hermano misses with a body shot.
Hermano is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dhelan can do to turn this around?

Hermano clinches.
The referee calls for Hermano to work.
Hermano scores with an uppercut up the middle.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dhelan.
Dhelan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hermano misses with a body punch.
Dhelan tries to throw a body punch but Hermano avoids it by throwing Dhelan back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dhelan tries a body shot but Hermano blocks it.
Dhelan has a couple of punches blocked by Hermano.
Hermano just leaning against Dhelan, taking a breather.
Hermano dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hermano.
Dhelan stalling in the clinch but Hermano improves position.
Hermano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Hermano manages to pull guard.
Hermano looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hermano has control of Dhelan's left arm, preventing Dhelan from doing any damage.
Dhelan pushing down on Hermano's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Dhelan is trying for a kimura here. Hermano looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Dhelan wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Zhan Dhelan!
After the fight, Zhan Dhelan was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.