PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hanno Van Der Merwe (ranked 5757 p4p, 566 weight class) and Tekle Asrat (ranked 5790 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Van Der Merwe
vs
Asrat

165 cm
24
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Dangerous GnP
Counter fighter
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hanno Van Der Merwe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tekle Asrat!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asrat connects with a good right hand that stumbles Van Der Merwe. Van Der Merwe circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Van Der Merwe instigates a clinch.
Van Der Merwe slowing the pace effectively.
Asrat tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Van Der Merwe smiles and moves away.
Van Der Merwe throws a body kick that misses.
Asrat looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Asrat connects with a crisp jab.
Van Der Merwe takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Van Der Merwe.
Asrat holds on to Van Der Merwe's head and controls the position momentarily.
Asrat can't do much from the bottom here.
Asrat is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Der Merwe working the ground and pound but Asrat is defending the strikes.
A control attempt from Asrat but he's now mounted!
Van Der Merwe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Asrat is looking to escape.
Van Der Merwe prevents Asrat from getting the reversal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Der Merwe controlling from the full mount.
Van Der Merwe could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Asrat looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Der Merwe throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Asrat is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Van Der Merwe.
Asrat trying to control the action but Van Der Merwe just sinks the hooks in.
Asrat really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Van Der Merwe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Van Der Merwe controlling the position well here. Asrat rolled but Van Der Merwe kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asrat wants to escape the position.

Van Der Merwe has managed to slip his arm under Asrat's chin. This could be all over... yep, Asrat is tapping out! Submission win for Van Der Merwe.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Hanno Van Der Merwe!