PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Avila Alvarez (ranked 7483 p4p, 607 weight class) and Paha Hemmo (ranked 6351 p4p, 543 weight class). Alvarez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Barbarian by The Darkness. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Alvarez
vs
Hemmo

190 cm
34
180 lbs
16 - 26 - 1

174 cm
36
187 lbs
21 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 26 - 1, fighting out of London, Avila Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paha Hemmo!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hemmo but Hemmo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Alvarez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Alvarez delivers a nice body kick.
Alvarez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hemmo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Alvarez somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Avila Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hemmo connects with a single shot there.
Avila Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alvarez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Alvarez slips a jab from Hemmo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alvarez pushes Hemmo up against the cage in a clinch.
Hemmo dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hemmo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Alvarez's efforts to push away.

Hemmo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but Hemmo shows good takedown defense.

Alvarez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hemmo, pushing him back against the cage.
Alvarez misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Alvarez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hemmo works Alvarez's body with a nice hook.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hemmo wants to counter with a clinch but Alvarez pushes him away.

Alvarez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hemmo manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Alvarez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Alvarez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Alvarez throws a strike but Hemmo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Hemmo cracks Alvarez with a solid left hand.
Alvarez is looking to stand up but Hemmo isn't so interested in that idea.
Hemmo with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hemmo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

Alvarez feints and as Hemmo raises his hands in defense, Alvarez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hemmo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez throwing strikes from guard but Hemmo blocks nicely.
Hemmo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Our spies down at at Reggies inform us that Hemmo has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Alvarez throwing strikes but missing.
Alvarez is looking to work some ground and pound but Hemmo has wrist control.
Alvarez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hemmo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Alvarez advances to half guard.
Alvarez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hemmo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Alvarez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hemmo defending well though.
Alvarez thows a huge punch but Hemmo dodges it nicely.
Alvarez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvarez throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Hemmo to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Alvarez working some strikes from top position.
Alvarez throws a strike but Hemmo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Alvarez wants to stand up but Hemmo is controlling him.
Hemmo cracks Alvarez with a solid left hand.
Alvarez looking for a sweep. Not yet Alvarez, not yet.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Alvarez manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alvarez unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hemmo lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hemmo lands with a left to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A left and a right from Alvarez both land. Nice combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Alvarez!

It looks like Paha Hemmo has been cut.
Hemmo slaps away a takedown attempt from Alvarez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alvarez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Alvarez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hemmo swivels and escapes.
Hemmo wants to counter with a clinch but Alvarez pushes him away.
Avila Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hemmo misses with a looping left.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Hemmo is having none of it.

Alvarez throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hemmo was covering up waiting for the punch and Alvarez finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Alvarez throws a big right hand that misses.
Alvarez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hemmo pulls Alvarez in to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hemmo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Alvarez manages to get himself to full guard.

Alvarez is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Hemmo dives into side control.
Hemmo prevents Alvarez from escaping the position.
Hemmo in side control, throwing shots but Alvarez defends.
Alvarez dodges the ground and pound from Hemmo.
Alvarez taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Alvarez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hemmo misses with a wild body shot.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Avila Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hemmo swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Alvarez.
Hemmo on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Alvarez. Alvarez obviously looking to wear him down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Alvarez.

Alvarez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hemmo quickly recovers to half guard.
Alvarez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Avila Alvarez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Alvarez is looking for submissions but instead, Hemmo has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hemmo has control of Alvarez's left arm, preventing Alvarez from doing any damage.
Alvarez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Alvarez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hemmo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Alvarez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Alvarez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Hemmo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Alvarez has Hemmo in his guard.

Hemmo gets to his feet - Alvarez follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Alvarez misses.
Sloppy strikes from Hemmo. Those never looked like landing.
Hemmo throws a jab when Alvarez was well out of range.
Alvarez is looking to land body kicks.
A big left from Hemmo misses.
Hemmo slaps away a takedown attempt from Alvarez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alvarez moves out of range of the strikes.
Hemmo lands a jab to the nose.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paha Hemmo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Paha Hemmo's cut.
That's time! Alvarez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Alvarez avoids a punch combination nicely.
Alvarez scores with a kick to the midsection.
Hemmo misses with a straight right.
Alvarez is looking to counter with a body kick.
Paha Hemmo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hemmo as he jumps to the side.
Alvarez throws a series of punches but Hemmo moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Alvarez explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Alvarez manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hemmo on his heels. He'll look to pass Hemmo's guard now, I'm sure.
Hemmo pulls Alvarez in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez throws an elbow that misses. Hemmo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Alvarez's guard. Nice move by Hemmo!

Alvarez controls Hemmo momentarily but Hemmo frees himself.
Hemmo is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.
Hemmo stops Alvarez from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hemmo working some strikes from top position.
Alvarez wants to stand up but Hemmo is controlling him.
Hemmo postures up and lands a big shot to Alvarez's brow.
Hemmo cracks Alvarez with a solid left hand.
Hemmo won't allow Alvarez to get back to his feet.
Alvarez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Alvarez wants to stand up but Hemmo is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hemmo at a distance.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Hemmo in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Alvarez tries to clinch there but Hemmo circles away.
Alvarez tries for a takedown but Hemmo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Avila Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarez with a poor takedown

and Hemmo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hemmo.
Alvarez looking to throw knees to the head but Hemmo is blocking nicely.
Alvarez digs a right hand into Hemmo's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Hemmo's gas tank.
Alvarez throws an elbow but it misses.
Alvarez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Hemmo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Alvarez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hemmo.
Alvarez seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hemmo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Alvarez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hemmo circles away.
Hemmo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hemmo swings for the body but Alvarez moves out of range.
It appears Alvarez was looking to counter with a kick there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hemmo. Alvarez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Alvarez throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hemmo.
Hemmo misses with a looping right.
Alvarez is looking to clinch but Hemmo is avoiding it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hemmo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Alvarez.
Hemmo throws a right and a left that Alvarez avoids nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hemmo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paha Hemmo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hemmo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!