PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alek Gimble (ranked 4744 p4p, 4417 weight class) and Dustin Hernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 450 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.

Gimble
vs
Hernandez

177 cm
25
150
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
154
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
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 Tokyo, Alek Gimble!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dustin Hernandez!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gimble avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Hernandez gets a clinch.
Gimble looking to slow down the pace here.
Gimble keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hernandez's efforts to push away.
Hernandez lands with a short shot to the head.
Gimble tries to pull guard but Hernandez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Hernandez lands with a right to the head.
A short uppercut from Hernandez.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gimble misses the shot to the body.
Hernandez wants to clinch up but Gimble keeps it at a distance.
An attempted straight right counter from Gimble misses the target.
Gimble loads up on a big right hand but Hernandez slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gimble lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hernandez circles away quickly and effectively.
Gimble throws a big shot that misses.
Hernandez blocks a jab.

Hernandez has closed the distance and engaged Gimble in a clinch.
Gimble taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hernandez working hard to break the clinch.
Gimble content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gimble has Hernandez pressed against the cage, preventing Hernandez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hernandez tries to break free but Gimble pushes him back against the cage.

Gimble breaks the clinch.

Hernandez has managed to clinch.
Hernandez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hernandez.
Hernandez letting Gimble take a breather here.
Gimble misses with a punch on the inside.
Gimble is looking to control Hernandez's arms but Hernandez gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gimble has his back to the cage.

Gimble pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Gimble feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Hernandezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hernandez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hernandez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gimble throws out the jab.
Gimble throws a shot from downtown. Hernandez moves away and avoids it.
Gimble lands the left hand.

Hernandez closes the distance and clinches.
Hernandez misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gimble connects with a jab.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gimble stalks Hernandez and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hernandez's face. Hernandez staggers backwards, shaken.
Gimble connects with a single shot there.
Gimble throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hernandez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gimble swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Gimble throws a jab when Hernandez was well out of range.
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Gimble circles away.
Hernandez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gimble circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hernandez has closed the distance and engaged Gimble in a clinch.
Gimble looking to stall.
Gimble fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Gimble breaks the clinch.
Hernandez moves in looking to clinch but Gimble pushes him off.

Gimble gets tackled into the cage by Hernandez. Hernandez maintains the clinch.
Gimble tries to pull guard but Hernandez holds him up against the cage and eventually Gimble drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alek Gimble. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gimble tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gimble manages to break the clinch.
Gimble throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hernandez counters with a nice body shot.
Gimble throws a looping overhand right but Hernandez ducks down to avoid it.
Gimble throws out a loose jab but Hernandez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hernandez is looking to clinch but Gimble is avoiding it.

Hernandez clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Hernandez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gimble tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hernandez can't break the clinch.
Hernandez has had enough of the clinch but Gimble keeps him there for the moment.

Gimble escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hernandez moves away from the strike by Gimble.
Hernandez lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Gimble throws a jab but it's blocked by Hernandez.

Hernandez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gimble is looking to control Hernandez's arms but Hernandez gets an underhook and turns him. Now Gimble has his back to the cage.
Hernandez digs a right hand underneath Gimble's ribcage. Gimble let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Hernandez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hernandez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble is having none of it.
Jab from Gimble.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hernandez walks into a left hand.
Gimble throws a hook but Hernandez blocks it.
Gimble scores with a jab.
Gimble tries to bum rush Hernandez with a series of wild strikes but Hernandez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gimble tries to bum rush Hernandez with a series of wild strikes but Hernandez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hernandez lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble is having none of it.
Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gimble swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Hernandez forces Gimble back against the cage and clinches.

Hernandez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Gimble circles away.
Hernandez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hernandez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gimble.
Hernandez tries to clinch up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alek Gimble dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Dustin Hernandez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hernandez has managed to clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Hernandez throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gimbles head.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Alek Gimble seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hernandez slips under a jab from Gimble.
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Gimble circles away.

Hernandez gets a clinch.

Gimble breaks from the clinch.
Hernandez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gimble.

Hernandez forces Gimble back against the cage and clinches.
Gimble is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hernandez wants to break free but Gimble has control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gimble breaks the clinch.

Hernandez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gimble, pushing him back against the cage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hernandez as Gimble tries to tie him up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hernandez.
Gimble swings wildly with an uppercut but Hernandez uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gimble escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gimble paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble is having none of it.
It looked like Gimble wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Gimble pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Hernandez clinches up with Gimble and pushes him back against the cage.

Gimble's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hernandez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gimble was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hernandez is looking to clinch but Gimble is avoiding it.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble is having none of it.
Hernandez tries to clinch up.
Hernandez fails in his attempt to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Gimble.
Gimble wants to slow Hernandez down by chopping away at his legs.

Hernandez darts in and clinches Gimble up against the cage.
Gimble tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gimble is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hernandez is keeping busy.

Hernandez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gimble throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gimble misses with a body shot.
Gimble circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Gimble circles away.
Hernandez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gimble throws out the jab.
Hernandez blocks a jab.

Hernandez pushes Gimble up against the cage in a clinch.
Gimble is trying to pull guard but Hernandez turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alek Gimble. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hernandez as Gimble tries to tie him up.
Hernandez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Gimble breaks the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A swing and a miss from Gimble.
Hernandez wants to clinch.
Gimble listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gimble swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alek Gimble is winning the standup battle so far.
Hernandez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gimble is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hernandez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gimble.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hernandez! But no joy.
A jab from Gimble misses.
Hernandez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hernandez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Gimble rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Hernandez counters with a one-two to the body.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.
Hernandez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble moves out of range.

Hernandez rushes Gimble and presses him up against the cage.
Gimble jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hernandez walks away with a smile on his face. Gimble gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hernandez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gimble.
Hernandez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gimble looks to throw the jab but Hernandez is out of range.
A swing and a miss from Gimble.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gimble throws out a loose jab but Hernandez uses good head movement to avoid it.

Hernandez clinches up against the cage.
Gimble tries to pull guard but Hernandez won't allow it.

Gimble's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gimble throws a poor cross that misses
and Hernandez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Gimble is rocked!
Hernandez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gimble manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Oh Gimble is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hernandez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gimble manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gimble avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gimble seems to have got his legs back now.

Hernandez rushes Gimble and presses him up against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hernandez as Gimble tries to tie him up.
Hernandez misses with a punch to the body.
Gimble fails to pull guard.
Hernandez is trying to break free.
Gimble has Hernandez pressed against the cage, preventing Hernandez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hernandez is trying to break the clinch but Gimble has him pressed against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Alek Gimble will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gimble swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gimble throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hernandez sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Hernandez has Gimble up against the cage in a clinch.
Gimble jumps guard but Hernandez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hernandez jumps guard but Gimble turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Gimble breaks the clinch.
Gimble throws a lazy right hand but Hernandez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hernandez tries to clinch there but Gimble circles away.
Gimble is looking to counter punch.
Gimble misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hernandez.
Gimble misses with a hook.
Hernandez is looking to clinch but Gimble is avoiding it.
Hernandez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gimble.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hernandez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gimble manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hernandez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gimble, pushing him back against the cage.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gimble swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gimble throws an off balance right hand
and Hernandez counters with a left to the body.
Gimble avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.

Hernandez closes the distance and clinches.
Dustin Hernandez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Gimble pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez moves out of range as Gimble strikes.
Hernandez tries to clinch but Gimble moves out of range.
Gimble misses with a left hand
enabling Hernandez to counter with a crisp jab.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.
It looked like Gimble wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Gimble scores with a jab.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
It looked like Gimble wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Hernandez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gimble.
Hernandez slips a straight right by Gimble.

Hernandez clinches with his opponent.
Hernandez tries to break free but Gimble pushes him back against the cage.
Gimble throws a punch but it's blocked by Hernandez.

Gimble breaks the clinch.

Hernandez clinches up with Gimble and pushes him back against the cage.
The referee calls for Gimble to work.

Gimble breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gimble lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hernandez tries to clinch up.

Hernandez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Hernandez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hernandez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gimble throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hernandez sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Hernandez has Gimble up against the cage in a clinch.

Hernandez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gimble throws a jab but it's blocked by Hernandez.
Hernandez unleashes a big counter combination but Gimble bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Gimble with a jab.
Hernandez wants to clinch up but Gimble keeps it at a distance.
Gimble throws a looping overhand right but Hernandez ducks down to avoid it.
Hernandez tries to clinch up but Gimble circles away and keeps his distance.
Gimble throws a big shot that misses.
Hernandez slips under a jab.
Gimble looks to land a left hand but Hernandez moved out of range nicely.
It seemed like Hernandez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez doesn't manage to clinch there - Gimble circles away.
It looked like Gimble wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Hernandez is looking to clinch.
Gimble throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hernandez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Alek Gimble is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hernandez moves in looking to clinch but Gimble pushes him off.
Hernandez wants to clinch.
Hernandez tries to clinch up.
Gimble misses with a hook. Hernandez ducked under it nicely.
Gimble circles away from the clinch attempt.

Hernandez darts in and clinches Gimble up against the cage.
Hernandez lands with a short shot to the head.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hernandez tries to clinch up but Gimble circles away and keeps his distance.

Hernandez takes the fight into the clinch.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gimble misses with a looping right.

Hernandez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hernandez wants to break free but Gimble has control.
Gimble misses with a punch on the inside.
Hernandez is trying to push Gimble away but Gimble has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Gimble breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hernandez has closed the distance and engaged Gimble in a clinch.
Hernandez pushes Gimble back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Gimble pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez tries to clinch up.
Gimble tries to bum rush Hernandez with a series of wild strikes but Hernandez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Hernandez clinches with his opponent.
Hernandez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gimble backwards.
Hernandez tries a body shot but Gimble blocks it.
Dustin Hernandez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gimble breaks the clinch.
Gimble keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alek Gimble.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gimble, 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!