PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frank Hernandez (ranked 227 p4p, 609 weight class) and Ernesto Romero (ranked 23 p4p, 56 weight class). Hernandez's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Journey - Only The Young. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hernandez
vs
Romero

170 cm
26
147
14 - 2 - 0

165 cm
33
156
16 - 8 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conquer
Conviction

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Uncle Rufus Clothing .Co

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Frank Hernandez!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ernesto Romero!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Phil Schofield and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Romero rushes Hernandez and presses him up against the cage.
Romero throws a head punch that misses.
Hernandez can't get the takedown.
Hernandez blocks an uppercut.
Romero lands with a light punch inside.

Hernandez gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hernandez misses with a head shot. Romero uses the momentum to regain guard.
Hernandez is stalling in the full guard.
Hernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romero will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hernandez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Romero's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Hernandez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Romero works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Romero pushes Hernandez off and scrambles back to his feet.
Romero closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hernandez counters with a nice uppercut.
Romero tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hernandez tries to counter with a takedown but Romero is quick to defend against it.
Hernandez keeps the fight on the outside.
Romero looks to land a left hand but Hernandez moved out of range nicely.
Hernandez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Romero sprawls and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero is looking to clinch.

Romero pushes Hernandez up against the cage in a clinch.
Hernandez jumps guard but Romero turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Romero working aggressively here.
Hernandez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Romero escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Romero wants to clinch but Hernandez slips to the side

and Hernandez counters with a shoot takedown. Romero fights it but they end up in guard.
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!
Hernandez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Romero is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Romero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Romero really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hernandez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hernandez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hernandez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hernandez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hernandez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hernandez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hernandez 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.
Hernandez looking to pass the guard.
Hernandez throwing strikes from guard but Romero blocks nicely.
Hernandez seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Romero keeping moving, preventing Hernandez from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ernesto Romero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hernandez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Romero fails with an attempt to clinch.
Romero is looking to clinch.

Romero closes the distance and pushes Hernandez back into the cage.
Hernandez tries to pull guard but Romero forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch on the inside from Romero fails to land.
Hernandez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Romero working aggressively here.
Romero tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Romero misses with a short punch on the inside.

Hernandez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Romero tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hernandez swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Romero forces Hernandez back against the cage and clinches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ernesto Romero will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Romero tries to clinch up but Hernandez circles away and keeps his distance.
Hernandez tries to counter with a takedown but Romero is quick to defend against it.
Romero tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hernandez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Romero wants to clinch.
Romero closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hernandez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Romero won't be happy with that.
Sloppy strikes there by Hernandez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romero is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Hernandez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Romero is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hernandez misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Romero closes the distance and clinches.
Hernandez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Romero throws a head punch that misses.
Hernandez is trying to break the clinch but Romero is controlling him.
Hernandez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Romero lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Romero misses with some punches.
Romero misses with the head strike.
Hernandez can't get the takedown.
Romero's coach down at MMA Training and Sparring Buddies was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Romero's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Romero lands with a right to the head.
Romero prevents Hernandez from breaking the clinch.

Hernandez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Romero tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hernandez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hernandez feinted with a counter takedown.

Romero drives through and clinches with Hernandez against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hernandez gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hernandez is looking to take a break and control but Romero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hernandez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Romero's head.
Hernandez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hernandez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Romero does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Romero wants to get back to his feet.
Hernandez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hernandez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hernandez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Hernandez throwing shots but Romero is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hernandez.
Romero keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hernandez lands strikes from half guard.

Hernandez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Romero is just riding it out for now. Hernandez eventually gives up the hold.
Hernandez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Romero defending well though.
Hernandez not doing much here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Romero can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hernandez trying to control the action but Romero is working from the bottom.
Frank Hernandez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hernandez working the head and body with strikes.
Hernandez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Hernandez not doing much here.

Hernandez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Romero sees it coming and defends easily.
Romero avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hernandez.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Hernandez dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Romero is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice straight punches there by Hernandez. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Hernandez.
Hernandez swats away the attempt to clinch by Romero.
Romero is looking to clinch.
Hernandez getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Romero tries to clinch there but Hernandez circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romero is looking to clinch but Hernandez is avoiding it.
Hernandez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Romero sprawls and moves away.
Romero tries to clinch but Hernandez moves out of range.
Romero tries to clinch up.
Hernandez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Romero tries to clinch but Hernandez moves out of range.
Hernandez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Romero as Hernandez shoots in.
Romero tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hernandez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hernandez attempts a counter takedown but Romero avoids it well and moves away.
Romero tries to clinch up but Hernandez circles away and keeps his distance.

Hernandez scores with a takedown into Romero's guard.
Hernandez is looking to work some ground and pound but Romero has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hernandez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Romero wants to stand but Hernandez is controlling the position.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hernandez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hernandez throwing strikes but missing.
Hernandez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Hernandez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez throwing strikes but missing.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Romero is looking to clinch.
Hernandez changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Romero wants to clinch but Hernandez slips to the side
and Hernandez counters with a stiff right hand.
Romero is looking to clinch but Hernandez is avoiding it.
Romero tries to clinch up.
Romero is looking to clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hernandez or perhaps it was just good defense by Romero, which made it look bad.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Romero! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Hernandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Romero looks to land a right hand but Hernandez moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero wants to clinch.
Ernesto Romero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Romero doesn't manage to clinch there - Hernandez circles away.
Romero cracks Hernandez with a good jab.
Frank Hernandez is winning the standup battle so far.
Romero throws a big shot that misses.
Hernandez tries to counter with a takedown but Romero is quick to defend against it.
Romero tries to clinch but Hernandez moves out of range.
Romero tries to close the distance and clinch but Hernandez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Romero tries to clinch up but Hernandez circles away and keeps his distance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Romero stuffs the takedown attempt from Hernandez. Hernandez gets slowly back to his feet.
Hernandez lands a nice looking body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Hernandez clearly takes that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hernandez keeps the fight on the outside.
Hernandez tries to counter with a takedown but Romero is quick to defend against it.
Romero tries to clinch there but Hernandez circles away.
Romero darts in trying to clinch

and Hernandez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Romero wants to get back to his feet but Hernandez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hernandez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Romero wants to stand up but Hernandez is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Romero is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hernandez passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Romero!
Romero trying desperately to get to his feet.
Hernandez trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Hernandez looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hernandez tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Romero is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Romero holds of for dear life.
Hernandez trying to control but Romero is having none of it.

Hernandez is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Romero can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero tries to hold on but Hernandez pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hernandez landing shots from mount.
Hernandez landing shots from mount.
Hernandez lands a nice shot to the head.
Hernandez connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Romero is rocked!

Romero has left one of his arms exposed and Hernandez doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Romero screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Frank Hernandez!
Frank Hernandez is the new featherweight champion!
An out of breath Frank Hernandez thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.