PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Yusuf Hurst (ranked 4035 p4p, 5064 weight class) and Dominick Hernandez (ranked 288 p4p, 0 weight class). Yusuf Hurst had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Hurst
vs
Hernandez

175 cm
18
145
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
140
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yusuf Hurst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dominick Hernandez!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hurst shoots in and bounces Hernandez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hurst showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hurst throws a big elbow that misses.
Hurst has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hernandez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hurst 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hernandez keeping full guard, as Hurst tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hurst is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Hurst stands up from Hernandez's guard - Hurst perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hernandez shoots in but no luck this time.

Hurst dives in and scores a takedown into Hernandez's guard.
Hernandez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hurst trying to control the position from guard on top but Hernandez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hurst lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hurst sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Hernandez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hernandez trying to control the position.

Hurst stands up from Hernandez's guard - Hurst perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hernandez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hurst paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hurst swats away the attempt to clinch by Hernandez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez fails to land the takedown.

Hernandez gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hurst to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Hernandez wriggles free and stands up.
Hernandez shoots for a double leg takedown but Hurst sprawls well. He's pushed Hernandez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Yusuf Hurst has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dominick Hernandez.
Hernandez looks winded!
Hernandez darts in looking for a takedown but Hurst gets double underhooks and turns Hernandez into the cage.

Hurst changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hernandez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!

Hurst throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hernandez was covering up waiting for the punch and Hurst finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hurst is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Hurst trying to control but Hernandez is working from the bottom.
Hurst trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Hurst decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Yusuf Hurst will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hurst throws a nice looking combination but Hernandez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hernandez unleashes a big counter combination but Hurst bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
A low kick lands for Hernandez.
Hernandez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hurst appears to be looking for a big counter.

Hurst shoots in and gets a takedown into Hernandez's guard.
Hurst is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hurst trying to control but Hernandez is working from the bottom.
Hurst not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hurst stands up and waves to Hernandez to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez walks into a jab.
Hurst doesn't manage to clinch there - Hernandez circles away.
Hernandez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hurst is fending him off so far but Hernandez persists. Nope, Hurst circles away and we're back to standing.
Hernandez just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHurst.
Hernandez is breathing heavily.

Hurst moves into range and clinches up with Hernandez.

Hurst jumps guard and drags Hernandez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hernandez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hurst is keeping the position for now.
Hurst is striking from the bottom but Hernandez uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Hernandez wants to pass to mount but Hurst is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez prevents Hurst from improving his position.
Hernandez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Hernandez stands up from half guard.
Hurst is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hernandez can do to turn this around?

Hurst clinches with his opponent.

Hurst has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hernandez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hurst throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hurst really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Hernandez.
Hurst not allowing Hernandez to control his hands.
Hurst trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Hernandez doesn't escape.
Hernandez just trying to survive but Hurst is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Hurst biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hernandez just trying to survive but Hurst is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Hurst has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Hernandez trying to control the hands but Hurst breaks the grip.
A lull in the action here.

Hurst looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Hernandez is controlling Hurst 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hurst trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yusuf Hurst dominated that second round.
That's time! Hurst's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hernandez pushes Hurst up against the cage in a clinch.

Hurst pulls Hernandez into guard.
Hurst wants to improve his position but instead Hernandez has moved into half guard.
Hernandez trying to control from half guard but Hurst is working away.
Hurst is trying to control but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hernandez stops Hurst from getting back to his feet.
Hernandez working over Hurst with some ground and pound. Hurst looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Hernandez moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Hurst.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Hernandez in side control, throwing shots but Hurst defends.
You can see the frustration on Hurst's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Yusuf Hurst overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hernandez happy to just control the position for now.
Hurst is not content to let Hernandez control the position.
Hurst knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hernandez on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hurst tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hernandez trying to control the action but Hurst is working from the bottom.
Hurst is trying to control Hernandez's posture but Hernandez avoids it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez misses with a takedown attempt - Hurst sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Yusuf Hurst is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hernandez tries to sprawl but Hurst drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hurst seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hernandez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hernandez regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Hurst.
Hurst wants to control from the top but Hernandez keeps moving.
Hurst tries to stand but Hernandez is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hurst preventing the sweep.
Hurst postures up.
Hurst looking to pass the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hurst throws a lazy head kick
and Hernandez counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Hurst clinches up with Hernandez and pushes him back against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hurst drags the fight down to the ground.
Hernandez wants to control from the top but Hurst keeps moving.
Dominick Hernandez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yusuf Hurst is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hurst is trying to hold Hernandez in close to prevent damage but Hernandez has managed to pass into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dominick Hernandez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hurst has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yusuf Hurst!