PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frank Hernandez (ranked 55 p4p, 242 weight class) and James River (ranked 6 p4p, 28 weight class). Hernandez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Journey - Only The Young. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Hernandez
vs
River

170 cm
28
147
19 - 2 - 0

170 cm
24
147
11 - 3 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer
Conviction

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 19 - 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 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, James River !
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hernandez takes a swing at River 's ribcage but misses.
River uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hernandez.
River moves forwards but Hernandez connects with a nice, crisp jab.

River drives through and clinches with Hernandez against the cage.
River is struggling to control the position.

River ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. River no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
River is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hernandez scoring with punches to the head and body.
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.

River working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hernandez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hernandez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

River has his foot on Hernandez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hernandez works his way back into a safe position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River keeping full guard, as Hernandez tries to pass.
River can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hernandez controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hernandez wants to control from the top but River keeps moving.
River is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hernandez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hernandez connects with a couple of short punches.
Hernandez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hernandez looking to pass the guard.
Hernandez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
River wants to control but Hernandez passes easily into half guard.
Hernandez with the ground and pound but River uses the opportunity to regain guard.

River throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hernandez tries to free his leg and advance position but River is retaining full guard.
Hernandez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of River 's head.
Hernandez wants to control from the top but River keeps moving.
Hernandez with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hernandez working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River trying to control the position.
Hernandez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

River has his foot on Hernandez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hernandez works his way back into a safe position though.

River looking for subs off his back but Hernandez has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hernandez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but River does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hernandez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

River looking for submissions off his back.

River looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez working over River with some ground and pound. River looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hernandez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks River with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
River is trying to control but Hernandez manages to pass to mount!
The referee warns River that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hernandez pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hernandez landing strikes from the mount and River is in trouble!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hernandez is landing with some decent strikes but River is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The referee warns River that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hernandez is landing with some decent strikes but River is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
River gets back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Hernandez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Hernandez stuns River with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
River comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
River takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Hernandez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but River was well out of range. Poor timing from Hernandez.
River ducks under a wild hook from Hernandez.
Hernandez misses with a body punch
and River counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hernandez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but River was well out of range. Poor timing from Hernandez.
River throws a counter combo.
River getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
River throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hernandez looks to land a right hand but River moved out of range.
River throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hernandez counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
River fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hernandez manages to avoid it.
Hernandez circles away from the clinch attempt.
River tries to clinch but Hernandez moves out of range.
Hernandez throwing a counter right hand but River manages to avoid it.
River walks into a stiff left hand from Hernandez.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hernandez feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits River s jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
River throws a shot from downtown. Hernandez moves away and avoids it.
Hernandez takes a swing at River 's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hernandez slips a jab from River .
James River seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hernandez scores with a punch to the head.
A cross from Hernandez lands.
River paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Hernandez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for River !

Hernandez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
River tries to bench press Hernandez off him but Hernandez keeps the position.
Hernandez is working River over with some ground and pound from side control.
Hernandez is looking to take a break and control but River is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
River struggling a bit here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hernandez trying to control the action but River is working from the bottom.
Hernandez working away.
Hernandez trying to control the action but River is working from the bottom.
Hernandez scoring with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear River down.
Hernandez scoring with punches and elbows.
Hernandez working away.
Frank Hernandez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hernandez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that River can do to turn this around?
Hernandez cracks River with a big elbow.
River gets back to half guard.

Hernandez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
River wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

River looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Hernandez pushes past his half guard into mount!
River tries to hold on but Hernandez pushes him away.
Hernandez working the ground and pound effectively.
River in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Hernandez working the ground and pound effectively.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
River tries to hold on but Hernandez postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Hernandez dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hernandez scores with a body shot.
River with a poor takedown
and Hernandez counters with a straight right hand.
Hernandez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
River throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hernandez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nice uppercut lands for Hernandez. That snapped River 's head back.
Hernandez connects with a body shot.
Hernandez misses with an uppercut
and River counters with a straight right hand.
River waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hernandez.

Hernandez clinches up against the cage.
Hernandez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hernandez lands an uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
River lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hernandez backwards.
Hernandez tries to work over River 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hernandez blocks a body shot from River .
Hernandez tries a body shot but River blocks it.
River misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hernandez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hernandez tries a body shot but River blocks it.
Hernandez lands a left hand that snaps the head of River backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

River gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Hernandez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hernandez looking for a sweep. Not yet Hernandez, not yet.
Hernandez lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

River is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hernandez is aware though and is defending well.
Hernandez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hernandez is working River over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

River throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
River has momentary wrist control but Hernandez slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hernandez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hernandez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

River looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Hernandez is defending well. River quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Hernandez has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! River celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). James River !
James River is the new featherweight champion!
After winning the bout, James River thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Frank Hernandez was interviewed post fight and said 'Good fight. I needed to do more tonight.'.