PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damon Hands (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brendan Schaub (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brendan Schaub has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hands
vs
Schaub

177 cm
18
280 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

193 cm
21
240 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Damon Hands!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Brendan Schaub!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schaub shoots in but no luck this time.
Schaub throws a right hand that Hands ducks under and follows up with a left that Hands also avoids with ease.
Hands swats away the attempt to clinch by Schaub.
The fight stays on the outside here - Schaub looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Brendan Schaub seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Schaub tries to clinch up.
Schaub throws a looping overhand right but Hands ducks down to avoid it.
Schaub is looking to clinch but Hands is avoiding it.
Hands avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Schaub tries to clinch up but Hands circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hands tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Schaub was well out of range. Poor timing from Hands.
Hands lands with an uppercut that bounces Schaub off the cage and back into rage.

Hands clinches.
Hands wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schaub tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hands drops down looking for an ankle pick but Schaub pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hands misses with a wild body shot.
Hands tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Schaub swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damon Hands. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Schaub fails with an attempt to clinch.
Schaub with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hands counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hands.
Schaub is pressed up against the cage. Hands has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Schaub down to the mat. Schaub avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hands really is a fat lump.
Schaub shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hands counters by moving into the clinch.
Hands is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Schaub gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Schaub looking to slow down the pace here.
Hands tries to pull guard but Schaub won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schaub avoiding damage as Hands throws knees to the body.

Hands escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Schaub doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hands counters by moving into the clinch.
Hands tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Schaub smiles and moves away.
Schaub wants to clinch up but Hands keeps it at a distance.
Sloppy strikes from Schaub. Those never looked like landing.
Hands takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hands goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schaub tries for a takedown but Hands circles away easily

and Hands counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Schaub looks gassed!
Schaub tries to get to full guard but Hands has control of the leg.
Hands wants to pass the guard but Schaub is defending well.
Schaub trying to control here.
Hands thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Schaub trying to control but Hands postures up.
Hands sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Schaub defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hands trying to control from half guard but Schaub is working away.
Hands sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Hands gets a clinch.
Schaub blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Schaub drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hands gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hands stops a takedown attempt from Schaub.
Schaub gets underhooks to prevent Hands's takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hands displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Hands feints and as Schaub raises his hands in defense, Hands changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hands stays in close to Schaub's body and controls the position.
Hands wants to control from the top but Schaub keeps moving.
Hands throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Schaub is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Schaub wants to stand up but Hands is controlling the position.
Schaub is breathing heavily.

Schaub seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hands wants to get back to full guard.
Hands pushes Schaub off looking to stand but Schaub dives back in and keeps control.
Hands is not content to let Schaub control the position.
Hands trying to hold on to Schaub's head to control him but Schaub postures up.
Hands is looking to improve his position.
Hands missing with punches from the bottom.
Schaub winds up and cracks Hands with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hands is staying active underneath Schaub, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hands tries to get to full guard but Schaub has control of the leg.
Schaub trying to control from half guard but Hands is working away.
Schaub is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Hands is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hands tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schaub wants to take a breather but Hands is having none of it.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Schaub in particular looking to stall.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Brendan Schaub hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Hands clinches.
Hands stalling in the clinch but Schaub improves position.
Hands jumps guard but Schaub stands there with Hands around his waist. Hands gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hands has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Schaub avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Schaub successfully pulls guard.
Schaub keeping moving, preventing Hands from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schaub manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Schaub stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Schaub delivers a nice body kick.
Schaub shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hands moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brendan Schaub will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Schaub is looking to clinch.
Hands misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Schaub.
Hands throws a sloppy head kick and Schaub moves out of range easily.
Hands misses with a two punch combination.
Hands misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A head kick misses from Schaub.
Hands doesn't manage to clinch there - Schaub circles away.
Schaub with a poor takedown

and Hands decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Schaub's guard.
Hands throwing strikes from guard but Schaub blocks nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Schaub is trying to keep Hands in close.
Hands might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hands wants to get up but he can't break Schaub's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hands trying to control the position from guard on top but Schaub is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Schaub wants to stand up but Hands is controlling him.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Schaub looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Schaub keeping moving, preventing Hands from controlling successfully.
Hands is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Schaub is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Damon Hands wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hands circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hands holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Schaub wants to get back to striking at distance but Hands won't allow it.
Hands drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hands fails to pull guard.
Schaub on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hands has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Schaub is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damon Hands. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hands's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Schaub lets loose with a powerful body kick. Hands will feel that in the morning.
Schaub has his takedown stuffed

so Hands counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hands wants to control from the top but Schaub keeps moving.

Schaub looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hands throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Schaub avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hands trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hands wants to control from the top but Schaub keeps moving.
Schaub wants to sweep but no luck.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Schaub is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hands has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hands wanted to stand there but Schaub had control of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damon Hands showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hands has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damon Hands!