PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daren Herman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drum Road (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drum Road has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Herman
vs
Road

182 cm
20
193 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

188 cm
21
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Daren Herman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Drum Road!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Leandro Rodrigues and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herman stuffs the takedown.
Herman swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Road makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Herman really felt that one!
Drum Road seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Road tries for a takedown but Herman sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Herman takes one to the chin there.
Some wild striking there from Herman.
Road shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Herman defends it nicely.
Daren Herman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Drum Road.
Herman fails with a takedown attempt.
Herman defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Road.
Road goes for a double leg but Herman avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Herman continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Road blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Road comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Daren Herman has been cut.
Road is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Herman is defending well.
A hook to the body from Road.
Herman is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Herman wants to get back to striking at distance but Road won't allow it.
Herman tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Road just stands there and leans against the cage.
Road drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Road manages to pull guard.
Herman postures up.
Herman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Herman is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Road is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Road has escaped and now he's on top!
Road trying to control the position from guard on top but Herman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Herman has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Road has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Road unloads a knee to the mid-section.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Herman is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Road to keep the fight standing.

Road breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Herman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Road sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Herman closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Herman is breathing heavily.
Road wants to control but Herman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Herman tries to stand but can't do so whilst Road controls his leg.
Road is controlling Herman's position as best he can from this difficult position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Road is trying to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Drum Road was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Road listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Road has Herman up against the cage in a clinch.
Road stalling the fight.

Herman breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Road throws a series of punches but Herman avoids them all with ease.
Road dives in for a single leg takedown but Herman sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Herman landing knees to the body.
Road fails to pull guard.
Herman is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Herman tries to break free but Road pushes him back against the cage.
Road tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Herman just stands there and leans against the cage.
Road prevents Herman from breaking the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Road as the two fighters clinch.
Herman is trying to pull guard but Road turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Herman is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herman can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drum Road dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Daren Herman's cut.
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.

Herman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Road tries to sprawl but Herman drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Herman decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Road.
The fight stays on the outside here - Herman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Herman fails to land the takedown.
Road fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Road - that will leave a mark!
Herman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Road manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Herman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Herman closes the distance and clinches.
Herman tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Road smiles and moves away.
Herman takes a swing at Road's ribcage but misses.
Road stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daren Herman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Road shoots in for a takedown but Herman shows good takedown defense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Road shoots for a double leg takedown but Herman sprawls well. He's pushed Road's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A punch combination from Herman misses.
Road shoots in and drives through. Herman sprawls well.
Road lands a nice looking body kick.
Road throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Herman's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Herman duly obliges.
Herman shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Road closes the distance and clinches up with Herman, looking for a takedown. Road pushes Herman against the cage but Herman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Herman closes the distance but Road moves to the side
and Road counters with a big head kick but Herman shrugs it off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Road circles away from the clinch attempt.
Daren Herman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Road fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Herman manages to avoid it.
Road fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Herman tries for a takedown but Road sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Road has taken the fight to the clinch.
Herman has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Herman is pushing Road up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Road breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Road scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herman displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Road.
Herman tries to clinch up.

Road instigates a clinch.
Herman is trying to pull guard but Road turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Road jumps guard but Herman stands there with Road around his waist. Road gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Herman pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Herman darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daren Herman dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Daren Herman's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Herman tries to keep at a distance but Road has taken the fight into the clinch.
Herman fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Herman can't find room to land a body shot as Road controls the action.
Herman tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Road is working for takedown but Herman is calmly controlling the position for now.
Herman wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Road escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Herman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Road looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Herman is fending him off so far but Road persists. Nope, Herman circles away and we're back to standing.
Road is trying hard to land a takedown here. Herman sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Daren Herman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Drum Road.
Road takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Herman throws a head kick but Road moves out of range.

Road moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herman wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Road has him pressed against the cage.
Herman tries to land a knee to the head but Road blocks with his arms.
Road is stalling here.
Herman putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Road in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Herman misses with a hook to the ribs.

Road pulls guard effortlessly.
Road pulls Herman in close to prevent any damage.
Road is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Road has his hands on Herman's head, controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Drum Road.
Road shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Herman sprawls well. Herman wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Road gets slowly back to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Herman.

Herman has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Road blocks a head kick by Herman.
Road looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herman lands a nice leg kick that just misses Road's sensitive parts.
Herman goes for a double leg but Road avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Road continues to drive forward.

Road pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Herman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Herman wants to clinch up but Road keeps it at a distance.
Herman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Road but Road pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Herman misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Road throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Herman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Road ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Herman moves away.
Road shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Herman as he jumps to the side.
Herman shoots for a double leg takedown but Road sprawls well. He's pushed Herman's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Road fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Herman avoids it really well and circles away.
Road throws a right hand that Herman ducks under and follows up with a left that Herman also avoids with ease.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Herman shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Road defends it nicely.

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 Daren Herman.
I think Herman 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Daren Herman!