PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Eugenio Hoover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vernon Westbrook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vernon Westbrook has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Eugenio Hoover's chin.

Hoover
vs
Westbrook

171 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eugenio Hoover!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vernon Westbrook!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Westbrook bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Hoover bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Westbrook moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Westbrook looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hoover is fending him off so far but Westbrook persists. Nope, Hoover circles away and we're back to standing.
Hoover feinted with a counter takedown.
Vernon Westbrook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Westbrook has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hoover changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Westbrook fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Westbrook throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hoover moves into the clinch.
Hoover prevents the takedown attempt.
Westbrook lands a knee to the head.

Hoover is rocked!

It looks like Eugenio Hoover has been cut.

Westbrook drags the fight down to the ground.
Oh Hoover is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Westbrook is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hoover defends well.
Hoover stopping the sweep attempt from Westbrook.
Hoover seems to have got his legs back now.
Hoover throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hoover could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Westbrook wants to improve his position but instead Hoover has moved into half guard.
Westbrook blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hoover.
Westbrook is trying to maintain the position but Hoover is very close to passing his half guard.
Westbrook keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Westbrook keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Westbrook tries to roll over but Hoover keeps him under control.

Westbrook looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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.
Westbrook is staying active underneath Hoover, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Westbrook trying to control here.
Hoover trying to control from Westbrook's half guard. Westbrook has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Hoover showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hoover distracts Westbrook with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hoover 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Westbrook is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Westbrook looking for subs off his back but Hoover has passed one foot through into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hoover decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Westbrook tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hoover defends well and Westbrook ends up having to push Hoover into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
An attempted straight right counter from Hoover misses the target.
Eugenio Hoover has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vernon Westbrook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hoover slips a jab from Westbrook.
Westbrook with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hoover counters with a nice uppercut.
Westbrook looks winded!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hoover.

Westbrook feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hoover working for a triangle but Westbrook defends it easily.
Hoover wants to stand and escape but Westbrook is having none of it.
Hoover keeping moving, preventing Westbrook from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vernon Westbrook will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eugenio Hoover's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Westbrook gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hoover moves into the clinch.
Hoover gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Westbrook.
Westbrook is looking to take this one to the mat.
Eugenio Hoover has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vernon Westbrook.
Westbrook tries a knee to the head but Hoover blocks it.

Westbrook escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoover moves forwards but Westbrook connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Hoover clinches up with Westbrook and pushes him back against the cage.
Hoover prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hoover is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoover stalling the fight.
Westbrook tries to land a knee to the head but Hoover blocks with his arms.
Westbrook effectively controlling the action here.
Hoover is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Westbrook pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hoover has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Westbrook avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Westbrook fails to pull guard.
A short body shot lands from Westbrook as the two fighters clinch.
Westbrook is trying to break the clinch but Hoover has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hoover is trying to pull guard but Westbrook turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Westbrook is struggling to control the position.
Westbrook fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Westbrook lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Westbrook is breathing heavily.
Hoover wants to control but Westbrook is keeping busy.
Hoover desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Westbrook stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Hoover dives in for a single leg takedown but Westbrook sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Westbrook shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hoover sprawls well. Hoover wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Westbrook gets slowly back to his feet.
Hoover was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoover goes for a double leg but Westbrook avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Westbrook continues to drive forward.
Hoover stuffs the takedown attempt from Westbrook. Westbrook gets slowly back to his feet.
Westbrook keeps the fight on the outside.
Westbrook tries to clinch up
and Hoover makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Westbrook tries to clinch
and Hoover counters with a right hand to the body.

Westbrook closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hoover did well to prevent Westbrook getting side control.
Hoover holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Hoover tries to kick Westbrook off but Westbrook keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Westbrook is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hoover is trying to stand.
Westbrook trying to control the action but Hoover is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hoover trying to control but Westbrook postures up.
Westbrook prevents Hoover from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vernon Westbrook will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Eugenio Hoover's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Westbrook looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Westbrook is looking to clinch.
Hoover is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Hoover as Westbrook shoots in.
Hoover tries to close the distance and clinch but Westbrook swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Westbrook enables Hoover to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Westbrook manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Westbrook is trying to control the position but Hoover postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Westbrook wants to sweep but no luck.
Westbrook is pulling down on Hoover's head. It's preventing any offense from Hoover, at least for the moment.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Westbrook can do anything to dispel that myth.

Westbrook throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Hoover escapes and throws Westbrook's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Westbrook takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoover working the ground and pound.
Hoover throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Westbrook is looking for a sweep.
Westbrook trying to control but Hoover flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hoover lands shots from the back.
Hoover is trying to stick to Westbrook's back but Westbrook is turning into Hoover. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Hoover's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Westbrook.
Westbrook trying to control but Hoover is working from the bottom.
Hoover is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Hoover looking for subs off his back but Westbrook has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hoover is trying to stand back up but Westbrook is controlling him
Westbrook wants to stand but Hoover has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Hoover is trying to stand back up but Westbrook is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoover is refusing to be controlled, as Westbrook sits in half guard.
Hoover wants to control but Westbrook is keeping busy.
Hoover is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Westbrook takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Westbrook is continuing to stall.
Hoover wants to get back to full guard.
Hoover trying to control but Westbrook postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Westbrook moves into range and clinches up with Hoover.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hoover gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Westbrook.
Hoover tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Westbrook avoids it.
Hoover looking to slow down the pace here.

Westbrook breaks the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Westbrook has closed the distance and engaged Hoover in a clinch.

Westbrook has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Hoover clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

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 Eugenio Hoover.
I think Westbrook has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:30

The fight is ruled a draw!