PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rob St Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Recruit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). St Paul is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

St Paul
vs
Recruit

186 cm
21
195 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rob St Paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ricky Recruit!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Recruit scores with a nice head shot.
St Paul is breathing heavily.
St Paul checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
St Paul swats away the attempt to clinch by Recruit.
Recruit tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
St Paul fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
St Paul takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Recruit misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Recruit tries a head kick but it misses.
Recruit lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Recruit throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Recruit moves into the clinch.
Recruit fails to pull guard.
Recruit pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Recruit with an attempt at a knee that misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Recruit just misses with a elbow thrown towards St Paul's brow.
Recruit trying to control the position but instead, St Paul has worked for underhooks and has pushed Recruit into the cage.
St Paul stops a takedown attempt from Recruit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Recruit is trying to break free.
Recruit drops down looking for an ankle pick but St Paul pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rob St Paul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Recruit.
Recruit throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by St Paul.
Recruit misses with a series of wild punches.
Recruit wants to clinch.
Recruit wants to clinch up but St Paul keeps it at a distance.
St Paul takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

St Paul looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
St Paul stops Recruit from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St Paul postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Recruit is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of St Paul, into his guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Recruit accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Recruit trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Recruit trying to control the position from guard on top but St Paul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Recruit has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of St Paul is proving hard to escape from.
St Paul keeping moving, preventing Recruit from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Recruit tries to stand but St Paul is controlling from the bottom.
Recruit stays in close to St Paul's body and controls the position.
Recruit looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Recruit.
Recruit tries to clinch but St Paul is having none of it.
Recruit shoots for a takedown but St Paul saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice cross by Recruit.

That's four 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.
St Paul avoids the head kick by Recruit.
A head kick misses from Recruit.
St Paul on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Recruit. Recruit obviously looking to wear him down.
St Paul blocks a head kick by Recruit.
Recruit turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Recruit fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A nice leg kick lands there from Recruit.
Recruit throws a right and a left that St Paul avoids nicely.
St Paul swats away the attempt to clinch by Recruit.
Recruit doesn't manage to clinch there - St Paul circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

St Paul blocks a head kick by Recruit.
Recruit throws a series of strikes that have St Paul backpedaling.
Recruit changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Recruit misses with a head kick.
Recruit tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Recruit throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Recruit tries to clinch up.
St Paul fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Recruit throws a sloppy head kick and St Paul moves out of range easily.
Recruit throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by St Paul.
A combination from Recruit does no damage.
Recruit scores with a leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Recruit tries to close the distance and clinch but St Paul swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Recruit. That's going to slow St Paul down.
Recruit tries to clinch but St Paul moves out of range.
St Paul showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Recruit.
Recruit will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Recruit throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Recruit does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Recruit tries to close the distance and clinch up but St Paul swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Recruit throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ricky Recruit seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Recruit misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rob St Paul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Recruit throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
St Paul tries for a takedown but Recruit sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Recruit. That's going to slow St Paul down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Recruit misses with a jab, cross combination.
St Paul keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Recruit tries a head kick but it misses.
St Paul shoots in looking for a takedown. Recruit tries to sprawl out of it but St Paul keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Recruit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rob St Paul. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Recruit.
Recruit tries to clinch up but St Paul circles away and keeps his distance.
Recruit wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A head kick misses from Recruit.
Recruit doesn't manage to clinch there - St Paul circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Paul has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
St Paul is looking to clinch but Recruit is avoiding it.
Recruit tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Recruit throws a sloppy head kick and St Paul moves out of range easily.
Recruit fails in his attempt to clinch.
St Paul shoots in for a takedown but Recruit shows good takedown defense.
St Paul swats away the attempt to clinch by Recruit.
Recruit shoots and misses

and St Paul counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by St Paul.
St Paul trying to control the position from guard on top but Recruit is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
St Paul looking to pass the guard.
St Paul trying to control but Recruit is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Recruit has his foot on St Paul's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. St Paul works his way back into a safe position though.
St Paul is looking to work some ground and pound but Recruit has wrist control.

St Paul stands and steps away. Recruit gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Recruit scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
St Paul doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Recruit counters with a two punch combo.

St Paul changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Recruit looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ricky Recruit will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Recruit throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Recruit throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Ricky Recruit seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Recruit fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Recruit scores with a leg kick.
Recruit misses with a takedown attempt

and St Paul counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
St Paul's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Recruit not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
St Paul passes easily into side control. Nice work.
You can see the frustration on Recruit's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Recruit wants to get back to his feet but St Paul drags him back down.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Paul controlling the position.
Recruit is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but St Paul has just dragged him back down to the mat.
St Paul throws an elbow but Recruit slips to the side and avoids it well.
Recruit wants to get back to his feet but St Paul drags him back down.
St Paul scoring with punches from side control.

St Paul thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Recruit tries for a takedown but St Paul circles away easily

and St Paul counters with a shoot takedown. Recruit fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Paul controls from within his opponent's guard.
Recruit keeping moving, preventing St Paul from controlling successfully.
St Paul passes into half guard.

St Paul postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Recruit to stand up.
Recruit misses with a takedown attempt

and St Paul counters by clinching up.
Rob St Paul has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Recruit.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Recruit tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
St Paul is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

St Paul has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Recruit regains guard immediately.
Recruit working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from St Paul.

Recruit has his foot on St Paul's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. St Paul works his way back into a safe position though.
St Paul stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Recruit swivels though and keeps the full guard.
St Paul postures up.
St Paul not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ricky Recruit is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Paul pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Recruit is keeping the position for now.
Recruit wants to sweep but no luck.
Recruit is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
St Paul trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Recruit is trying to control the position but St Paul postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
St Paul doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Recruit counters with a left to the body.
Rob St Paul has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
St Paul bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rob St Paul showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Recruit 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Recruit!