PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gerry McManus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jens Pulver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

McManus
vs
Pulver

175 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
153 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gerry McManus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jens Pulver!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Tiny Johnson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pulver is looking to clinch.

Pulver pushes McManus up against the cage in a clinch.
Pulver wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but McManus has him pressed against the cage.

McManus breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pulver shoots in and bounces McManus off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McManus avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McManus working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pulver.
Pulver in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Pulver stands and steps away. McManus gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
McManus will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
McManus lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
McManus wants to clinch up but Pulver keeps it at a distance.
McManus wants to clinch

and Pulver decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in McManus's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McManus utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulver working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
McManus looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

McManus pushes Pulver off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
McManus tries to clinch but Pulver moves away

and Pulver counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
McManus tries to roll over but Pulver keeps him under control.
Ground and pound from Pulver.
Pulver uses his free foot to push down on McManus's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for McManus.

Pulver is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but McManus is surviving well by controlling Pulver's body position as best he can.
Pulver looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McManus tries to hold on but Pulver pushes him away.
McManus is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
McManus wants to hold on but Pulver pushes him away.
Pulver won't let McManus get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Pulver breaks from McManus's wrist control and lands an elbow.
McManus wants to hold on but Pulver pushes him away.
Pulver lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulver dominating with strikes here.
McManus wants to control but Pulver is having none of it.
McManus wants to try and get back to his feet.

Pulver jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but McManus manages to avoid the submission attempt.
McManus can't do much from the bottom here.
Pulver in side control, throwing shots but McManus defends.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pulver thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Pulver postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
McManus is looking to reverse the position.
McManus manages to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pulver seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
McManus has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pulver is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jens Pulver dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McManus lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Pulver fails with the takedown.
McManus looks to clinch

and Pulver counters with a takedown into side control.
McManus wants to get back to his feet but Pulver drags him back down.
Pulver working away.
The strikes coming from Pulver are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

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

McManus throws Pulver to one side and escapes!

That's one minute gone in the round.

McManus takes the fight into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pulver is trying to work for a single leg takedown but McManus pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pulver wants to break the clinch but can't.
McManus taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Nice elbow from McManus.

Pulver breaks the clinch.

McManus closes the distance and clinches.

McManus breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McManus tries to clinch but Pulver is having none of it.
McManus tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pulver with a lazy takedown attempt
and McManus counters with a solid body kick.
Gerry McManus has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jens Pulver.
McManus tries to clinch

and Pulver counters with a single leg into guard. McManus didn't expect that.

McManus manages to escape and get back to his feet.
McManus misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pulver shoots in looking for a takedown. McManus tries to sprawl out of it but Pulver keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. McManus manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
McManus closes the distance looking to clinch
and Pulver counters with a straight right hand.
Pulver tries for a takedown but McManus circles away easily

and McManus counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pulver wants to break free but McManus has control.
Pulver looking for a takedown.
Pulver wants to break the clinch but can't.

McManus manages to break the clinch.
McManus clinches but Pulver breaks the clinch

and Pulver counters with a single leg into guard. McManus didn't expect that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McManus wants to sweep but no luck.
Pulver tries to stand but McManus is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulver postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Jens Pulver has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pulver with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pulver stands up over McManus, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Pulver stands up from McManus's guard - Pulver perhaps looking for a knockout.
Nice uppercut lands for McManus. That snapped Pulver's head back.
Nice takedown defense from McManus. No joy for Pulver on that attempt.
Gerry McManus is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick by McManus misses

and Pulver moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pulver breaks from the clinch.
McManus throws a sloppy head kick and Pulver moves out of range easily.

McManus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pulver is working for takedown but McManus is calmly controlling the position for now.
With the fighters up against the cage, Pulver throws an elbow but misses.
McManus tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pulver blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
McManus works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
McManus lands an elbow inside that Pulver shrugs off.
Pulver is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
McManus prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pulver softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Pulver manages to break the clinch.
Pulver keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pulver gets a takedown into half guard.

Pulver is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jens Pulver showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

McManus fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pulver, pushing him back against the cage.
Pulver with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

McManus breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pulver blocks a head kick by McManus.

Pulver forces McManus back against the cage and clinches.
Pulver wants to break the clinch but can't.
McManus lands a damaging elbow.
Pulver takes a knee right on the jaw!

McManus lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Pulver missing with punches from the bottom.

McManus gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Pulver closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McManus missing with knees to the body.

Pulver breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pulver misses with a takedown attempt - McManus sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

McManus moves into the clinch.
Pulver lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
McManus goes for a takedown attempt but Pulver pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
McManus tries to clinch up

and Pulver counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pulver is working McManus over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pulver throws and elbow that misses. McManus uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pulver's guard. Nice move by McManus!
Pulver looking for a sweep. Not yet Pulver, not yet.
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.
McManus wanted to stand there but Pulver had control of the position.
McManus wants to control from the top but Pulver keeps moving.
Pulver with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing McManus can't handle though.
Pulver looking to hit a scissor sweep but McManus is one step ahead there.
McManus wants to stand but Pulver is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pulver had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. McManus is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pulver Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take McManus's back instead.
McManus tries to break free.
McManus trying to control the hands but Pulver won't let him.
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.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Pulver is looking for the choke from the back position but McManus is controlling his hands well.

Pulver is looking for a rear naked choke here but McManus reverses the position brilliantly into Pulver's guard!

Pulver is working an open guard so McManus takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
McManus rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pulver moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gerry McManus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pulver misses with a series of wild punches.
Jens Pulver is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
McManus misses with a combination
and Pulver counters with a two punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jens Pulver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pulver winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jens Pulver!