PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tupac Saulnier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnn Connor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Connor comes into a darkened arena with his song building. MMA THEME kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Saulnier
vs
Connor

188 cm
20
215 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

188 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tupac Saulnier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Johnn Connor!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connor attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Johnn Connor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Connor misses with a head kick.
Connor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Saulnier sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Connor shoots in but no luck this time.
Connor tries to bum rush Saulnier with a series of wild strikes but Saulnier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saulnier throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Saulnier jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Connor throws a head kick that misses

and Saulnier decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Connor's guard.
Saulnier works over Connor with some ground and pound from guard.
Saulnier stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Connor swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Saulnier preventing the sweep.
Connor throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Connor is trying to control the position but Saulnier postures up.
Saulnier throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Saulnier.
Connor wants to get back to his feet but Saulnier is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Saulnier has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Saulnier working some strikes from top position.
Connor pulls Saulnier in to control the position.
Saulnier throwing strikes but missing.
Saulnier trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Connor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Connor trying to keep a closed guard but Saulnier is proving a slippery customer.
Connor is pulling down on Saulnier's head to control his posture.
Connor looks gassed!
Saulnier loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Connor is looking for a triangle but Saulnier pushes his legs off easily.
Saulnier trying to control but Connor is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Connor trying to control the position.
Connor is looking to stand up but Saulnier isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Saulnier is fighting to break Connor's control of his arms but Connor is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Connor is looking for a triangle but Saulnier pushes his legs off easily.

Saulnier drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Saulnier jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Saulnier throws out a loose jab but Connor uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connor tries a head kick but it misses.
Saulnier tries for a takedown but Connor circles away easily
and Connor counters with a right hand to the body.
Saulnier waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Connor.
Saulnier is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Connor.
Connor tries to clinch but Saulnier moves out of range.
Saulnier misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Connor.
Saulnier avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Connor lands a with a good body shot.
Connor tries a low kick but Saulnier avoids it.
Connor throws a lazy head kick
and Saulnier counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Horrible takedown by Saulnier or perhaps it was just good defense by Connor which made him look bad.
Saulnier motions for Connor to come forward. Saulnier throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Connor forces Saulnier back against the cage and clinches.
Connor blocks the elbow strike.

Connor manages to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tupac Saulnier dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Connor has closed the distance and engaged Saulnier in a clinch.

Connor has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Saulnier regains guard immediately.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Connor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Connor thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Saulnier looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Saulnier throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Saulnier thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Saulnier doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Saulnier throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Connor content to stall in guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Connor thuds a left hand into Saulnier's body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor thows a leg kick but Saulnier checks it

and Saulnier counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saulnier.
Saulnier with a flurry of punches that miss.
Connor has Saulnier pulled in close to control his posture.
Saulnier wants to control from the top but Connor keeps moving.
Connor working a defensive guard here.
Connor wants to sweep here but Saulnier controlling him for the moment.

Saulnier avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Connor trying to keep a closed guard but Saulnier is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Saulnier shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Connor sprawls well. Connor wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saulnier gets slowly back to his feet.
Connor scores with a jab to the body.
Connor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Connor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Connor misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier throws a big shot that misses.
Connor is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Saulnier rather than just go for the knockout.
Connor throws a leg kick that is checked
and Connor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Saulnier blocks a head kick by Connor.
Saulnier has a takedown stuffed.
Saulnier fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Connor is out of range.
Connor misses with an attempted mid kick.
Connor misses with a kick to the body.
Johnn Connor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Connor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Saulnier.

That's four 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 fight stays on the outside here - Saulnier looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Saulnier gets caught flat footed, as Connor shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Connor is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Saulnier is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Saulnier lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Saulnier can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Connor controls the pace.
Saulnier working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Connor.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johnn Connor will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A jab lands there for Connor.
Connor moves out of range as Saulnier strikes.
Connor throws the kick towards the body but Saulnier avoids it.
Connor connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Connor will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Saulnier uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Connor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Connor.
Connor uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saulnier.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor throws a low kick but it's checked well by Saulnier.
Connor is looking to land body kicks.
Connor scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Saulnier plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Connor on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Connor throws a solid leg kick but Saulnier takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Connor.
Connor keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Connor throws a lazy head kick
and Saulnier counters with a big head kick but Connor shrugs it off.
An inside leg kick from Connor misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor connects with the punch.
Saulnier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Connor's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Connor duly obliges.
Saulnier throws a lazy right hand but Connor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Connor throws a half hearted mid kick.
Saulnier has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Saulnier there as he acknowledges the shot.
Connor lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Saulnier backs up against the cage.
Connor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Connor swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier wants to clinch but Connor slips to the side
and Connor counters with a two punch combo.
Connor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Saulnier.
Connor pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Saulnier throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Connor tries to land a front kick but Saulnier steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Connor connects with a crisp jab.
Connor ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

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.
Connor misses with a head kick.
Saulnier has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tupac Saulnier. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Connor throws a lazy head kick

and Saulnier counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Connor's guard now.

Connor uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Connor scores with a crisp jab that stopped Saulnier in his tracks.
Connor throws out a leg kick but Saulnier moves out of range and Connor only half commits.
Connor moves out of range of the strikes.
Connor throws a sloppy head kick and Saulnier moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tupac Saulnier showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Saulnier 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tupac Saulnier!