PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Akuma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Pulver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). comes to the cage accompanied by Journey - Separate Ways. George Pulver told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

vs
Pulver

180 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

167 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite 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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Akuma !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, George Pulver!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Saam Ante and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pulver stuffs the takedown.
Pulver is looking to clinch.
fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Pulver shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches napping and manages to drive through into side control!
can't do much from the bottom here.
Pulver is putting a hurting on here, landing some big shots from side control.
Pulver creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pulver fails to land a wild elbow strike.
is trying to improve his position.
Pulver trying to control the action but is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulver wants to control for a moment but uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Pulver is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
working the head and body with strikes.
wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pulver keeps working.
Pulver has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. is working away from the top position though.
Pulver is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two 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.
Pulver throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Pulver trying to control but postures up.
Pulver looks gassed!
wants to control but Pulver is keeping him busy.
Pulver wants to improve his position but is controlling well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
tries to close the distance and clinch but Pulver swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

pulls guard.
Pulver throwing strikes but missing.
looking for a sweep. Not yet , not yet.
Pulver really doesn't want to stay on the ground with . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pulver is looking to work some ground and pound but has wrist control.
lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pulver!
Pulver regains half guard.
wants to take a breather but Pulver is having none of it.
Pulver trying to control but postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pulver missing with punches from the bottom.
is trying to control the action in half guard but Pulver is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pulver trying to control but postures up.
prevents Pulver from improving his position.
Pulver keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
shoots and misses

and Pulver decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in 's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

with a poor takedown

and Pulver counters with a shoot takedown. fights it but they end up in guard.
trying to keep a closed guard but Pulver is proving a slippery customer.
Pulver tries to free his leg and advance position but is retaining full guard.
Pulver is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pulver can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pulver is one step ahead there.
Pulver must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
trying to keep a closed guard but Pulver is proving a slippery customer.
Pulver working some strikes from top position.
Pulver wants to control from the top but keeps moving.
Pulver is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Pulver pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. is keeping the position for now.
Pulver wants to control from the top but keeps moving.

That's two 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pulver throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Pulver throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
throwing strikes from guard but Pulver blocks nicely.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pulver can do anything to dispel that myth.
Pulver doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Pulver will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Pulver has his foot on 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. works his way back into a safe position though.
postures up and lands a big shot to Pulver's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pulver swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pulver wants to clinch

and decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pulver's guard.
pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pulver is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pulver is on top in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pulver accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Pulver postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Pulver, into his guard.
will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pulver keeping moving, preventing from controlling successfully.
Pulver lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Pulver working a defensive guard but passes into half guard.
moves into full mount! Pulver won't be happy about that!
Pulver working to try and regain half guard.
Pulver wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akuma dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

No luck for Pulver with that takedown attempt.
fails with the takedown.
has his takedown stuffed

and Pulver counters with a shoot takedown. fights it but they end up in guard.
Pulver throwing strikes from guard but blocks nicely.
George Pulver has got the better of the ground game so far.
trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pulver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pulver throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pulver missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Pulver got a little sloppy there for a moment and has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pulver has managed to get both his arms back between 's legs - danger averted.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pulver accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pulver counters with a nice double leg into side control. won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Akuma . That's going to take a lot out of him.
can't do much from the bottom here.
Pulver scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pulver working the body and head with strikes.
Pulver working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Pulver looking to punish the body of his opponent here but is avoiding damage well.
Pulver working away.
Pulver working the ground and pound.
is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Pulver trying to control the position but is working away.
Pulver works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pulver working the ground and pound from side control.
Pulver misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Pulver in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Pulver sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pulver cracks with an elbow. That is naaassty.
regains half guard.
is in trouble now - Pulver has advanced to mount!
Pulver lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
is desperately trying to improve his position but Pulver has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four 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.
tries to hold on but Pulver postures up.
is in a horrible position here. Pulver smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Pulver goes for an armbar but he's not got it… turns into him and now he's in Pulver's guard.
stopping the sweep attempt from Pulver.
Pulver punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Pulver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pulver 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

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