PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mark Giel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Paige (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Patrick Paige 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!

Giel
vs
Paige

180 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mark Giel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Patrick Paige!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paige shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Giel napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Giel avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Paige.

Paige stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Giel checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Giel tests Paige's chin there with a solid looking shot.
No joy there for Giel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Paige shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Giel but Giel pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Paige closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Paige lands in his opponent's guard.
Paige sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Giel's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paige wants to control but Giel is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paige is just content to waste time from the top position. Giel takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Paige passes Giel's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Paige tries to pass to full mount but Giel defends it.
Paige is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

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.
Paige trying to mount his opponent but Giel defends it.
Giel is staying active underneath Paige, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Paige throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Paige wants to free his trapped foot but Giel is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giel pushes Paige off looking to stand but Paige dives back in and keeps control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Paige showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Giel.
Giel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paige.
Giel scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Paige shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Giel sprawls well. Giel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Paige gets slowly back to his feet.
Mark Giel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Paige.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Paige.
Nice sprawl there from Giel as Paige shoots in.
Paige looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Paige with that takedown attempt.
Giel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Paige fails to land the takedown.
Paige will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Giel.
Giel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice takedown defense from Giel. No joy for Paige on that attempt.
Giel connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Paige shoots in for a takedown but Giel shows good takedown defense.
Giel stuffs the takedown attempt from Paige. Paige gets slowly back to his feet.
Giel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Patrick Paige will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Giel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Paige showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Giel.
Giel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Paige moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Paige looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Paige looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Giel is fending him off so far but Paige persists. Nope, Giel circles away and we're back to standing.
Paige lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Paige dodges the punch combination from Giel.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giel lands a right hook to the body.
Paige is breathing heavily.
A combination from Giel does no damage.
Giel displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Giel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mark Giel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Paige.
Giel lands a two punch combo.
No luck for Paige with that takedown attempt.
Giel throws a nice looking combination but Paige bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giel stuffs the takedown attempt from Paige. Paige gets slowly back to his feet.
Giel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Paige.
Giel throws a series of punches but Paige avoids them all with ease.
Paige shoots for a double leg takedown but Giel sprawls well. He's pushed Paige's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mark Giel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Giel throws a nice looking combination but Paige bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giel misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paige shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Giel but Giel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paige looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Paige slips a jab and a cross from Giel.
Paige avoids a punch combination nicely.
Giel lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Paige tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Giel swivels and escapes.
Paige takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Paige shoots in and bounces Giel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Paige won't allow Giel to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paige is looking to advance position but Giel has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Giel is looking to stand but Giel has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.

Giel is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Giel throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Giel throws a right and a left that Paige avoids nicely.
Paige fails with a takedown attempt.
Giel leaves Paige with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

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.
Giel lands with an uppercut that bounces Paige off the cage and back into rage.
Giel lands a two punch combo.
Giel scores with a three punch combo!
Giel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Paige moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Paige tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Giel swivels and escapes.
Giel throws a series of punches but Paige moves out of range.
Giel moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Paige shoots in for a takedown but Giel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Giel lands a jab-cross combination.
Giel throws a right hand that Paige ducks under and follows up with a left that Paige also avoids with ease.
Mark Giel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giel lands a two punch combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Giel dominated that second round.
That's time! Giel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Giel misses with a two punch combination.
Giel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Paige looks for a takedown but Giel sprawls well.
Giel scores with a one two! Paige had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Giel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Giel wants it to stay on the feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Giel!
Paige shoots in and drives through. Giel sprawls well.
Mark Giel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Paige.
Giel scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Paige takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Paige has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Giel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Giel is working the combinations to good effect here.
Paige looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Giel looks to land a combination but Paige avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Giel does no damage.
Giel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Paige.
Paige fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Paige takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Paige takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Paige slips a jab and a cross from Giel.
Giel's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Giel duly obliges.
Paige shoots in for a double leg but Giel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giel throws a nice looking combination but Paige bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Giel stalks Paige and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Paige's face. Paige staggers backwards, shaken.
Giel fails to land with a series of punches.
Giel fails to land with a series of punches.

Paige scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Paige tries to advance to mount but can't.
Giel is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Paige goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Giel rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Paige's guard! Nice work there by Giel!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paige looking to control but Giel passes into half guard.
Paige wants to control but Giel is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Giel wants to get back to his feet.
Giel prevents Paige from improving his position.

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.
Paige preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Paige trying to control but Giel postures up.
Paige is looking to get back to full guard here but Giel has managed to pass to side control instead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Giel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Giel 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Giel!