PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Saint Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tong Po (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Saint Pierre
vs
Po

199 cm
21
210 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

189 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Fight Club Clothing™

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 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Steven Saint Pierre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tong Po!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Saam Ante and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Po fails to land the takedown.
Saint Pierre fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Po looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Po has his takedown stuffed

and Saint Pierre holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Saint Pierre avoids the elbow strike from Po, against the cage.
Po scores with a shot to the side of Saint Pierre's head.
Po creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Po's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Po looks gassed!
Po has his takedown stuffed

and Saint Pierre counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Steven Saint Pierre has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tong Po.

Saint Pierre is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Po defends it well.

Saint Pierre is looking for a kimura but Po is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Saint Pierre to get the leverage.
Saint Pierre lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po is trying to control but can't.
Still in half guard, Saint Pierre seems content to control.

Po looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Po is trying to control but Saint Pierre passes into side control!

Saint Pierre is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Po has escaped the position, nice work there.
Po is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Saint Pierre asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two 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.
Po is trying to control Saint Pierre's posture but Saint Pierre avoids it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Po gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Saint Pierre counters with a leg kick.
Tong Po seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Po fails in his attempt to clinch.
Saint Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch but Po swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Po shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Saint Pierre napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Saint Pierre manages to work his way to half guard, despite Po's best efforts.
Po is looking to take a break and control but Saint Pierre is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Po is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Saint Pierre tries to hold on but Po postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Po is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Saint Pierre can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Saint Pierre is squirming around, avoiding Po's attempts to control the action.

Po is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Saint Pierre has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Saint Pierre!
Po trying to control the position.
Saint Pierre throws a big right hand that misses.

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

Po looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Saint Pierre lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Saint Pierre trying to control but Po is working from the bottom.

Po has his foot on Saint Pierre's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Saint Pierre works his way back into a safe position though.
Po avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Po is trying to keep Saint Pierre in close.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Po takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Po swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Po tries to score a power double leg takedown but Saint Pierre sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Po somewhat.
Po misses with a takedown

and Saint Pierre counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Saint Pierre dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Saint Pierre throws a hook but Po avoids it easily.
Saint Pierre scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Po doesn't seem bothered though.
Saint Pierre dodges the punch combination from Po.

Saint Pierre has Po up against the cage in a clinch.
Po trying to control the position but instead, Saint Pierre has worked for underhooks and has pushed Po into the cage.
Po misses with the head strike.

Saint Pierre breaks from the clinch.
Saint Pierre misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Po fails with the takedown
and Saint Pierre counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Po stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Po wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Po with a poor takedown
and Saint Pierre counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Horrible takedown by Po or perhaps it was just good defense by Saint Pierre which made him look bad.
Steven Saint Pierre has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tong Po.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saint Pierre is looking to clinch but Po is avoiding it.

Po closes the distance and clinches.
Po lands a damaging elbow.
Po wants a takedown.
Saint Pierre can't break the clinch.
Po fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Po throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Saint Pierre is trying to break free.
Saint Pierre avoids a wild elbow strike from Po.
A nice left hand lands by Po.
Po is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Saint Pierre tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Po just stands there and leans against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Po.
Po keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Saint Pierre's efforts to push away.
Po lands an elbow inside that Saint Pierre shrugs off.
Po unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Po controlling the action here for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Po.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Saint Pierre.
Po avoids the elbow strike from Saint Pierre, against the cage.

Saint Pierre breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Po misses with a combination

and Saint Pierre holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Po throws an elbow that misses.

Saint Pierre pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Po lands a front kick.
Nice sprawl there from Po as Saint Pierre shoots in.
Po tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Saint Pierre moves into the clinch.
Saint Pierre misses with a knee to the head.
Po lands a right hand that snaps the head of Saint Pierre backwards.
Saint Pierre avoids the elbow strike from Po, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Po just misses with a elbow thrown towards Saint Pierre's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Saint Pierre has him pressed against the cage.
Po tries to pull guard but Saint Pierre holds him up against the cage and eventually Po drops back down to his feet.
Saint Pierre fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Po pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Po looking for a takedown.
Saint Pierre blocks an elbow strike from Po.
Saint Pierre jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Po walks away with a smile on his face. Saint Pierre gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Saint Pierre stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saint Pierre wants it to stay on the feet.
Po fails to land the takedown.
Saint Pierre fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Saint Pierre. No joy for Po on that attempt.
Po shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Saint Pierre but Saint Pierre pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Saint Pierre has Po up against the cage in a clinch.

Po manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Po misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Saint Pierre clinches up against the cage.

Po pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Saint Pierre gets caught flat footed, as Po shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Po is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Saint Pierre is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Saint Pierre has escaped and now he's on top!
Po controls Saint Pierre momentarily but Saint Pierre frees himself.
Po keeping moving, preventing Saint Pierre from controlling successfully.
Po thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Saint Pierre dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Po is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Saint Pierre's half guard.
Saint Pierre has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Po is working away from the top position though.
Po is trying to control. Saint Pierre wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Po is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saint Pierre sees it coming and defends easily.

Po is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Saint Pierre to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Po pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saint Pierre is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saint Pierre bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Po's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Saint Pierre throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Po looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Saint Pierre passes into side control.
Saint Pierre working away.
Saint Pierre trying to control the position but Po is working away.
Po sneaks back into half guard.
Po flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Po has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saint Pierre is working away from the top position though.

That's two 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.

Saint Pierre stands up from half guard.
Po shoots in for a takedown but Saint Pierre shows good takedown defense.
Steven Saint Pierre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saint Pierre is looking to clinch but Po is avoiding it.
Saint Pierre shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Po shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Saint Pierre slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Po is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Saint Pierre is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Saint Pierre has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Po is striking off his back. Saint Pierre thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Saint Pierre looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Po moves into full guard.
Po will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Po looking for a guillotine here but Saint Pierre defends easily.
Po managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Po looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Saint Pierre has picked Po up and slammed him! Po can't keep hold of the triangle and Saint Pierre manages to pass to side control!
Po takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Saint Pierre with the ground and pound but Po regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Steven Saint Pierre overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Saint Pierre seems to be working for a kimura but Po defends the submission attempt.
Tong Po has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Po pushes Saint Pierre off and gets back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tong Po comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Saint Pierre has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Saint Pierre!