PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nikola Perovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Perovic
vs
St Pierre

180 cm
24
192 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

220 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nikola Perovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, George St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Steve Erwin and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Perovic tries to clinch up but St Pierre circles away and keeps his distance.

St Pierre gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Perovic stands up and waves to St Pierre to follow him.
St Pierre walks forward, straight into a front kick from Perovic.
Nice sprawl there from St Pierre as Perovic shoots in.
Perovic throws an ugly left hook that misses
and St Pierre counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
St Pierre catches Perovic with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Perovic tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. St Pierre manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A low kick from Perovic misses
and Perovic takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Perovic throws a nice inside leg kick.
Perovic fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Perovic scores with a takedown into St Pierre's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre keeping moving, preventing Perovic from controlling successfully.
Perovic stops St Pierre from standing up.
Perovic stands up over St Pierre, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Perovic is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! St Pierre is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! St Pierre has escaped and now he's on top!
St Pierre working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Perovic wants to stand but St Pierre is controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as St Pierre accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Perovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Perovic manages to escape and get back to his feet.
St Pierre gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Perovic counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Perovic gets to his feet. St Pierre looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Perovic throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. St Pierre was covering up waiting for the punch and Perovic finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
St Pierre wants to get back to his feet but Perovic is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
St Pierre looks gassed!
Perovic slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Perovic decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
St Pierre fails in his attempt to clinch.
Perovic throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling St Pierre to counter with a crisp jab.
Perovic is looking to clinch but St Pierre is avoiding it.
Nikola Perovic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Perovic changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. St Pierre looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Perovic looks up at the clock and then as St Pierre takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Perovic smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
St Pierre wants to get back to his feet.
Perovic trying to control the position but St Pierre is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Perovic looks up at the clock and then as St Pierre takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Perovic smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Perovic advances to mount.

Perovic working for a submission but St Pierre is keeping him at bay.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Pierre wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Perovic dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

St Pierre takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Perovic throws a leg kick

and St Pierre counters with a single leg into guard. Perovic didn't expect that.

Perovic uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Perovic wants to clinch

and St Pierre counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Perovic holds on and takes a little breather.
Perovic might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
St Pierre won't allow Perovic to get back to his feet.

Perovic is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Perovic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Perovic has closed the distance and engaged St Pierre in a clinch.
St Pierre is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Perovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Perovic misses with a double jab

and St Pierre counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perovic is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Perovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
St Pierre wants to pass the guard but Perovic is keeping the position.
St Pierre throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
St Pierre in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Perovic is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
St Pierre postures up in Perovic's guard and throws a big left but Perovic blocks it.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.
Perovic manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Perovic lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Perovic moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, St Pierre has worked his arm free - good work by St Pierre!
St Pierre is not content to let Perovic control the position.

Perovic is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but St Pierre is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Perovic prevents St Pierre from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Perovic stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Perovic closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming St Pierre to the mat! St Pierre manages to get full guard.
St Pierre working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Perovic.
Perovic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. St Pierre is keeping the position for now.
Perovic working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

St Pierre scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Perovic swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Perovic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Perovic wants to control but St Pierre is keeping him busy.
Perovic scoring with punches and elbows.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Perovic decides to stand up, so the ref orders St Pierre to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Perovic dominated that second round.
That's time! Perovic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

St Pierre on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
St Pierre is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nikola Perovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George St Pierre.
Perovic throws a lazy uppercut
and St Pierre counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Perovic throws a low kick but St Pierre avoids it.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown but Perovic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A combination from Perovic does no damage.
St Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
St Pierre misses with a lunging right hand
and Perovic counters with a nice leg kick.
Nikola Perovic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Perovic scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Perovic is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perovic controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Perovic's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Perovic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as St Pierre is looking to escape.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Nikola Perovic just wasn't active enough.
Perovic throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and St Pierre counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
St Pierre scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
St Pierre prevents Perovic from standing back up.
St Pierre missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Perovic manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
St Pierre won't allow Perovic to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Perovic looking to control.

Perovic uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Perovic swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and St Pierre counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Perovic's guard now.
Perovic has control of St Pierre's left arm, preventing St Pierre from doing any damage.
Perovic wants to stand but St Pierre is controlling the position.
George St Pierre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Perovic trying to control the position here.
Nikola Perovic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Perovic is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Nikola Perovic has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Perovic shoots in but no luck this time.
Perovic fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Perovic wants to clinch but St Pierre slips to the side

and St Pierre counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by St Pierre.
Perovic wants to stand but St Pierre is controlling the position.
Perovic keeping full guard, as St Pierre tries to pass.
Perovic is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Perovic is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Perovic fails to pull the fight into his guard.
St Pierre misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
St Pierre can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on St Pierre's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Perovic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
St Pierre shoots in but Perovic avoids the takedown attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to George St Pierre.
Well Perovic 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 John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikola Perovic!