PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Datu I (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roddy Piper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I comes into the arena with Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata blaring out of the sound system. Roddy Piper will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

I
vs
Piper

169 cm
20
147 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

175 cm
21
158 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Experienced

Dangerous GnP
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Datu I !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roddy Piper!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piper throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Piper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. I manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Piper throws a shot from downtown. I moves away and avoids it.
Piper connects with the punch.

I closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Piper quickly recovers to half guard.
I thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Piper's head.

I is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Piper regains full guard. Nicely done.
I lands a couple of elbows.
Piper is trying to control the position from the bottom.
I working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piper controls I momentarily but I frees himself.
I connects with a couple of short punches.
I with a flurry of punches that miss.

Piper is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and I defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
I is working Piper over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Piper controls I momentarily but I frees himself.

Piper is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
I looking to pass the guard.
I trying to control but Piper is working from the bottom.
I postures up.

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.
I wants to control from the top but Piper keeps moving.
Piper managing to control the position.
I pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Piper is keeping the position for now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
I checks a leg kick nicely.

I bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
I fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Piper takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
I tries to move to mount but Piper blocks the move with his legs.
I has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Piper is working to avoid the ground and pound but I connects with a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I working the ground and pound.
Piper takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Piper dodges the ground and pound from I .
You can see the frustration on Piper's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Piper is trying to improve his position.
I looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Piper is avoiding damage well.
I is chipping away with strikes.
I lands a few punches from side control.
Piper can't do much from the bottom here.
A bit of a lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I working the ground and pound.
I lands an elbow.
I working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
I working the ground and pound from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
I lands a few punches from side control.
I working the ground and pound.
I working the body and head with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Piper takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
I fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Piper wants to control but I postures up.
Piper is trying to get back to half guard.
Piper looks gassed!
I is putting a hurting on Piper here, landing some big shots from side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
I working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
I lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Piper down.
You can see the frustration on Piper's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

I circles away from the clinch attempt.
I shoots and misses
and Piper counters with a flying knee. Nice.

I gets the takedown into side control.
I working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
You can see the frustration on Piper's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Piper is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but I is staying active.
I working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Piper down.
Piper is trying to improve his position.
Piper can't do much from the bottom here.
Piper is breathing heavily.
I passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Piper!
Piper regains half guard.
I throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Piper avoiding damage under a succession of punches from I .
Piper makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Piper.

Piper working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. I doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. I manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
I chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I thows a big elbow that misses.

Piper looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! I has picked Piper up and slammed him! Piper can't keep hold of the triangle and I manages to pass to side control!
Piper is looking for a sweep.

I tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
I is chipping away with strikes.
Datu I overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Piper regains half guard.
I is pressing down on Piper's thigh, looking to free his foot. Piper is holding on for now.
I is trying to control the action in half guard but Piper is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
I lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Piper has hold of I 's hands but I slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piper avoiding damage under a succession of punches from I .
Piper tries to get to full guard but I has control of the leg.
I wants to control but Piper is keeping him busy.
I moves nicely into side control.
I trying to control the action but Piper is working from the bottom.
I scores with a couple of short elbows.
I wants to control but Piper is keeping him busy.
Piper struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
I working the head and body with strikes.
Piper is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked I off and has taken his back!
I turns into Piper and is now in his guard.
I is pushing down on Piper's leg trying to pass to half guard. Piper is fighting to maintain full guard but I has managed to sneak the leg through.
Piper trying to control here.
Ground and pound from I .
Piper trying to control here.
I controlling the pace.
I drops an elbow to the side of Piper's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Datu I 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!

I keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Piper throws a leg kick that misses.

I shoots in and gets a takedown into Piper's guard.
I scoring with punches to the head and body.
I with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
I postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Piper had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. I defends it easily.
I throws a big right hand that misses.
Piper takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Piper trying to control the position.
Piper managing to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I postures up in Piper's guard and throws a big left but Piper blocks it.
I postures up and lands a big shot to Piper's brow.
I with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
I in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
I missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Piper is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Piper looking to hit a scissor sweep but I is one step ahead there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as I accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
I trying to control but Piper is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Piper is trying to control the position but I postures up.
I trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Piper keeping moving, preventing I from controlling successfully.
Piper keeping full guard, as I tries to pass.
Roddy Piper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
I has a takedown stuffed.

I shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than I was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I avoids the attempt from Piper to control.
Piper is desperately trying to improve his position but I has a good base and remains in mount.
I looking to finish Piper with some ground and pound. This is bad for Piper!

I working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
I can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Piper is looking to escape.
Piper is looking to improve his position but I isn't that keen on the idea.

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.
Piper is squirming around, avoiding I 's attempts to control the action.
Piper is trying to escape the mount.
I looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
I scoring with strikes but Piper is staying in there.
I tries to control but Piper wriggling away.
I landing shots from mount.
I scoring with strikes but Piper is staying in there.
Piper is looking to improve his position but I isn't that keen on the idea.
I fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Datu I showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for I , winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Datu I !