PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hazan Ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ali comes to the cage accompanied by LL Cool J - Mama' Said Knock You Out. St Pierre is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Territoire Hostile. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Ali
vs
St Pierre

183 cm
24
183 lbs
24 - 5 - 0

180 cm
27
178 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Hazan Ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Andrew Berry and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Ali.

Ali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ali tries to control but St Pierre wriggling away.
Ali avoids the attempt from St Pierre to control.
Ali unloading with bombs!
St Pierre slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

St Pierre manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
St Pierre tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ali manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt - Ali sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ali swings for the body but St Pierre moves out of range.

Ali is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in St Pierre's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

St Pierre has one foot on Ali's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Ali wants to clinch up but St Pierre keeps it at a distance.
Ali misses with a jab to the body
and St Pierre counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ali as he avoids it easily.
Ali swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
St Pierre has his takedown stuffed
and Ali counters with an inside leg kick.
Hazan Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt St Pierre.

Ali decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ali wants to take a breather but St Pierre is having none of it.
Ali prevents St Pierre from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ali is looking for submissions but instead, St Pierre has regained full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ali wants to control from the top but St Pierre keeps moving.

St Pierre is looking for a triangle but Ali pushes his legs off easily.
St Pierre not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

St Pierre escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ali gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

St Pierre looking for a guillotine here but Ali defends easily.
Ali with a nice head shot there.
Ali trying to control but St Pierre is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ali looking to sit in guard and control but St Pierre gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
St Pierre tries to free his leg and advance position but Ali is retaining full guard.
Ali manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. St Pierre manages to get himself to full guard.

St Pierre had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ali defends it easily.
Ali wants to control from the top but St Pierre keeps moving.
Ali with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ali stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. St Pierre swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali throwing strikes but missing.
St Pierre working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ali.
Ali trying to control but St Pierre is working from the bottom.

St Pierre working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ali doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ali manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ali working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of St Pierre's head.

St Pierre working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ali has passed into half guard!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ali thows a huge punch but St Pierre dodges it nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ali lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ali seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but St Pierre does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hazan Ali dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ali throws a body punch but St Pierre moves out of range.
Ali scores with a push kick.
Ali leaves St Pierre with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
St Pierre fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice jab there from Ali.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ali changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Ali. That snapped St Pierre's head back.
Ali throws an off balance right hand
and St Pierre counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ali's knee momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ali.
Sloppy strikes from St Pierre. Those never looked like landing.
Hazan Ali seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ali cracks a nice hook into St Pierre's ribs.
A telegraphed right hand from Ali misses the target.
Ali lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Ali shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ali showed some decent athleticism there.
Ali trying to control from half guard but St Pierre is working away.

St Pierre looking for submissions off his back.

Ali is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. St Pierre doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ali.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ali seems to be looking for submissions.

Ali is trying to work for a kimura but St Pierre is defending well.
St Pierre is looking to escape.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ali connects with a nice short shot to St Pierre's temple.
St Pierre gets back to full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

St Pierre throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

St Pierre is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ali is aware though and is defending well.
Ali loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ali tries to free his leg and advance position but St Pierre is retaining full guard.
St Pierre looking to control.
St Pierre working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ali.
Ali throwing strikes but missing.

St Pierre has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ali can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
St Pierre is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre keeping moving, preventing Ali from controlling successfully.
Ali postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ali content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ali 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.

St Pierre has his feet on Ali's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Ali bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ali swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
St Pierre throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ali tries to clinch but St Pierre moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ali shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. St Pierre is trying to defend but Ali finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Ali is thwarting St Pierre's attempts to control the position.

St Pierre makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Ali gets tackled into the cage by St Pierre. St Pierre maintains the clinch.
St Pierre tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ali struggles to land a body shot inside as St Pierre controls his hands.
Ali lands a body punch in the clinch.
St Pierre goes for a takedown attempt but Ali pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
St Pierre tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ali.
St Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ali connects with a high kick.
St Pierre slips under a jab.
Ali throws a hook but St Pierre avoids it easily.
St Pierre has his takedown stuffed
and Ali makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hazan Ali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt St Pierre.
Nice uppercut lands for Ali. That snapped St Pierre's head back.

Ali gets a clinch.
Ali tries to work over St Pierre's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
St Pierre tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre wants a takedown but no success here.
St Pierre blocks a body shot from Ali.
Ali gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from St Pierre.
St Pierre changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ali fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ali.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice body kick from Ali.
St Pierre with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ali counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ali works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Ali lands a right hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ali rushes St Pierre and presses him up against the cage.
St Pierre blocks an elbow strike from Ali.
St Pierre using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ali has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ali lands a left hand.
Nice body punch from Ali - that landed with a thud.
A short right from Ali.
St Pierre tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ali lands a nice shot to the body.
Ali throws a punch but it's blocked by St Pierre.
Ali tried to land a shot to the body but connects with St Pierre's elbow.
Ali leaning against his opponent.

Ali has picked St Pierre up - he's going for a ride! Ali dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

St Pierre looking for submissions off his back.
Ali drops an elbow to the side of St Pierre's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ali is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Hazan Ali overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
St Pierre regains half guard.
Ali working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ali is nestled in close to St Pierre, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ali wants to control but St Pierre is keeping him busy.
St Pierre is looking to improve his position.

St Pierre is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ali pulls his head out easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Ali has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can St Pierre defend it? Ali steps over the head and cranks it - St Pierre is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Ali!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Hazan Ali!