PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ross Pearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samson Verona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pearson
vs
Verona

173 cm
25
164 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

183 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Pearson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Samson Verona!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Richard Clark and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verona darts in trying to clinch

and Pearson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Verona's guard.
Pearson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Verona 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.
Pearson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pearson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pearson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Verona works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pearson throwing strikes but missing.
Pearson tries to free his leg and advance position but Verona is retaining full guard.

Pearson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson tries to free his leg and advance position but Verona is retaining full guard.
Verona utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Verona wants to get back to his feet but Pearson passes into half guard.
Pearson wants to free his trapped foot but Verona is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Verona is staying active underneath Pearson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Pearson is looking to advance position but Verona won't allow it.
Pearson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two 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.
Pearson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Verona's head.
Pearson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Verona with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Pearson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Verona's head.
Pearson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Verona does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Verona is trying to maintain the position but Pearson is very close to passing his half guard.

Pearson is looking for a kimura but Verona is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pearson to get the leverage.
Pearson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pearson trying to mount his opponent but Verona defends it.
Pearson 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.
Verona looks gassed!
Pearson is taking a breather. Verona says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verona wants to get back to full guard.
Pearson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Pearson works his way into full mount!
Pearson controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson'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.
Pearson cracks Verona with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Pearson 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.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Verona enables Pearson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Verona manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Pearson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Verona swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pearson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Pearson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pearson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pearson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Verona's guard.
Pearson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Verona!
Pearson lands a heavy elbow.
Verona is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
A nice elbow there by Pearson.
Pearson scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pearson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Verona looks a forlorn figure.

Pearson is working for a guillotine from mount but Verona frees his head quite easily.
Verona takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Pearson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pearson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Pearson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Pearson lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson with the ground and pound from mount.

Pearson throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Verona has his hands clasped together but Pearson breaks the hold and Verona is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Pearson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ross Pearson!