PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chris Sugoi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sugoi
vs
St Pierre

168 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Chris Sugoi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, George St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Hirohito Nitta and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sugoi misses with a body kick.

Sugoi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Sugoi passes into side control, despite St Pierre's attempt to control the position.
Sugoi could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
St Pierre is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
St Pierre is trying to control but can't.
Sugoi is looking to stall here but St Pierre recovers full guard.
St Pierre is pulling down on Sugoi's head. It's preventing any offense from Sugoi, at least for the moment.
Sugoi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sugoi trying to control but St Pierre is working from the bottom.
St Pierre is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sugoi is really struggling to control St Pierre but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Sugoi stopping the sweep attempt from St Pierre.

St Pierre pushes Sugoi off and gets back to his feet.

St Pierre looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sugoi!
St Pierre looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sugoi is looking to get to half guard.
Sugoi wants to hold on but St Pierre pushes him away.
Sugoi manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Sugoi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sugoi tries to get out of the position.
St Pierre throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
St Pierre not doing much here.
St Pierre prevents Sugoi from improving his position.
St Pierre lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sugoi is looking to control St Pierre's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sugoi avoid being mounted?
Sugoi tries to kick St Pierre off but St Pierre keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sugoi is not content to let St Pierre control the position.
St Pierre takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
St Pierre fails in his attempt to clinch.

Sugoi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sugoi missing with knees to the body.
St Pierre tries for a takedown but Sugoi manages to get underhooks.

Sugoi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sugoi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
St Pierre misses with a head kick.

St Pierre gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

St Pierre shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. St Pierre showed some decent athleticism there.
Sugoi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
St Pierre slows the pace down in half guard.
Sugoi is trying to stand.
Sugoi wants to sweep but St Pierre has passed to side control!
Sugoi tries to bench press St Pierre off him but St Pierre keeps the position.
Sugoi is working hard here to advance position.
You can see the frustration on Sugoi's face as St Pierre controls the position.
You can see the frustration on Sugoi'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.

George St Pierre dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

St Pierre closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Horrible takedown by St Pierre or perhaps it was just good defense by Sugoi which made him look bad.

Sugoi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
St Pierre is not content to let Sugoi control the position.
St Pierre regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sugoi prevents St Pierre from getting back to his feet.

Sugoi gets to his feet - St Pierre follows without any prompting.

Sugoi moves into range and clinches up with St Pierre.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.

Sugoi turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sugoi manages to end up in side control.
St Pierre stops Sugoi from passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sugoi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sugoi trying to control from half guard but St Pierre is working away.
Sugoi trying to control the pace.
Sugoi wants to take a breather but St Pierre is having none of it.
St Pierre trying to hold on to Sugoi's head to control him but Sugoi postures up.
Sugoi prevents St Pierre from improving his position.

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.
St Pierre trying to control here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sugoi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
St Pierre misses with a takedown

and Sugoi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in St Pierre's guard.
St Pierre has control of Sugoi's left arm, preventing Sugoi from doing any damage.
Sugoi wants to control from the top but St Pierre keeps moving.

St Pierre pushes Sugoi off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
St Pierre looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sugoi moves in looking to clinch but St Pierre pushes him off.
Chris Sugoi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Sugoi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sugoi is trying to control the action in half guard but St Pierre is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
St Pierre trying to control here.
Sugoi is keen to just control but St Pierre is a slippery customer.
Sugoi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Sugoi is looking for a kimura but St Pierre is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sugoi to get the leverage.
Sugoi is looking to take a break and control but St Pierre is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sugoi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sugoi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
St Pierre doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sugoi counters with a shoot takedown. St Pierre fights it but they end up in guard.
Chris Sugoi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George St Pierre.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre keeping full guard, as Sugoi tries to pass.
St Pierre not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
St Pierre manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sugoi taking shots to the head.
St Pierre dominating with strikes here.
Chris Sugoi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

St Pierre looking to secure an arm triangle but Sugoi defends it well.
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!
Sugoi is squirming around, avoiding St Pierre's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, St Pierre cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Sugoi dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sugoi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sugoi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around St Pierre's waist but St Pierre gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sugoi off to one side.

St Pierre scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
St Pierre creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

St Pierre decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sugoi to his feet.
St Pierre is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
St Pierre tries for a takedown but Sugoi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
St Pierre pulls out of a head kick attempt.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown but Sugoi shows good takedown defense.
St Pierre wants to clinch but Sugoi slips to the side

and Sugoi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
St Pierre lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sugoi backwards.
Sugoi tries to pull guard but St Pierre holds him up against the cage and eventually Sugoi drops back down to his feet.
Sugoi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. St Pierre smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Sugoi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sugoi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
St Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Sugoi misses
and St Pierre counters with a two punch combo.
Sugoi closes this distance looking for a takedown but St Pierre circles away.
St Pierre fails with the takedown

and Sugoi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sugoi.
Sugoi wants to get up but he can't break St Pierre's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sugoi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sugoi looking to pass the guard.
Sugoi trying to control the position from guard on top but St Pierre is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sugoi won't allow St Pierre to sweep him here.
St Pierre controls Sugoi momentarily but Sugoi frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Sugoi has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of St Pierre is proving hard to escape from.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
St Pierre lands a nice looking body shot.

St Pierre has taken the fight to the clinch.
St Pierre tries to pull guard but Sugoi holds him up against the cage and eventually St Pierre drops back down to his feet.
Sugoi is stalling here.
St Pierre gets underhooks to prevent Sugoi's takedown attempt.
Sugoi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Sugoi breaks from the clinch.

St Pierre fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sugoi sprawls well initially but St Pierre persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sugoi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. St Pierre is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sugoi lands with a few short shots to the body.
St Pierre throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sugoi is trying to stand back up but St Pierre is controlling him
St Pierre moves into full mount! Sugoi won't be happy about that!
Sugoi tries to lock up and control but St Pierre gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
St Pierre can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sugoi is looking to escape.
St Pierre is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
St Pierre wants to control the pace but Sugoi is squirming around nicely.

That's four 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.
Sugoi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
St Pierre looking to control but Sugoi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
St Pierre unloading with bombs!

St Pierre working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Sugoi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sugoi wants to hold on but St Pierre pushes him away.
St Pierre with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
George St Pierre comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think St Pierre has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George St Pierre!