PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Pleasures (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Herrick Goldman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Goldman's choice of entrance music: Gamma Ray - Blood Religion . There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Pleasures
vs
Goldman

174 cm
29
158 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

165 cm
26
170 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Pleasures!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Herrick Goldman!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Goldman.
Goldman tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Pleasures counters with a nice double leg into side control. Goldman won't be happy with that.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Pleasures working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Pleasures working the ground and pound from side control.
Pleasures working the head and body with strikes.
Pleasures scoring with punches and elbows.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pleasures cracks Goldman with a big elbow.
Goldman tries to bench press Pleasures off him but Pleasures keeps the position.
Pleasures wants to lay and pray for a moment but Goldman keeps working.
Goldman is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pleasures off and has taken his back!
Goldman misses with a punch to the head.
Goldman thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Goldman struggling to land strikes to the head as Pleasures covers up.

Goldman working for a choke but Pleasures is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Goldman thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Goldman is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Goldman throws a series of strikes and Pleasures wriggles onto his back, so he's now mounted. He's in real trouble here.
Pleasures sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goldman wants to pass to mount but Pleasures is defending the position.

Goldman is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Goldman not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Goldman is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pleasures is just riding it out for now. Goldman eventually gives up the hold.

Goldman looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Goldman is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Goldman sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pleasures defending well though.
Goldman wants to free his trapped foot but Pleasures is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Pleasures gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goldman is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Goldman throwing strikes but missing.
Goldman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Goldman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Goldman lands a couple of digs.
Pleasures trying to control the position.

Goldman drops back, looking for a kneebar! Pleasures looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Pleasures looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Pleasures!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pleasures is working Goldman over with some ground and pound from side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Goldman is working to avoid the ground and pound but Pleasures connects with a decent elbow.
Goldman takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Pleasures will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Goldman fails with a takedown attempt.

Goldman gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Pleasures to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pleasures wants to pass the guard but Goldman is keeping the position.
Goldman wants to sweep here but Pleasures controlling him for the moment.

Pleasures drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pleasures jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Goldman tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pleasures postures up and lands a big shot to Goldman's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pleasures looking to pass the guard.
Pleasures lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pleasures trying to control but Goldman is working from the bottom.
Pleasures scoring with some ground and pound.
Pleasures sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Goldman looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pleasures trying to control but Goldman is working from the bottom.
John Pleasures overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because John Pleasures wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Goldman tries to clinch up
and Pleasures makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pleasures circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pleasures throws a big shot that misses.
Goldman takes a jab right on the kisser.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Goldman tries to close the distance and clinch but Pleasures swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Goldman takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
John Pleasures seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Pleasures misses.
Pleasures misses with a left hand

and Goldman counters with a takedown into side control.
Goldman tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Goldman goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Pleasures rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Goldman's guard! Nice work there by Pleasures!

Goldman looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pleasures passes into side control.
Goldman avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pleasures.
Pleasures working away.
Pleasures lands a few punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pleasures working the ground and pound.
Pleasures landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Goldman is trying to improve his position.
Pleasures throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Goldman is looking for a sweep.
Pleasures works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Goldman is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Pleasures off and has taken his back!

Goldman is looking for the choke from the back position but Pleasures is controlling his hands well.

Goldman looking for the choke from the back.
Pleasures manages to reverse the position and now he's in Goldman's guard. Nice work there by Pleasures.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pleasures scoring with some ground and pound.
Pleasures won't allow Goldman to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Pleasures dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Pleasures misses with a looping right.

Pleasures dives in and scores a takedown into Goldman's guard.
Goldman keeping full guard, as Pleasures tries to pass.
Pleasures throws a big elbow that misses.

Goldman throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Goldman has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Pleasures has passed into side control.
Goldman takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Goldman is trying to improve his position.
Goldman looks to move to half guard but instead Pleasures has passed into mount! Damn!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pleasures can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Goldman is looking to escape.
Pleasures controlling the pace for now.
Pleasures scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Goldman?

It looks like Herrick Goldman has been cut.
Goldman is trying to escape the mount.
Pleasures with good strikes from the mount here!
BOOM! Pleasures connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Goldman is rocked!
Pleasures postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Goldman in real trouble here! The ref calls for Goldman to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Pleasures!
An out of breath John Pleasures thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.