PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Stevie Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacques St Croix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Walker comes to the cage accompanied by Tragically Hip- Thugs. St Croix is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Erasure - A Little Respect. This should be fireworks!

Walker
vs
St Croix

168 cm
30
156 lbs
26 - 13 - 2

168 cm
31
152 lbs
28 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 26 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Stevie Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacques St Croix!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
St Croix throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Walker counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Jacques St Croix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from St Croix misses.
Walker keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from St Croix.
St Croix has a takedown stuffed.
St Croix cracks Walker with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Walker doesn't manage to clinch there - St Croix circles away.
Walker showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from St Croix.
St Croix misses with a double jab.
Walker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from St Croix.
St Croix throws a nice looking combination but Walker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Walker looks to land a combination but St Croix avoids it well.
St Croix takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Walker with that takedown attempt.
Walker blocks a jab.
St Croix misses with an uppercut. Walker saw that one coming.
Walker lands a slapping body shot.
St Croix fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Walker on the side of the head.
St Croix with a poor takedown
and Walker counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps St Croix thinking.
Walker lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Walker waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract St Croix.

Walker clinches up with St Croix and pushes him back against the cage.
Walker working aggressively here.
Walker pushes St Croix back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walker is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in St Croix's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Walker thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed St Croix's head.
St Croix regains full guard. Nicely done.
Walker trying to control but St Croix is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now St Croix is on top in guard.
Walker wants to sweep but no luck.
Walker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
St Croix trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Croix's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Let's hope that St Croix has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jacques St Croix hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
A shot to the liver by Walker. Beautiful body shot.
Walker throws a hook to the side of St Croix's head but St Croix sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
St Croix misses with a jab, cross combination.
A clash of legs there as Walker blocks the low kick.
Walker is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A bone on bone clash there as St Croix blocks the leg kick.
Walker slips a jab and a cross from St Croix.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Walker gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
St Croix is looking to break free of the clinch but Walker has double underhooks.
St Croix blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
St Croix blocks an uppercut.
St Croix tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
St Croix misses with a hook from the clinch.
St Croix misses with some punches.
Walker misses with a hook to the ribs.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Walker.
Walker has a couple of punches blocked by St Croix.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walker pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Walker doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from St Croix.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Walker looks to throw an elbow but misses.
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 Stevie Walker will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from St Croix.
St Croix throws a series of punches but Walker moves out of range.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Walker checks a leg kick.
No joy there for St Croix, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
St Croix throws a nice looking combination but Walker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from St Croix is defended easily by Walker.
St Croix misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Walker works St Croix's body with a nice hook.
Walker cracks St Croix with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Walker on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from St Croix.

Walker moves into range and clinches up with St Croix.
Walker lands a body punch in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Walker scores with a nice short uppercut.
Walker tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and St Croix avoids it.
Walker pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Walker misses with a short punch on the inside.
Walker connects with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Walker.
St Croix lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
St Croix tries a body shot but Walker blocks it.
Walker misses with an elbow over the top.
Walker misses with a punch on the inside.
St Croix digs a right hand into Walker's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Walker's gas tank.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
St Croix is trying to push Walker away but Walker has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
St Croix is trying to break free.
Walker tries a body shot but St Croix blocks it.
A right hook to the body lands for Walker.
St Croix misses with a short punch on the inside.
Walker makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Walker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Walker misses with an elbow over the top.
Nice elbow from Walker.
Walker lands a hook that snaps the head of St Croix backwards.
St Croix blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
St Croix takes a shot to the head.
Walker misses with the head strike.
Walker misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
St Croix swings wildly with an uppercut but Walker uses good head movement to avoid it.
St Croix blocks the elbow strike.
Walker lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A nice left hand lands by Walker.
St Croix is trying to break the clinch but Walker has him pressed against the cage.
Walker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nice body punch from Walker.
Walker trying to land knees to the body.
Walker lands a right hand.
Walker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. St Croix is defending well for now.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Walker.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Croix lands a left hand that snaps the head of Walker backwards.
Walker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Walker misses with an elbow over the top.
Walker has St Croix pressed against the cage, preventing St Croix from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

St Croix manages to break the clinch.
Walker dives in and grabs St Croix's left leg, looking for a takedown. St Croix pushes down on Walker's head and hops out.

St Croix closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Walker to the mat! Walker manages to get full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Walker wants to sweep but no luck.
Walker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from St Croix.
Walker controlling St Croix's posture.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Croix passes Walker's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Walker 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!

A telegraphed right hand from St Croix misses the target.

Walker pushes St Croix up against the cage in a clinch.
Walker lands with a light punch inside.
Walker takes a shot to the head.
Walker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Walker lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Walker lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Walker misses with a hook to the ribs.
Walker misses with the head strike.
St Croix misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Walker.
St Croix avoiding damage as Walker throws knees to the body.
Walker tries to work over St Croix's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Walker fails to land.
St Croix looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
St Croix is defending well against a takedown attempt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Walker.
Walker swings wildly with an uppercut but St Croix uses good head movement to avoid it.
Walker doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Walker misses with a punch to the body.
Walker has a couple of punches blocked by St Croix.
St Croix tries to circle away but Walker has him pinned against the cage.
Walker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
St Croix scores with an uppercut up the middle.
St Croix managing to block the knees to the body from Walker.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Croix misses with a body punch.
Walker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from St Croix.
Walker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Walker swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Walker misses with some punches.
Walker with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Jacques St Croix has been cut.

St Croix's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Walker lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
St Croix throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Walker pushes St Croix up against the cage in a clinch.
Walker lands an elbow inside.
Jacques St Croix has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Walker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from St Croix.
Nice body punch from Walker.
Stevie Walker has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Walker scores with a shot to the side of St Croix's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker misses with a shot to the kidneys.
St Croix lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Walker throws a punch but it's blocked by St Croix.
St Croix has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Walker avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Walker throws a head punch that misses.
Walker throws an elbow but it misses.
Walker lands with a short shot to the head.
St Croix has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Walker after a bit of a struggle.
St Croix blocks a punch to the side of the head.
St Croix is trying to break free.
St Croix is trying to force a seperation but Walker has the dominant position.
St Croix wants to break the clinch but can't.
St Croix blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walker working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
St Croix fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Walker lands a body punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Walker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. St Croix is defending well for now.
Walker lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Walker creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Walker working aggressively here.
Walker misses with a short punch on the inside.
St Croix misses with a punch to the body.
Walker lands with a left to the head.
Stevie Walker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
St Croix tries a body shot but Walker blocks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walker wants a takedown but no success here.
St Croix blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stevie Walker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Walker, 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 William Peck scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stevie Walker!
During a confident post fight interview, Stevie Walker thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.