PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alistair Pearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeref Cheney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alistair Pearson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pearson
vs
Cheney

171 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alistair Pearson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Zeref Cheney!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cheney forces Pearson back against the cage and clinches.

Pearson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cheney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Cheney as Pearson shoots in.
Cheney darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cheney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Decent striking displayed by Cheney there.
Cheney shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pearson pinned against the cage. Pearson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pearson shoots in for a takedown but Cheney shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zeref Cheney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pearson throws a jab when Cheney was well out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cheney scores with a decent looking hook.
Pearson lands a front kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson connects with a body shot.
Cheney shoots in for a takedown but Pearson shows good takedown defense.
Cheney shoots for a double leg takedown but Pearson sprawls well. He's pushed Cheney's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Alistair Pearson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeref Cheney.
Cheney goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Decent striking displayed by Cheney there.
Pearson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cheney tries to avoid it but Pearson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cheney to the ground. Cheney escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pearson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cheney is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cheney throws a front kick aimed at Pearson's knee but Pearson avoids it well.
Cheney looks for a takedown but Pearson sprawls well.
Cheney slaps away a takedown attempt from Pearson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cheney is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Pearson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheney shoots in looking for a takedown. Pearson tries to sprawl out of it but Cheney keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pearson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cheney ducks under a wild hook from Pearson.
Cheney misses with a two punch combination.
Pearson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cheney is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Pearson.
Pearson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cheney.
Pearson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Cheney or perhaps it was just good defense by Pearson which made him look bad.
Cheney is looking to clinch but Pearson is avoiding it.

Cheney takes the fight into the clinch.

Cheney pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pearson throws a hook but Cheney avoids it easily.
Cheney scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Pearson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cheney fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cheney looks winded!
Pearson tries to clinch up but Cheney circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cheney pinned against the cage. Cheney gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pearson avoids the head kick by Cheney.
Pearson blocks a head kick by Cheney.
Pearson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cheney as he jumps to the side.
Cheney dodges the punch combination from Pearson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pearson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeref Cheney dominated that round.
That's time! Pearson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pearson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pearson tries to clinch up
and Cheney makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cheney.

Cheney clinches with his opponent.
Pearson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Cheney to keep the fight standing.
Pearson stalling.
Cheney wants a takedown.
Cheney can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson is pushing Cheney up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Cheney taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Cheney letting Pearson take a breather here.
Cheney tries to pull guard but Pearson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Alistair Pearson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeref Cheney.
Cheney is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Pearson is defending well.
Pearson slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheney has had enough of the clinch but Pearson keeps him there for the moment.

Pearson manages to break the clinch.
Pearson checks the leg kick.
Pearson throws a jab but it's blocked by Cheney.
Cheney shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pearson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Pearson moves to clinch but Cheney breaks away

and Cheney moves into the clinch.
Pearson has Cheney pressed against the cage, preventing Cheney from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pearson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cheney just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cheney wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pearson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pearson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Cheney to counter with a crisp jab.
Pearson shoots in but Cheney avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Cheney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cheney shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pearson sprawls well. Pearson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cheney gets slowly back to his feet.
Pearson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cheney as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson lands with a nice body punch.
Pearson tries to close the distance and clinch but Cheney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pearson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Pearson closes the distance and clinches.

Cheney ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cheney no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Cheney keeping full guard, as Pearson tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cheney controls Pearson momentarily but Pearson frees himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cheney wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Cheney wriggles free and stands up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zeref Cheney will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Cheney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cheney shoots in looking for a takedown but Pearson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cheney's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pearson swats away the attempt to clinch by Cheney.
Pearson is looking to clinch but Cheney is avoiding it.
Cheney does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cheney swats away the attempt to clinch by Pearson.
Pearson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cheney circles away.
Pearson is looking to clinch.

Pearson closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson tries to break free but Cheney pushes him back against the cage.
Pearson misses with a knee to the head.
Cheney presses Pearson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Pearson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cheney pulls his leg out and moves away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pearson scores with a leg kick.
Pearson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pearson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cheney moves into the clinch.
Cheney tries to pull guard but Pearson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cheney jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pearson walks away with a smile on his face. Cheney gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alistair Pearson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeref Cheney.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheney closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pearson circles away.
Cheney throws a nice looking combination but Pearson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Zeref Cheney seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pearson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pearson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cheney counters with a nice body shot.
Cheney shoots in and drives through. Pearson sprawls well.
Pearson tries to clinch but Cheney is having none of it.
Pearson lands a high kick!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cheney fails with a takedown attempt.
Cheney has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cheney misses with a low kick.
Cheney tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pearson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cheney closes the distance and clinches up with Pearson, looking for a takedown. Cheney pushes Pearson against the cage but Pearson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pearson wants to clinch up but Cheney keeps it at a distance.
Pearson tries to clinch but Cheney moves out of range.

Pearson moves into the clinch.
Pearson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cheney fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Cheney moves into range and clinches up with Pearson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cheney's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Pearson breaks from the clinch.
Cheney shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pearson defends it nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pearson tries to close the distance and clinch but Cheney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alistair Pearson.
Well Cheney has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight for Zeref Cheney!
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Zeref Cheney!
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight for Zeref Cheney!

Zeref Cheney wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Zeref Cheney thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.