PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Panupong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Connor Gertje (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Panupong
vs
Gertje

178 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Joe Panupong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Connor Gertje!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gertje fails to land the takedown.

Panupong moves into the clinch.

Panupong gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gertje regains guard.
Panupong is looking to stand up but Gertje won't let him.

Gertje manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Gertje keeps the fight on the outside.
Panupong moves in looking to clinch but Gertje pushes him off.
Gertje closes this distance looking for a takedown but Panupong circles away.
Panupong wants to clinch up but Gertje keeps it at a distance.
Gertje will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Joe Panupong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Connor Gertje.
Panupong turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Gertje looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gertje working over Panupong with some ground and pound. Panupong looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gertje is trying to work for a kimura but Panupong is defending well.
Gertje with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Panupong on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Panupong tries to get out of the position.
Gertje not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gertje works his way into full mount!
Gertje takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gertje pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gertje looking to control and managing it successfully.

Gertje looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gertje controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panupong in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gertje landing strikes from the mount and Panupong is in trouble!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gertje controlling the pace for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gertje is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Panupong to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Panupong shrugs it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor Gertje dominated that round.
That's time! Panupong's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Panupong tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gertje counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gertje is stalling in the full guard.
Gertje postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gertje sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Panupong's guard.
Gertje seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Gertje 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.
Gertje passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Panupong!
Gertje working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gertje landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gertje lands a big shot there that rocks Panupong but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gertje controlling the pace for now.
Connor Gertje has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gertje looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gertje tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gertje is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Gertje with good strikes from the mount here!

Panupong is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Gertje locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Panupong is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:53 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Connor Gertje!