PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between George St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cesar James Ardona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

St Pierre
vs
James Ardona

165 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 Sydney, George St Pierre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cesar James Ardona!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
St Pierre tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ardona swivels and escapes.
Ardona scores with a crisp jab that stopped St Pierre in his tracks.
Ardona defends well against a solid takedown attempt from St Pierre.

St Pierre moves into the clinch.
St Pierre keeps control of Ardona as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

St Pierre works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ardona working a defensive guard here.
St Pierre scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ardona wants to stand and escape but St Pierre is having none of it.
Ardona really doesn't want to stay on the ground with St Pierre. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ardona working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from St Pierre.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
St Pierre postures up in Ardona's guard and throws a big left but Ardona blocks it.
St Pierre has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
St Pierre postures up in Ardona's guard and throws a big left but Ardona blocks it.
St Pierre makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
St Pierre prevents Ardona from getting back to his feet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ardona is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre tries to land a sweep but no joy.
St Pierre on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if St Pierre tries to get out of the position.
St Pierre wants to stand up but Ardona is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
St Pierre striking off his back but it's not causing Ardona any problems.
St Pierre has a closed guard, preventing Ardona from standing up.
Ardona won't allow St Pierre to get back to his feet.
Ardona preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ardona wanted to stand there but St Pierre had control of the position.

St Pierre wriggles free and stands up.
St Pierre looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Ardona tries to bum rush St Pierre with a series of wild strikes but St Pierre uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
St Pierre fails with an attempt to clinch.
St Pierre wants to clinch.
St Pierre fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ardona avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.
St Pierre tries to clinch up but Ardona circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ardona fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice sprawl there from Ardona as St Pierre shoots in.
St Pierre takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ardona moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
St Pierre misses with a looping right.
St Pierre walks into a left hand.
A right-left combo lands from Ardona.
Nice shot lands for Ardona.
Donk. Ardona catches St Pierre right on the button with a cross.
Ardona lands with an overhand left.
St Pierre gets cracked there but stands up to it.
St Pierre tries to clinch but Ardona moves out of range.
Ardona clobbers St Pierre with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nice jab there from Ardona.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ardona feints a jab promting St Pierre to slip. Ardona then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. St Pierre slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ardona lands a nice shot that snaps St Pierre's head back.
George St Pierre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ardona feints a jab promting St Pierre to slip. Ardona then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. St Pierre slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Ardona lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
St Pierre slips a jab and a cross from Ardona.
Ardona fails to land with a series of punches.
St Pierre misses with a double jab.
Ardona throws a combination. St Pierre tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ardona connects with a single shot there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Pierre takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Ardona stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Cesar James Ardona is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ardona throws a combination. St Pierre tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cesar James Ardona dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Ardona scores with a hook to the body. St Pierre takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Ardona jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Ardona closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ardona connects with a right hand. St Pierre shakes it off.
St Pierre shoots in but Ardona avoids the takedown attempt easily.
St Pierre with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Ardona to score with a decent uppercut.
St Pierre moves in looking to clinch but Ardona pushes him off.
Ardona stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
St Pierre fails with the takedown.
Ardona darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Cesar James Ardona seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ardona connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

St Pierre clinches.
Ardona looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

St Pierre breaks the clinch.

St Pierre closes the distance and clinches.
Ardona wants to break free but St Pierre has control.
Ardona looking to stall.
St Pierre keeps control of Ardona as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ardona on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
St Pierre is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Ardona tries to break free but St Pierre pushes him back against the cage.
St Pierre throws an elbow but it misses.
Ardona is looking to break free of the clinch but St Pierre has double underhooks.
St Pierre has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ardona after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Ardona's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ardona is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
St Pierre looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Ardona is trying to break free.
Ardona tries to break free but St Pierre pushes him back against the cage.
Ardona prevents the takedown attempt.
Ardona wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but St Pierre has him pressed against the cage.
St Pierre keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ardona's efforts to push away.
St Pierre keeps control of Ardona as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ardona is trying to break the clinch but St Pierre is controlling him.
Ardona is trying to break the clinch but St Pierre is controlling him.
Ardona is trying to break the clinch but St Pierre is controlling him.
Ardona looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ardona wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ardona tries to break the clinch but St Pierre is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ardona wants to get back to striking at distance but St Pierre won't allow it.
Ardona is trying to break free.
Ardona tries to break free but St Pierre pushes him back against the cage.
St Pierre has Ardona pressed against the cage, preventing Ardona from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ardona is trying to force a seperation but St Pierre has the dominant position.
Ardona has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ardona is trying to break the clinch but St Pierre has him pressed against the cage.
St Pierre keeps control of Ardona as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

St Pierre breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
St Pierre walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Ardona throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Good shot there by Ardona.
Ardona swinging wildly here.
St Pierre misses with a head kick.
George St Pierre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ardona bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps St Pierre's head backwards.
Ardona displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ardona misses with a double jab.
Ardona throws a shot to the body.
Ardona misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from Ardona.
Ardona lands a nice shot that snaps St Pierre's head back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ardona scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
St Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ardona swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ardona throws a combination but it was largely blocked by St Pierre.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cesar James Ardona showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ardona swinging wildly here.

St Pierre pushes Ardona up against the cage in a clinch.

St Pierre jumps guard.
Ardona wants to stand but St Pierre is controlling his posture from full guard.
St Pierre scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Ardona throws a big elbow that misses.
St Pierre wants to stand and escape but Ardona is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
St Pierre avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
St Pierre keeping full guard, as Ardona tries to pass.
Ardona is looking to stand up but St Pierre won't let him.
St Pierre throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Ardona wants to stand and escape but instead St Pierre has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Ardona keeping moving, preventing St Pierre from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ardona wants to get back to his feet but St Pierre is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
St Pierre makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ardona trying to control the position.

St Pierre drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. St Pierre seems to have locked his on tight now - Ardona screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for St Pierre, as he picks up the win!

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