PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yoshihiro Imanari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Imanari
vs
St Pierre

185 cm
25
172 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

195 cm
26
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshihiro Imanari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, George St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Imanari closes the distance and clinches up with St Pierre, looking for a takedown. Imanari pushes St Pierre against the cage but St Pierre circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Imanari as St Pierre shoots in.
Imanari fails to land the takedown.

St Pierre closes the distance and pushes Imanari back into the cage.

St Pierre is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Imanari can't fight it off and eventually St Pierre manages to take the fight to the floor. Imanari looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Imanari throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Imanari is on top in guard.
Imanari trying to control but St Pierre is working from the bottom.
Imanari has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of St Pierre is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Imanari trying to control the position from guard on top but St Pierre is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
St Pierre is trying to control the position from the bottom.
St Pierre looking to control but Imanari passes into half guard.
Imanari thows a huge punch but St Pierre dodges it nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Imanari scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Imanari stops St Pierre from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Imanari is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Imanari is looking to advance position but St Pierre won't allow it.
St Pierre is staying active underneath Imanari, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Imanari is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
St Pierre is looking to improve his position.
Imanari passes into side control, despite St Pierre's attempt to control the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
St Pierre tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre is trying to control Imanari's posture but Imanari avoids it.

Imanari goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, St Pierre rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Imanari's guard! Nice work there by St Pierre!
St Pierre sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Imanari is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Imanari is looking for a triangle but St Pierre pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Imanari is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and St Pierre defends well.
Imanari wants to stand up but St Pierre is controlling him.
St Pierre controls from within his opponent's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Imanari throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshihiro Imanari dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

St Pierre scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Imanari tries to bench press St Pierre off him but St Pierre keeps the position.
Yoshihiro Imanari overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

St Pierre decides to stand up, so the ref orders Imanari to his feet.

Imanari gets caught flat footed, as St Pierre shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Imanari preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
St Pierre trying to control the position from guard on top but Imanari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
St Pierre stopping the sweep attempt from Imanari.
Imanari trying to control the position.
St Pierre trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

St Pierre dives in and scores a takedown into Imanari's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari trying to keep a closed guard but St Pierre is proving a slippery customer.
St Pierre won't allow Imanari to sweep him here.
St Pierre postures up.
Imanari tries to land a sweep but no joy.
St Pierre wants to control from the top but Imanari keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt - Imanari sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Imanari swats away the attempt to clinch by St Pierre.
Imanari doesn't manage to clinch there - St Pierre circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre misses with a few strikes there.
Imanari is trying hard to land a takedown here. St Pierre sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

St Pierre rushes Imanari and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Imanari can't get the takedown.
St Pierre lands with a left to the head.
Imanari misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from St Pierre.

St Pierre manages to break the clinch.

Imanari gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows St Pierre to score an easy takedown into full guard.
St Pierre stands and throws Imanari's legs to the side, diving into side control.

St Pierre tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no St Pierre has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is trying to get back to half guard.

St Pierre stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Imanari doesn't succeed with the takedown

and St Pierre counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshihiro Imanari. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Imanari has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. St Pierre is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Imanari looking for a takedown.
Imanari connects with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George St Pierre showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Imanari has his takedown stuffed

and St Pierre counters by clinching up.

St Pierre successfully pulls guard.

Imanari stands up from guard. Let's bang!
St Pierre tries for a takedown but Imanari sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
St Pierre tries to clinch up

and Imanari counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Imanari.

St Pierre gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
St Pierre wants to control from the top but Imanari keeps moving.
Imanari looking for a sweep. Not yet Imanari, not yet.

St Pierre got a little sloppy there for a moment and Imanari has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, St Pierre has managed to get both his arms back between Imanari's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Imanari is trying to control the position but St Pierre postures up.

Imanari looking for a guillotine here but St Pierre defends easily.
St Pierre really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Imanari. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
St Pierre trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

St Pierre decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Imanari with a poor takedown
and St Pierre counters with an outside leg kick.

St Pierre clinches up with Imanari and pushes him back against the cage.
Imanari has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. St Pierre is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoshihiro Imanari. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Imanari misses with an elbow over the top.

St Pierre gets control of Imanari's arms and successfully pulls guard. St Pierre will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
St Pierre throws a couple of heel strikes.

St Pierre working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Imanari doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Imanari manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Imanari stands and throws St Pierre's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Imanari throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
St Pierre is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Imanari asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Imanari stands up and beckons St Pierre to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Imanari fails with a takedown attempt.
Imanari misses with a takedown attempt
enabling St Pierre to counter with a crisp jab.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Imanari but Imanari pushes him off and we're back to square one.
St Pierre keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Imanari gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Imanari controls St Pierre momentarily but St Pierre frees himself.
St Pierre is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Imanari is really struggling to control St Pierre but he's trying to hold on to the position.
St Pierre sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Imanari's guard.
St Pierre sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Imanari defending well though.
St Pierre wants to lay and pray for a moment but Imanari keeps working.
St Pierre scoring with strikes to the body and head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Pierre stalling.
St Pierre is trying to control the action in half guard but Imanari is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
George St Pierre comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well St Pierre 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George St Pierre!