PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cecil Peoples (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Guan Di (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.

Peoples
vs
Di

176 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Nemesis Cage Clothing

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 Montreal, Cecil Peoples!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Guan Di!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Peoples scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Di is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Peoples scores with a couple of nice shots.
Di is trying to control but can't.
Peoples working the head and body with strikes.
Peoples is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Di wants to improve his position but Peoples is controlling well.
Peoples is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Di wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Di keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Peoples sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Di defending well though.
Ground and pound from Peoples.
Peoples not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Di slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Di is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peoples is looking for a sweep. Di is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Di is keen to just control but Peoples is a slippery customer.
Peoples is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Di throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Di trying to control the action but Peoples is working from the bottom.
Peoples is looking to control Di's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Peoples avoid being mounted?
Peoples keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Peoples fails with an attempt to clinch.
Di checks a low kick from Peoples.
Guan Di seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Di darts in trying to clinch

and Peoples counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Peoples.
Di looking to hit a scissor sweep but Peoples is one step ahead there.
Di keeping moving, preventing Peoples from controlling successfully.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Di is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Di lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Peoples!
Peoples is desperately trying to improve his position but Di has a good base and remains in mount.
Peoples is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Di looking to control but Peoples is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Peoples is in all sorts of trouble here.
Peoples is squirming around, avoiding Di's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Di working for a submission but Peoples is keeping him at bay.
Peoples really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Di lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Di postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Peoples looks a forlorn figure.
Peoples is looking to improve his position but Di isn't that keen on the idea.
Di with the ground and pound from mount.
Di lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Peoples hang on?
Di tries to control but Peoples wriggling away.
Di scoring with strikes but Peoples is staying in there.
Peoples tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cecil Peoples dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Di closes the distance and lands a one-two.
A head kick by Di misses

and Peoples counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Di!
Peoples landing strikes from the mount and Di is in trouble!
Di tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Peoples with a couple of short strikes.
Peoples looking to finish Di with some ground and pound. This is bad for Di!
Cecil Peoples overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Di tries to reverse the position but Peoples maintains control.
Peoples looking to finish Di with some ground and pound. This is bad for Di!
Peoples throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Di blocking the ground and pound.
Di is looking to get to half guard.
Di has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Di wants to control but Peoples is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peoples punching from mount but Di doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Peoples with good strikes from the mount here!
Di is trying desperately to improve position.
Peoples pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Di is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Peoples tries to control but Di wriggling away.
Di tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Di regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Di lands a couple of sideways elbows.
Peoples is trying to control the action in half guard but Di is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Di tries to get to full guard but Peoples has control of the leg.
Di avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Peoples.
Di misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Di is pressing down on Peoples's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Di bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Peoples's guard.
Di sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Peoples's guard.
Peoples is trying to control but Di passes into side control!
Di lands a few punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Di in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Di scoring with punches from side control.
Di is looking to take a break and control but Peoples is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Peoples taking a bit of punishment here - Di scoring with strikes.
Di throws an elbow but Peoples slips to the side and avoids it well.
You can see the frustration on Peoples's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Peoples tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Peoples avoids the head kick by Di.
Di swats away the attempt to clinch by Peoples.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Peoples gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Di crunches a lovely knee into Peoples's ribcage.
Di tries to land knees in the clinch but Peoples avoids the damage to the body.

Peoples has picked Di up - he's going for a ride! Peoples dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Peoples tries to pass to full mount but Di defends it.
Di pushes Peoples off looking to stand but Peoples dives back in and keeps control.
Di desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Di slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Peoples trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Cecil Peoples will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Di darts in trying to clinch
and Peoples counters with a good low kick that Di was not able to check.
Di tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Peoples throws a looping overhand right but Di ducks down to avoid it.
Peoples fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Di looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Di throws a nice head kick!
Di lands a high kick!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peoples looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Peoples blocks a head kick by Di.
Di tries to clinch up

and Peoples decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Di's guard.
Di is trying to keep Peoples in close.
Di is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Peoples is controlling him.
Peoples missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Di is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Peoples is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Di bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Peoples's guard.

Di gets to his feet - Peoples follows without any prompting.
Di wants to clinch
and Peoples counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Di tries a head kick but it misses.
Di throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Peoples fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cecil Peoples. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Di throws a leg kick

and Peoples counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Di throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Peoples blocks it with crossed arms.
Peoples lands a damaging elbow.

Peoples breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Di closes the distance but Peoples moves to the side

and Peoples counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Di missing with knees to the body.
Di has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Peoples is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Peoples using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Di has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Di lands with a short shot to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Peoples.
Di misses with a knee to the head.
Peoples landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Peoples tries to land a knee to the head but Di blocks with his arms.
Di gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Peoples blocks an elbow strike.
Di lands a nice elbow.
Di lands an elbow inside.
Di connects with a knee to the head.
Di trying to land knees to the body.
Peoples stalls.
Di lands a right hand.
Guan Di has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Peoples avoiding damage as Di throws knees to the body.
Peoples throws a knee to the head but misses.
Peoples misses with a knee to the head.
Peoples blocks an elbow strike from Di.
Peoples pushes off an throws an elbow but Di leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Di is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Peoples gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Peoples controlling the action here for a moment.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Peoples wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Di has him pressed against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Di scores with a nice short uppercut.
Di looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Di managing to block the knees to the body from Peoples.
Di lands a shoulder strike.
Peoples tries to work over Di's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Di with a knee to the head.
Di is trying to break the clinch but Peoples has him pressed against the cage.
Di with a knee to the head.

Peoples manages to break the clinch.

Peoples changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Di looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cecil Peoples showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Peoples, 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cecil Peoples!