PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bart Waller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ruben Pierre (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.

Waller
vs
Pierre

188 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bart Waller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ruben Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Pierre misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Pierre keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Pierre gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Waller holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pierre is trying to push Waller away but Waller has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A frustrated look appears on Pierre's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Waller breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pierre throws a half hearted mid kick.
Pierre throws a head kick but Waller moves out of range.
Waller keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Bart Waller has been cut.
Pierre misses with a body shot.
Pierre rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Waller counters with a single leg into guard. Pierre didn't expect that.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Waller controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Pierre is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Waller defends well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Waller sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waller missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Waller stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Waller rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pierre moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pierre throws a lazy uppercut

and Waller counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Waller slows the pace down in half guard.
Pierre is trying to maintain the position but Waller is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waller is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Pierre looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Waller really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pierre wants to control but Waller is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Waller controlling the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Bart Waller just wasn't active enough.
Pierre digs a good body shot into Waller's ribs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pierre tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Waller swivels and escapes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bart Waller dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bart Waller's cut.
That's time! Waller's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pierre takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Pierre stuffs the takedown attempt from Waller. Waller gets slowly back to his feet.
Pierre slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Pierre darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Pierre misses with a body shot.
Pierre closes this distance looking for a takedown but Waller circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre looks for the body kick but Waller saw that one coming.
Pierre lands a nice leg kick that just misses Waller's sensitive parts.
Bart Waller is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Waller closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Waller throws an elbow that misses.

Waller's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Waller closes the distance and pushes Pierre back into the cage.
Waller blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pierre is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierre throws a head punch that misses.
Waller with a knee to the head.

Waller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Waller fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pierre tries for a takedown but Waller sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bart Waller has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ruben Pierre.
Pierre tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pierre jabs Waller right on the nose. Waller blinks but takes it well.
Waller explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Pierre is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Waller looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Waller sitting in guard here, content to control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pierre has a closed guard, preventing Waller from standing up.
Waller postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bart Waller.
Pierre waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Waller.

Waller gets the takedown into side control.
Waller is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Pierre's shoulder. That is not cool.
Pierre is trying to work for a sweep but Waller has mounted him!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pierre tries to lock up and control but Waller gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Waller controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bart Waller dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bart Waller's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pierre takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Waller takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Waller showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pierre.
Pierre misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Waller shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pierre napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pierre tries to control but Waller manages to take his back.
Waller biding his time, controlling Pierre.
Pierre tries to escape the position.
Pierre trying to control the hands but Waller breaks the grip.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waller controls the action.
Pierre tries to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waller has good solid back control here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Waller not allowing Pierre to control his hands.
Pierre is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Waller is staying active.
What can Pierre do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Waller knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pierre on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Waller fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Pierre to the ground. Waller is now in Pierre's guard.

Pierre had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Waller defends it easily.

Waller got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pierre has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Waller has managed to get both his arms back between Pierre's legs - danger averted.
Ruben Pierre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bart Waller is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Waller has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Waller controlling from the top position.

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 Bart Waller.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Waller, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bart Waller!