PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Bernard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Georges St 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.

Bernard
vs
St Pierre

153 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
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 Montreal, Bryan Bernard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Georges St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for St Pierre with that takedown attempt.
Bernard feinted with a counter takedown.
A punch combination from St Pierre misses.
St Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bernard paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bernard tries to clinch up.
St Pierre gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bernard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bernard.
St Pierre tries to throw a body punch but Bernard avoids it by throwing St Pierre back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
St Pierre has Bernard pressed against the cage, preventing Bernard from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
St Pierre has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bernard is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bryan Bernard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Georges St Pierre.

St Pierre pulls guard.
Bernard sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre trying to control the position.

Bernard gets to his feet - St Pierre follows without any prompting.
St Pierre swats away the attempt to clinch by Bernard.
St Pierre with the counter takedown but Bernard avoids it easily.
Nice defenses there by Bernard.
St Pierre tries for a takedown but Bernard sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As St Pierre tries to get set, Bernard tries to push him back and clinch up but St Pierre manages to avoid the attempt.

Bernard has St Pierre up against the cage in a clinch.

Bernard has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but St Pierre regains guard immediately.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bernard tries to roll over but St Pierre keeps him under control.
St Pierre is trying to control. Bernard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bernard tries to kick St Pierre off but St Pierre keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
St Pierre tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bernard knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
St Pierre looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernard tries to get to full guard but St Pierre has control of the leg.
Bernard could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Bernard is pressing down on St Pierre's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
St Pierre is looking to work some ground and pound but Bernard has wrist control.
St Pierre pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bernard is keeping the position for now.
Bernard is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Bernard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

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.
St Pierre pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bernard is keeping the position for now.
Bernard 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.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Bernard takes the fight into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bernard prevents the takedown attempt.
St Pierre trying to stall but Bernard improves his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Bernard dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bernard tries to clinch but St Pierre is having none of it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for St Pierre.
Bernard on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
St Pierre shoots in for a double leg but Bernard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bernard throws a quick counter kick to the body but St Pierre avoids it.
St Pierre tries to work over Bernard's front leg with a kick but Bernard checks it.
Bernard is looking to counter the offense by St Pierre and move into the clinch.

Bernard closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. St Pierre quickly recovers to half guard.

St Pierre is defending against the submission attempts here by Bernard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
St Pierre slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
St Pierre thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bernard wants to get up but he can't break St Pierre's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bernard is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.
Bernard wants to stand but St Pierre is controlling his posture from full guard.
St Pierre looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
St Pierre shoots and misses

and Bernard counters by clinching up.

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.
A frustrated look appears on St Pierre's face as he tries to break the clinch.
St Pierre keeps control of Bernard as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Bernard drags the fight down to the ground.

Bernard looking for a guillotine here but St Pierre defends easily.
St Pierre wants to control from the top but Bernard keeps moving.
Bernard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bernard is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that St Pierre can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bernard trying to control the position here.
Bernard trying to keep a closed guard but St Pierre is proving a slippery customer.
St Pierre throwing strikes from guard but Bernard blocks nicely.
St Pierre trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bernard's guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
St Pierre throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bernard's waist but Bernard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing St Pierre off to one side.
Bryan Bernard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Georges St Pierre.
Bernard doesn't manage to clinch there - St Pierre circles away.

Bernard darts in and clinches St Pierre up against the cage.
Bernard is working for takedown but St Pierre is calmly controlling the position for now.
St Pierre tries to pull guard but Bernard holds him up against the cage and eventually St Pierre drops back down to his feet.

Bernard drags the fight down to the ground.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
St Pierre prevents Bernard from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Bernard dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Bernard rushes St Pierre and presses him up against the cage.

St Pierre's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
St Pierre scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Georges St Pierre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
St Pierre fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
St Pierre throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bernard is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from St Pierre.
St Pierre shoots for a takedown but Bernard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

St Pierre gets tackled into the cage by Bernard. Bernard maintains the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
St Pierre drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Bernard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from St Pierre. Bernard does a little dance to reset his feet.
St Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

St Pierre forces Bernard back against the cage and clinches.
Bernard prevents a body shot from St Pierre.

Bernard decides to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bernard escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. St Pierre gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bernard keeping moving, preventing St Pierre from controlling successfully.

Bernard has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but St Pierre can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bernard working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. St Pierre doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. St Pierre manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

St Pierre avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
St Pierre trying to control the position from guard on top but Bernard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre postures up in Bernard's guard and throws a big left but Bernard blocks it.
Bernard throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
St Pierre would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bernard 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.
Bernard throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bryan Bernard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Georges St Pierre.

Bernard has St Pierre up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bernard tries to pull guard but St Pierre won't allow it.

Bernard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
St Pierre shoots for a takedown but Bernard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
It looked like Bernard was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Bernard clinches.

Bernard has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but St Pierre regains guard immediately.
St Pierre looking for a sweep. Not yet St Pierre, not yet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bernard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of St Pierre is proving hard to escape from.
Georges St Pierre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bryan Bernard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bernard slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryan Bernard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bernard, 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bryan Bernard!