PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maurice Lester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anas Giou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anas Giou will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Lester
vs
Giou

188 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

190 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Maurice Lester!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Anas Giou!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Sam Margolis and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lester doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Giou cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Lester closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Giou's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lester accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lester missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lester with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giou preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Giou is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lester defends well.
Lester with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Giou is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Lester tries for a takedown but Giou circles away easily
and Giou counters with a good low kick that Lester was not able to check.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Giou leaves Lester with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maurice Lester. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lester shoots in for a double leg but Giou sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Giou wants to counter the offense by Lester and move into the clinch position.

Lester fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Giou sprawls well initially but Lester persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Giou kicks off Lester and gets to his feet.
Lester shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Giou tries to counter by closing the distance.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester tries to stand but Giou is controlling from the bottom.
Giou wants to sweep here but Lester controlling him for the moment.
Lester is looking to stand up but Giou won't let him.

Giou throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Lester escapes and throws Giou's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Lester is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Giou is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lester working the ground and pound.
Giou regains half guard.

Giou has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Lester escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Lester!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Lester tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lester has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurice Lester dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lester gets a clinch.
Giou being controlled against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lester - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lester is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Giou can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giou tries to pull guard but Lester won't allow it.
Giou has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lester after a bit of a struggle.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Lester.
Lester scoring with punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lester tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Giou tries to improve position but can't.

Lester has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Giou displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lester.
Despite the aggression on Giou's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Giou defends it nicely.
Giou is looking for the big counter here.
Lester shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Giou counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maurice Lester. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester taking a breather.
Lester is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Lester can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Lester is looking to control Giou's arms but Giou gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lester has his back to the cage.

Giou manages to break the clinch.

Lester drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Giou is looking to regain half guard here but Lester keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lester throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Giou is looking to get back to his feet here but Lester is keeping cool and he's managed to take Giou's back.
Giou is trying to break free.
Lester misses with a punch to the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lester punches the canvas rather than the man.

Lester working for a choke but Giou is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurice Lester dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Giou slaps away a takedown attempt from Lester, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lester misses with a takedown
and Giou counters with a nice body shot.
Lester fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maurice Lester. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giou leaves Lester with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Giou was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lester fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Maurice Lester is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Giou keeps the fight on the outside.
Giou wants to counter with a clinch but Lester pushes him away.
Lester shoots for a double leg takedown but Giou sprawls well. He's pushed Lester's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lester shoots in looking for a takedown. Giou tries to sprawl out of it but Lester keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Giou manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Giou is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lester dives in and grabs Giou's left leg, looking for a takedown. Giou pushes down on Lester's head and hops out.
Lester sets himself, and Giou steps forward looking for the clinch! Lester avoids it this time.
Lester is trying hard to land a takedown here. Giou sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Lester throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Giou was covering up waiting for the punch and Lester finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Maurice Lester overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Giou controls Lester momentarily but Lester frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giou trying to control the position here.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Giou is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lester defends well.
Lester 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.
Giou wants to stand but Lester is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Giou looking to control.
Giou avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lester's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Lester tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Giou swivels and escapes.
Giou let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Lester fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anas Giou comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lester has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maurice Lester!