PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between David Poulain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cecil Peoples (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Poulain
vs
Peoples

169 cm
21
158 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

176 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, David Poulain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cecil Peoples!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poulain lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Poulain tries to clinch there but Peoples circles away.
Peoples closes the distance looking to clinch
and Poulain counters with a head kick.
Poulain circles away from the clinch attempt

and Poulain counters with a nice double leg into side control. Peoples won't be happy with that.
Peoples gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Poulain is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Peoples!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Poulain trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Peoples keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Poulain with the ground and pound from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulain controlling his opponent.
Peoples is looking to improve his position but Poulain isn't that keen on the idea.
Peoples tries to hold on but Poulain postures up.
Poulain throws some wild stikes that Peoples manages to avoid easily.
Peoples is in all sorts of trouble here.
Poulain trying to control but Peoples is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Peoples regains half guard.

Poulain is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Peoples has managed to free his arm - good work.
Peoples tries to get to full guard but Poulain has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peoples moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Poulain stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Peoples pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Poulain moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Peoples tries to clinch but Poulain moves away

and Poulain counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Peoples is pressing down on Poulain's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Poulain is breathing heavily.
Poulain wants to stand but Peoples is controlling his posture from full guard.
Peoples trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poulain wanted to stand there but Peoples had control of the position.
Poulain tries to free his leg and advance position but Peoples is retaining full guard.
Poulain stopping the sweep attempt from Peoples.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Peoples controls Poulain momentarily but Poulain frees himself.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Peoples pushes Poulain away with a front kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Peoples throws a head kick but Poulain moves out of range.
Peoples throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Peoples wants to clinch.
Peoples lands a nice looking body kick.

Peoples moves into range and clinches up with Poulain.
Peoples with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Peoples tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Peoples lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Peoples lands a right hand.
Peoples scores with a knee to the head.
Peoples landing knees to the body.
Peoples throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Poulain blocks it with crossed arms.
Peoples unloads a knee to the mid-section. Poulain lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Peoples avoiding damage as Poulain throws knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Peoples lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Peoples landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Peoples comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulain wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Peoples lands a left hand.
Peoples landing knees to the head.
Peoples lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Peoples breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Poulain misses with the combination.
Peoples wants to clinch

so Poulain counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Peoples is trying to keep Poulain in close.
Peoples is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Peoples seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulain moves into full guard.
Peoples trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Poulain is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Poulain 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.

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

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

Peoples closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Peoples prevents a takedown attempt there.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Peoples using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Peoples creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Poulain's defenses.
Peoples landing knees to the body.
Peoples with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Poulain fails to pull guard.
Knees in the clinch landing for Peoples.
A knee to the head by Peoples.
A short uppercut from Peoples.
Peoples misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Poulain.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Poulain is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Peoples pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Poulain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Peoples lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Peoples looking to throw knees to the head but Poulain is blocking nicely.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but Poulain blocks it.
Poulain lands a knee to the body.
Peoples misses with a knee strike.
Poulain fails to pull guard.
Peoples slows down the pace here.
Poulain wants to get back to striking at distance but Peoples won't allow it.
Poulain wants to get back to striking at distance but Peoples won't allow it.
Peoples connects with a nasty looking knee right to Poulain's face.
Peoples lands an elbow that stopped Poulain in his tracks for a moment.

Poulain breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
David Poulain is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Peoples throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Poulain is looking to break free of the clinch but Peoples has double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cecil Peoples showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Peoples scores with a jab. Poulain acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Peoples moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Poulain misses with a body kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Poulain crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Peoples - the referee stops the clock and Poulain gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Peoples. Poulain manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Peoples takes the fight into the clinch.
Poulain just leaning against Peoples, taking a breather.
Peoples lands a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Peoples.
Poulain on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Peoples tries to land a knee to the head but Poulain blocks with his arms.
Peoples misses with a knee to the head.
Peoples tries a knee to the head but Poulain blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Peoples using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Poulain has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Poulain misses with a punch on the inside.

Poulain wants the takedown. Peoples is fighting it off but Poulain persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Peoples's guard against the cage.
Peoples tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peoples working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Poulain.
Poulain wants to stand and escape but instead Peoples has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Poulain wants to sweep but no luck.
Peoples prevents Poulain from getting back to his feet.
Peoples is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Peoples wants to control from the top but Poulain keeps moving.
Peoples looking to pass the guard.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Peoples wants to clinch up but Poulain keeps it at a distance.
Peoples tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Poulain takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Peoples connects with a high kick.
Poulain avoids the head kick by Peoples.
Poulain shoots in but no luck this time.
Poulain circles away from the clinch attempt.
Poulain takes one to the chin there.
Peoples moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Poulain shoots in but no luck this time.
Poulain avoids the head kick by Peoples.
Poulain avoids the head kick by Peoples.
Poulain looks for a takedown but Peoples sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Poulain. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peoples tries to clinch
and Poulain counters with a nice low kick that buckles Peoples's knee momentarily.
Cecil Peoples seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Peoples throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Peoples swings away with a body shot that misses

and Poulain counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Peoples is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Poulain pulls his head out easily.
David Poulain overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Poulain takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Poulain throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Poulain thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Peoples's head.
Peoples manages to get to full guard.
Poulain trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poulain stopping the sweep attempt from Peoples.
Peoples is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Poulain.
Cecil Peoples is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Poulain rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Peoples moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cecil Peoples.
I think Peoples has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29

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