PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Potter (ranked 504 p4p, 61 weight class) and James Pearson (ranked 1460 p4p, 159 weight class). Potter comes to the cage accompanied by THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT. James Pearson told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Potter
vs
Pearson

197 cm
26
267 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
269 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jack Potter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Pearson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pearson throws a hook but Potter blocks it.
It appears Potter was looking to counter with a kick there.
Pearson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Potter scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Potter scores with a jab.

It looks like James Pearson has been cut.
Potter lands with a straight right. Pearson didn't see that one coming.
Pearson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Potter was well out of range. Poor timing from Pearson.
Pearson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Pearson lands a nice looking kick to the body. Potter takes a step back to recover.
Pearson throws a shot to the body.
Potter is breathing heavily.
Potter misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pearson. Potter does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pearson throws a body punch but Potter moves out of range.

Pearson sends Potter crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Pearson is motioning to the referee to let Potter up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

It looks like Jack Potter has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Potter takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Potter steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Pearson. That one must have hurt.
Potter takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pearson jabs Potter to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pearson throws the kick towards the body but Potter avoids it.
Potter is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Potter throws out a loose jab but Pearson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pearson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pearson throws a leg kick but Potter sees it coming and moves out of range.
Good work by Pearson as he checks the leg kick.
Potter stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Pearson.
Pearson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Potter has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Touch Of Death Combat Academy in the buildup to the fight.
Potter throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A leg kick checked by Potter.
Potter lands a head kick!
Pearson blocks the body kick.
Pearson looks to throw a body kick
and Potter counters with a straight right hand.
Pearson throws a looping overhand right but Potter ducks down to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Potter throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A slapping body kick lands there for Pearson.
Pearson throws a looping overhand right but Potter ducks down to avoid it.
Pearson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pearson throws a wild body kick that Potter sees coming a mile off.
Pearson misses with a body kick.
Potter feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Pearson's calf.
Potter throws a body kick that misses.
Potter tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Pearson is able to avoid easily.
Pearson follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
A head kick misses from Potter.
Pearson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pearson scoring well with a low kick there.
Pearson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pearson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pearson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Potter tried to counter with a leg kick but Pearson avoided it.
Potter is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson lunges at Potter with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Potter's hand.
A jab from Pearson finds it's way through Potter's defenses.
Pearson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pearson explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Potter avoids the head kick by Pearson.
Pearson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Potter takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Potter's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Pearson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Pearson misses with a leg kick.
Pearson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A quick step to the side and Potter tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Potter avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Potter throws a hook but Pearson avoids it easily.
Potter looks to throw the jab but Pearson is out of range.
Pearson throws a body shot but no joy.
Pearson misses with a kick to the body.
As Pearson backs away, Potter returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson swings for the body but Potter moves out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Potter on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Potter lands the left hand.
Pearson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Potter rather than just go for the knockout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Potter cracks Pearson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Pearson blocks a head kick by Potter.
Potter connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That has opened up James Pearson's cut even more.
Pearson jabs Potter to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pearson wants to slow Potter down by chopping away at his legs.
Potter blocks the body kick.
And Potter counters with a quick kick to the body but Pearson blocks it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Pearson.
Pearson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Potter tried to counter with a leg kick but Pearson avoided it.
Potter lands a nice leg kick that just misses Pearson's sensitive parts.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Potter wants to land a leg kick but Pearson is out of range.
Potter throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Potter scores with a body shot.
Both fighters circling a little - Pearson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Pearson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Potter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pearson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Potter.
Potter takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pearson slips a jab from Potter.
Pearson throws a quick inside leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pearson lands a body shot.
Pearson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Potter has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Pearson.
Pearson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pearson misses with a punch to the body.
Pearson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Potter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Potter moves out of range of the body kick.
Potter misses with a body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Potter.
James Pearson seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potter displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pearson throws out the jab.
Potter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pearson was well out of range. Poor timing from Potter.
Potter pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Pearson is looking to score with low kicks.
Potter is looking to chop away at Pearson's legs.
Pearson misses with a straight left.
Pearson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Pearson punishes Potter's body with a nice straight punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Good leg kick by Pearson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Pearson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Potter manages to avoid it.

Pearson clinches.
Pearson digs a right hand into Potter's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Potter's gas tank.

Potter breaks from the clinch.
Potter pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A nice side step and Pearson releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Pearson lands a nice looking body shot.
Both fighters circling a little - Pearson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pearson fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Potter has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Potter is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Good leg kick by Pearson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Pearson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Potter.
Potter closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pearson.
Potter takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pearson misses with a series of wild punches.
Potter fires out a quick counter leg kick but Pearson just manages to avoid it.
Potter takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Good exchange - Pearson coming out on top.
Pearson swings for the body but Potter moves out of range.
Potter checks the leg kick nicely there.
Pearson lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson throws a shot to the body.
Pearson throws a head kick but Potter moves out of range.
Potter on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Pearson dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Potter. That did some damage!
Pearson throws a leg kick which misses Potter's front leg but catches the back leg as Potter tries to avoid it.
No joy there for Pearson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A bone on bone clash there as Potter blocks the leg kick.
Potter waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pearson.
Potter takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Pearson scores with a kick to the body.
Potter takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Potter checks the leg kick.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Potter is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Pearson lands a jab to Potter's midsection.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Potter takes one to the chin there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearson is looking to slow Potter down with leg kicks.
Pearson lands a nice looking body kick.
Pearson throws a nice looking combination but Potter bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pearson connects with a single shot there.

Potter is rocked!
Pearson lands with a shot to the body.
Oh Potter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Pearson punishes Potter's body with a nice straight punch.
Potter takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Pearson moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Nice body punch from Pearson.
Potter seems to have got his legs back now.
Pearson throws a shot to the body.
Potter moves out of range of the body kick.
Potter takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Potter moves out of range as Pearson throws a body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Potter prevents a body shot from Pearson.
Pearson effectively controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Pearson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pearson digs a good body shot into Potter's ribs.
Pearson ducks under a wild hook from Potter.
Pearson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Potter jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Pearson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Pearson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Potter at a distance.
Potter misses with a straight right.

Pearson cracks Potter with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Pearson has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Potter to stand back up!
Potter swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pearson appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Potter fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Pearson checks it well.
Pearson throws an overhand right that lands on Potter's shoulder, as Potter tries to avoid the shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pearson misses the jab.
A low kick from Pearson is predictable there
and Potter counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Pearson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Pearson misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearson throws an overhand right that drops Potter like a sack of potatoes! Pearson dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:09 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Pearson!
James Pearson seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.