PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Khairul Naim (ranked 4861 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Pierre (ranked 25238 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Naim might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Negara ku. Ben Pierre has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Naim
vs
Pierre

168 cm
26
156 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
24
165 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Khairul Naim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ben Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Naim drives through and clinches with Pierre against the cage.
Pierre gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Naim.
Naim is looking for a takedown.
Naim prevents the takedown attempt.
Naim is trying to push Pierre away but Pierre has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Naim has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pierre avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Khairul Naim. 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.
Naim jumps guard but Pierre stands there with Naim around his waist. Naim gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Naim.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naim using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pierre has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Naim makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Naim looking for a takedown.
Naim is trying to push Pierre away but Pierre has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Naim breaks from the clinch.

Naim bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Naim decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pierre to his feet.
Naim moves in looking to clinch but Pierre pushes him off.
Pierre with the counter takedown but Naim avoids it easily.

Naim closes the distance and clinches.

Pierre breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naim with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pierre counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Naim is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pierre not doing much here.
Naim is looking to get back to full guard here but Pierre has managed to pass to side control instead.
Naim wants to get back to his feet but Pierre drags him back down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naim is looking to reverse the position.
Naim is working hard here to advance position.
Naim trying to remain calm as Pierre controls from the top position.
Naim tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pierre in side control, just content to control the action for now.
It looks like Pierre might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's four 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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ben Pierre will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Naim changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pierre tries to avoid it but Naim manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pierre to the ground. Pierre escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Naim closes the distance looking to clinch

and Pierre decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Naim's guard.

Naim manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Naim tries to pull guard but Pierre forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naim has had enough of the clinch but Pierre keeps him there for the moment.
Naim tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Khairul Naim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Naim is trying to pull guard but Pierre has him pressed against the cage.
Naim is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pierre pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre tries for a takedown but Naim manages to get underhooks.

Pierre successfully pulls guard.
Naim being controlled here momentarily.
Pierre is continuing to stall.
Naim looking to sit in guard and control but Pierre gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naim looking for a sweep. Not yet Naim, not yet.
Naim trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Pierre forces his way into half guard.
Pierre performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naim looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pierre wants to free his trapped foot but Naim is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pierre seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Khairul Naim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Naim misses with a takedown attempt

and Pierre counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Naim is looking to stand back up but Pierre counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Naim.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Naim is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Pierre showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Pierre scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Naim can't do much from the bottom here.
Pierre controls the position.
Naim tries to buck Pierre off but Pierre is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierre in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pierre's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Naim wants to control but Pierre postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Naim looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pierre is fending him off so far but Naim persists. Nope, Pierre circles away and we're back to standing.

Pierre looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierre sitting in guard here, content to control.

Naim working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Pierre has passed into half guard!

Pierre is working for a kimura but Naim is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierre slows the pace down in half guard.
More stalling from Pierre.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Khairul Naim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Naim has a hand on Pierre's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Pierre takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Ben Pierre is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Naim wants to hold on but Pierre pushes him away.
Pierre sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Pierre comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pierre winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Pierre!
Ben Pierre decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.
Khairul Naim was interviewed post fight and said 'Next time I will win'.