PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kelvin Pouncey (ranked 13824 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jules Gignac (ranked 23522 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Pouncey
vs
Gignac

195 cm
47
255 lbs
26 - 27 - 2

194 cm
27
236 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Solid chin

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 26 - 27 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Kelvin Pouncey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jules Gignac!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Pouncey misses.
Gignac tries to clinch up but Pouncey circles away and keeps his distance.

Gignac instigates a clinch.
Pouncey stalling.
Gignac misses with an elbow strike.
Pouncey changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gignac fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Gignac gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pouncey avoids a wild elbow strike from Gignac.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike.
Gignac lands an elbow inside that Pouncey shrugs off.

It looks like Kelvin Pouncey has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gignac creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Pouncey drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gignac pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gignac tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pouncey swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gignac tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pouncey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pouncey was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Pouncey keeps the fight on the outside.
Pouncey swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Gignac gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Gignac is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Gignac lands an elbow just above Pouncey 's eye.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike from Gignac.
Pouncey taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gignac comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Pouncey goes for a takedown attempt but Gignac pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kelvin Pouncey. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gignac has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike from Gignac.
Gignac throws an elbow that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gignac.
Gignac lands an elbow inside.
Gignac is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pouncey controlling the action here for a moment.
Gignac throws an elbow but it misses.
Gignac pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pouncey is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gignac gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gignac creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Pouncey manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gignac throws an elbow but misses.
Pouncey dodges an elbow strike from Gignac.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gignac tries to stall but Pouncey uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pouncey.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
Gignac throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gignac misses with an elbow over the top.
Gignac misses with an elbow strike.
Gignac stalls.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike from Gignac.
Pouncey has Gignac pushed against the cage.
Pouncey dodges an elbow strike from Gignac.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gignac throws an elbow but it misses.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike from Gignac.
Gignac throws an elbow that misses.
Pouncey takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gignac dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.

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

Gignac closes the distance and clinches.
Gignac displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pouncey up against the cage.
Gignac lands an elbow just above Pouncey 's eye.

Kelvin Pouncey's cut is getting worse.
Pouncey dodges an elbow strike from Gignac.
Pouncey looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jules Gignac dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Pouncey's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pouncey lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Gignac has closed the distance and engaged Pouncey in a clinch.
Pouncey trying to control the position but instead, Gignac has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pouncey into the cage.
Pouncey will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Gignac up against the cage.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Pouncey takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gignac pushes off an throws an elbow but Pouncey leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gignac lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Gignac looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gignac throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gignac lands an elbow that stopped Pouncey in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gignac pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gignac throws an elbow that misses.
Pouncey stalling.
Gignac has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gignac pushes off an throws an elbow but Pouncey leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gignac blocks an uppercut.
Gignac lands an elbow that stopped Pouncey in his tracks for a moment.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike.
Pouncey letting Gignac take a breather here.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.

Pouncey wants the takedown. Gignac is fighting it off but Pouncey persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gignac's guard against the cage.
Pouncey controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gignac keeping moving, preventing Pouncey from controlling successfully.
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.
Pouncey stands up over Gignac, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Pouncey in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gignac is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pouncey trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gignac is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Pouncey dives into side control.
Gignac really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pouncey. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Pouncey in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Gignac is trying to buck Pouncey off.
Pouncey 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.
Gignac is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Pouncey cracks Gignac with a big right hand but Gignac just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
You can see the frustration on Gignac's face as Pouncey controls the position.
Gignac is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pouncey asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gignac is being controlled here.
Pouncey working the ground and pound.
Pouncey in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Pouncey postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kelvin Pouncey dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kelvin Pouncey's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gignac looks to clinch
and Pouncey counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gignac tries to clinch but Pouncey moves out of range.
Pouncey swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Gignac tries to clinch but Pouncey is having none of it.
A slow jab from Pouncey misses its intended target.
Gignac tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pouncey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pouncey avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pouncey's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gignac under the eye.

Pouncey shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gignac's guard.
Pouncey is working Gignac over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pouncey is working Gignac over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gignac wants to stand up but Pouncey is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gignac can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pouncey controls the pace.
Gignac wants to stand up but Pouncey is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gignac can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pouncey controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Pouncey swings and misses with a hook to the body.

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.
Pouncey fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gignac fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gignac clinches up with Pouncey and pushes him back against the cage.
Pouncey blocks an elbow strike.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Pouncey is trying to force a seperation but Gignac has the dominant position.
Gignac misses with an elbow over the top.
Gignac misses with an elbow over the top.
Pouncey dodges an elbow strike from Gignac.
Nice elbow from Gignac.
Pouncey fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pouncey takes an elbow to the temple.
Gignac misses with an elbow over the top.
Pouncey is trying to break the clinch but Gignac is controlling him.
Pouncey dodges an elbow strike from Gignac.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gignac looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
Gignac throws an elbow but it misses.
Gignac lands an elbow inside that Pouncey shrugs off.
Pouncey blocks the elbow strike.
Pouncey throws a head punch that misses.
Gignac comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gignac creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Pouncey's defenses.

Kelvin Pouncey's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Gignac lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gignac lands an elbow inside that Pouncey shrugs off.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gignac throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Gignac looking to slow down the pace here.
Gignac lands an elbow inside.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gignac misses with an elbow strike.
Gignac creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gignac just misses with a elbow thrown towards Pouncey's brow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gignac creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Pouncey's defenses.
Gignac pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gignac creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gignac creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gignac trying to stall but Pouncey improves his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jules Gignac comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gignac 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jules Gignac!