PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aljamain Sterling (ranked 2220 p4p, 25723 weight class) and DJ Perez (ranked 125 p4p, 327 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Sterling might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to I Love. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sterling
vs
Perez

170 cm
25
135
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
137
1 - 3 - 1

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Cobra venom
Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Aljamain Sterling!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 1, fighting out of The Island, DJ Perez!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Bart Greer and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sterling shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Perez pinned against the cage. Perez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sterling.
Sterling looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Sterling tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Perez defends well and Sterling ends up having to push Perez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aljamain Sterling. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sterling jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Perez walks away with a smile on his face. Sterling gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sterling doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Perez counter with a right hand.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sterling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Perez wants it to stay on the feet.
Perez stuffs the takedown attempt from Sterling. Sterling gets slowly back to his feet.
Sterling shoots in for a takedown but Perez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Perez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perez prevents the takedown attempt.
Sterling jumps guard but Perez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Come on Perez - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Perez manages to break the clinch.
Sterling closes the distance and clinches up with Perez, looking for a takedown. Sterling pushes Perez against the cage but Perez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Perez moves into the clinch.
Sterling wants a takedown.
Sterling goes for a takedown in the clinch but Perez prevents it.
Sterling jumps guard but Perez stands there with Sterling around his waist. Sterling gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sterling drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Perez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Perez jumps guard and drags Sterling to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sterling wants to control from the top but Perez keeps moving.
Sterling passes into half guard.
Perez misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sterling blocks the strikes from Perez.

Sterling seems to be working for a kimura but Perez defends the submission attempt.
Perez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sterling. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Sterling is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Perez lands with a few short shots to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sterling wants to work for an arm triangle but Perez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Sterling is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Perez has managed to free his arm - good work.
Perez is trying to stand up here but Sterling is controlling him well.
Sterling is stalling here. Perez is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sterling seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Perez has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Sterling seems a little lost for a moment, as Perez dominates the positioning.
Sterling can't do much from the bottom here.
Sterling tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Perez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Sterling manages to get back to half guard.
Sterling is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sterling is working hard here to advance position.
Sterling trying to get back to full guard but Perez takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Sterling sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sterling has hold of a guillotine but he's not going to be able to crank on it really with only half guard, so it's no trouble for Perez. Oh but Sterling has got full guard now! Oh boy! This one could be over very soon! Perez goes limp - he's gone! Sterling jumps up and celebrates with the crowd - fantastic submission finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Aljamain Sterling!
Aljamain Sterling very nearly forgot to thank Highland Clothing amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.