PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Phil St. Georges (ranked 1952 p4p, 1091 weight class) and Boko Haram (ranked 147 p4p, 88 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

St. Georges
vs
Haram

167 cm
31
145
7 - 1 - 0

173 cm
26
144
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Honest Apparel ($30 SPECIAL ALL T-Shirts!)
NARCOS

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phil St. Georges!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Boko Haram!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

St. Georges drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Haram tries to get back to half guard but can't.

St. Georges tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no St. Georges has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
St. Georges wants to control but Haram is keeping him busy.
St. Georges tries to move to mount but Haram blocks the move with his legs.

St. Georges is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Haram has escaped the position, nice work there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

St. Georges goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Haram rolls with the submission and now he's on top in St. Georges's guard! Nice work there by Haram!
Haram has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Is It Avatary Enough?. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

That's one minute gone in the round.

St. Georges has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Haram can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
St. Georges is trying to control the position but Haram postures up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as St. Georges holds on and takes a little breather.

St. Georges throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
St. Georges keeping moving, preventing Haram from controlling successfully.
Haram slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

St. Georges has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Haram can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

St. Georges has an active guard here but Haram has managed to pass into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
St. Georges is looking for a sweep. Haram is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
St. Georges trying to hold on to Haram's head to control him but Haram postures up.
Haram wants to take a breather but St. Georges is having none of it.
Haram passes into side control, despite St. Georges's attempt to control the position.
Haram tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St. Georges is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
St. Georges tries to get to full guard but Haram has control of the leg.
St. Georges has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Haram is working away from the top position though.

St. Georges looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
St. Georges tries to get to full guard but Haram has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Haram trying to control the action but St. Georges is working from the bottom.
St. Georges regains full guard. Nicely done.
Haram wants to pass the guard but St. Georges is keeping the position.
St. Georges looking to hit a scissor sweep but Haram is one step ahead there.
Haram postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

St. Georges is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
St. Georges looking for a sweep. Not yet St. Georges, not yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Phil St. Georges will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

St. Georges looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Haram is fending him off so far but St. Georges persists. Nope, Haram circles away and we're back to standing.
Haram fails to land with a series of punches.
Haram waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract St. Georges.
Haram throws an overhand right that lands on St. Georges's shoulder, as St. Georges tries to avoid the shot.
Haram stuffs the takedown attempt from St. Georges. St. Georges gets slowly back to his feet.
St. Georges closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Haram throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
St. Georges fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phil St. Georges. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Haram lands a two punch combo.
Good exchange - Haram coming out on top.
Haram misses with a left hand

and St. Georges counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
St. Georges is pressing down on Haram's thigh, looking to free his foot. Haram is holding on for now.

St. Georges is looking for a kimura but Haram is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for St. Georges to get the leverage.
Haram tries to get to full guard but St. Georges has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St. Georges is keen to just control but Haram is a slippery customer.

St. Georges is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Haram doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time St. Georges.
St. Georges wants to pass the guard but Haram is defending well.
Haram wants to control but St. Georges is keeping busy.

St. Georges is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Haram still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Haram has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Haram has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St. Georges is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Haram is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Haram trying to control but he's not successful this time.
St. Georges is looking to improve his position but Haram isn't that keen on the idea.
St. Georges looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
St. Georges tries to escape the position.
St. Georges is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St. Georges is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
St. Georges is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Haram controls the action.
St. Georges is really stuck here.
St. Georges rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Haram moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from St. Georges.
St. Georges is trying to work for a sweep but Haram has mounted him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St. Georges tries to reverse the position but Haram maintains control.
Haram controlling from mount.
Haram wants to control the pace but St. Georges is squirming around nicely.
St. Georges working to try and regain half guard.
Haram looking to control but St. Georges is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
St. Georges tries to reverse the position but Haram maintains control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Boko Haram showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Haram throws a nice looking combination but St. Georges bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Haram throws a jab but it's blocked by St. Georges.
Sloppy strikes from Haram. Those never looked like landing.
Boko Haram is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big left from Haram misses.
St. Georges feinted with a counter takedown.
Haram leaves St. Georges with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
St. Georges shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Haram sprawls well. Haram wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. St. Georges gets slowly back to his feet.

St. Georges scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Haram sneaks out the side door and pushes St. Georges away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Haram misses with a few strikes there.
St. Georges dodges the punch combination from Haram.
Haram misses with a two punch combination.

St. Georges shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
St. Georges trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

St. Georges is working for a kimura here but Haram manages to reverse the position and he's now in St. Georges's guard.
Haram trying to control but St. Georges is working from the bottom.
Haram must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
St. Georges pulls Haram in close to his closed guard and prevents Haram from doing any damage or advancing position.
St. Georges is trying to keep Haram in close.

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.
St. Georges is really struggling to control Haram but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Haram trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

St. Georges escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Haram gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

St. Georges working for submissions but it's allowed Haram to get to half guard.
Haram looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St. Georges is pressing down on Haram's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Haram preventing the sweep.
Haram passes St. Georges's left leg - he's now in half guard.
St. Georges keeping hold of Haram's head, controlling as best he can.
St. Georges is trying to get back to full guard.
St. Georges moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Haram trying to control the position from guard on top but St. Georges is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
Haram might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control St. Georges haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Haram controlling from the top position.

St. Georges is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Haram trying to control the position from guard on top but St. Georges is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boko Haram comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Haram has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Boko Haram!
A victorious Boko Haram thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.