PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Don Self (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Chesterman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Chesterman struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.5lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. John Chesterman looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Self
vs
Chesterman

179 cm
22
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
196 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Don Self!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Chesterman!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Robert Douchet and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Self swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Self swats away the attempt to clinch by Chesterman.
Self fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Self throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Chesterman looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Self will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Self shoots in for a double leg but Chesterman sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Self. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Self scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Chesterman looks gassed!

Chesterman closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Chesterman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Self has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Chesterman stalling.

Self manages to break the clinch.
Self paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Self tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Chesterman counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Self looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Self has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Chesterman off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Self drives through with a takedown into guard.
Self throwing strikes but missing.
Self sitting in guard here, content to control.

Self thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Self is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Chesterman is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Chesterman working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Self controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Self chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Self gets to his feet. Chesterman looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Self misses with a body shot.
Chesterman misses with a head kick.
Chesterman moves in looking to clinch but Self pushes him off.
Chesterman moves in looking to clinch but Self pushes him off.
Don Self seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chesterman moves in looking to clinch but Self pushes him off.
Self moves in looking to clinch but Chesterman pushes him off.
Chesterman scores with a head kick.

Self closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Self working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Self dominated that round.
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.

Self looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Self shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Chesterman but Chesterman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Chesterman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Chesterman wants it to stay on the feet.
Self throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Self fails with an attempt to clinch.
Chesterman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Don Self. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Self looks to clinch
and Chesterman counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Self closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Chesterman to the mat! Chesterman manages to get full guard.
Self sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Chesterman's guard.

Chesterman is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Self pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Self stands up and beckons Chesterman to join him on the feet.
Self looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Don Self is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chesterman is looking to clinch but Self is avoiding it.
Chesterman tries to clinch up

and Self counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Chesterman!
Don Self overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Self controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Self lands a nice shot to the head.
Self controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Self jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Chesterman is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Chesterman and Self has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Chesterman tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Self wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Self controlling from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Self decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Self throws a combination that misses
and Chesterman counters with a two punch combo.
The fight stays on the outside here - Chesterman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Self looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Self looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Chesterman tries to clinch up but Self circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Self dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Self shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Self is looking to advance position but Chesterman won't allow it.

Self decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Self dives in and grabs Chesterman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Chesterman pushes down on Self's head and hops out.
Chesterman doesn't manage to clinch there - Self circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Self is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Chesterman's half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Self content to control rather than advance.
Self works his way into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chesterman is looking to regain half guard here but Self keeps moving and retains side control.
Self has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Chesterman!
BOOM! Self connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Self cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Self tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The referee warns Chesterman that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Self sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Chesterman that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Self breaks from Chesterman's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Self is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Self landing shots from mount.
John Chesterman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Don Self is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Self content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Self showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Self, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Self!