PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Popeye Man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Georges St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Man
vs
St Pierre

165 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Popeye Man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Georges St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Man gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows St Pierre to score an easy takedown into full guard.
St Pierre is in close to Man's body, working some short punches and elbows.
St Pierre preventing the sweep.
St Pierre advances to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Man could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Man trying to control but St Pierre postures up.
St Pierre takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man is looking to improve his position.

St Pierre stands up from half guard.
St Pierre showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Man.
Man rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but St Pierre moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

St Pierre moves into range and clinches up with Man.

St Pierre has Man pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. St Pierre pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Man tumbling to the mat - St Pierre dives into Man's guard.
St Pierre passes Man's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Man might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Man wants to control but St Pierre is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Man flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
St Pierre keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Man is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Man is trying to stand back up but St Pierre is controlling him
Man is looking for a sweep. St Pierre is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Man trying to control here.
Man wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Man misses with a series of wild punches.

St Pierre takes the fight into the clinch.

St Pierre gets a trip takedown into half guard.
St Pierre not doing much here.
St Pierre is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
St Pierre keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
St Pierre looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Man looking for submissions off his back.
St Pierre is figuring out what he wants to do next.
St Pierre passes to side control.
Man tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but St Pierre wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Man looking for a sweep but St Pierre has passed into full mount! Oh no!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Georges St Pierre dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

St Pierre is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Man's half guard.
St Pierre perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Man is refusing to be controlled, as St Pierre sits in half guard.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Georges St Pierre just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Man fails to land with a series of punches.
Popeye Man seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Man takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Man misses with a jab, cross combination.
Popeye Man is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Man does no damage.
St Pierre slips a jab and a cross from Man.
St Pierre slips a jab and a cross from Man.
Man misses with a series of wild punches.

St Pierre closes the distance and clinches.

St Pierre breaks the clinch.

St Pierre scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Man knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for St Pierre on the ground.
Man takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
St Pierre working the head with strikes.

St Pierre stands up.

St Pierre shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Man wants to control the position but St Pierre says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Man doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time St Pierre.
Man trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Man wants to improve his position but St Pierre is controlling well.
Nice strikes from St Pierre there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man trying to control from the bottom.
St Pierre passes into side control, despite Man's attempt to control the position.
Man is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but St Pierre is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
St Pierre cracks Man with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

St Pierre gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
St Pierre dodges the punch combination from Man.

St Pierre clinches.
Still in the clinch, St Pierre scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man tries to pull guard but St Pierre won't allow it.

St Pierre works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Man looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Man is looking to sweep but instead, St Pierre has passed into half guard.

St Pierre is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Man has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. St Pierre is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Georges St Pierre showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

St Pierre fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Man, pushing him back against the cage.
Man jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as St Pierre walks away with a smile on his face. Man gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Some wild striking there from Man.

St Pierre changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Man looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
St Pierre controlling from side mount.
St Pierre trying to control the position but Man is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
St Pierre takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
St Pierre wants to lay and pray for a moment but Man keeps working.
Man is trying to improve his position.
St Pierre wants to lay and pray for a moment but Man keeps working.
Georges St Pierre has got the better of the ground game so far.

St Pierre decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Man lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but St Pierre circles away quickly and effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Man works over St Pierre's head and body with a nice combination.
Man throws a combination but it was largely blocked by St Pierre.
Man throws a right hand that St Pierre ducks under and follows up with a left that St Pierre also avoids with ease.
St Pierre digs a good body shot into Man's ribs.
Popeye Man is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

St Pierre scores with a takedown into Man's guard.
Man keeping moving, preventing St Pierre from controlling successfully.
St Pierre prevents Man from getting back to his feet.
St Pierre distracts Man with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

St Pierre stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Man misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Man to the mat! Man manages to get full guard.
Man being controlled here, momentarily.
Man looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
St Pierre has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Man working a defensive guard here.
St Pierre slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man is looking for a sweep. St Pierre is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

St Pierre decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

St Pierre gets in close and instigates a clinch.

St Pierre is trying to trip Man. He has hold of a leg but Man is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. St Pierre persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
St Pierre won't allow Man to sweep him here.
St Pierre advances to half guard.
St Pierre working over Man with some ground and pound. Man looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
St Pierre thows a huge punch but Man dodges it nicely.
Popeye Man has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Georges St Pierre is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Man tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Georges St Pierre comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got St 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 25:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Georges St Pierre!