PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Harley Royale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Georgie Pierson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royale comes to the cage accompanied by Empire X by Dubtraction. Harley Royale had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.6lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Georgie Pierson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Royale
vs
Pierson

183 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Harley Royale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Georgie Pierson!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Robert Douchet and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Royale shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pierson as he jumps to the side.

Royale moves into range and clinches up with Pierson.
Royale lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Pierson is fighting off a takedown attempt but Royale is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pierson to the mat. Pierson regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Royale stops Pierson from standing up.

Pierson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Royale gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pierson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Royale is controlling him.
Pierson is trying to control the position but Royale postures up.
Royale preventing the sweep.
Royale not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Pierson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pierson looking for a sweep. Not yet Pierson, not yet.
Royale prevents Pierson from getting back to his feet.
Pierson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pierson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pierson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pierson wants to clinch

and Royale counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Royale is breathing heavily.

Pierson has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Royale is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Pierson.
Pierson wants to control but Royale postures up.
Pierson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pierson is trying to maintain the position but Royale is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierson wants to control the action here but instead Royale manages to pass to full mount!
Pierson is trying to escape the mount.
Pierson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pierson regains half guard.
Pierson is looking to control Royale's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pierson avoid being mounted?
Royale is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pierson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Pierson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pierson trying to control here.
Pierson punching from the bottom.
Pierson wants to control but Royale is keeping busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Pierson fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Royale darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Pierson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Pierson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Royale tries for a takedown but Pierson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Royale takes a kick to the side of the head.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pierson.
Pierson has a takedown stuffed.
Pierson tries to clinch up but Royale circles away and keeps his distance.
Royale misses with a takedown
and Pierson counters with a good, hard body kick but Royale shrugs it off.
Pierson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Royale shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Pierson counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harley Royale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Royale is trying to break the clinch but Pierson has him pressed against the cage.

Royale has picked Pierson up - he's going for a ride! Royale dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Royale content to control rather than advance.
Pierson tries to kick Royale off but Royale keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pierson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Pierson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Royale takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Pierson trying to control but Royale postures up.
Pierson tries to roll over but Royale keeps him under control.
Royale looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

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.
Pierson wants to improve his position but Royale is controlling well.
Well, if Royale is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Pierson is looking to get back to full guard here but Royale has managed to pass to side control instead.
Royale controlling the pace for now.
Pierson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Pierson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Royale wants to control the pace but Pierson is squirming around nicely.
Pierson is trying to escape the mount.

That's four 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.
Pierson tries to hold on but Royale pushes him away.
Royale can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pierson is looking to escape.
Pierson wants to control but Royale is having none of it.
Pierson tries to reverse the position but Royale maintains control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pierson tries to lock up and control but Royale gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harley Royale dominated that second round.
That's time! Royale's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Royale tries for a takedown but Pierson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pierson lands a head kick!
Both fighters circling a little - Pierson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

Pierson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pierson slips a nice elbow through Royale's hands, connecting with Royale's forehead.
Royale is controlling Pierson's trapped leg to prevent Pierson from advancing to side control.
Royale has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Pierson wants to work for an arm triangle but Royale is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Royale works his way to full guard. Good work.
Pierson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pierson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royale has control of Pierson's left arm, preventing Pierson from doing any damage.
Royale keeping moving, preventing Pierson from controlling successfully.
Royale manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pierson manages to get himself to full guard.
Pierson is trying to control the position but Royale postures up.
Royale sitting in guard here, content to control.
Pierson working a defensive guard here.

Pierson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Royale can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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.
Pierson being controlled here, momentarily.

Pierson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Royale has picked Pierson up and slammed him! Pierson can't keep hold of the triangle and Royale manages to pass to side control!
Harley Royale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pierson tries to control but Royale manages to take his back.
Royale is trying to stick to Pierson's back but Pierson is turning into Royale. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Royale's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Pierson.
Pierson connects with a couple of short punches.
Pierson trying to control but Royale is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royale has a closed guard, preventing Pierson from standing up.
Pierson looking to pass the guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Royale doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Pierson to counter with a crisp jab.

Pierson gets the takedown into side control.
Who's going to make the next move?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierson trying to control the action but Royale is working from the bottom.
Pierson wants to stand but Royale has his arm trapped.
Georgie Pierson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Pierson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Royale knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Royale is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Georgie Pierson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Royale has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harley Royale!