PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Liam Christopher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lee Pierce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Christopher
vs
Pierce

190 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

183 cm
25
196 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Liam Christopher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lee Pierce!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pierce closes the distance and clinches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pierce.

It looks like Liam Christopher has been cut.

Pierce is trying to trip Christopher. He has hold of a leg but Christopher is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Pierce persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Pierce sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Christopher's guard.
Pierce trying to control from half guard but Christopher is working away.
Christopher trying to control from the bottom.
Pierce tries to pass the half guard into mount. Christopher knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pierce prevents Christopher from improving his position.
Pierce uses his free foot to push down on Christopher's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Christopher.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christopher is looking to get to half guard.
Pierce looking to control but Christopher is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Christopher working to try and regain half guard.
Christopher is trying to stand.
Christopher is squirming around, avoiding Pierce's attempts to control the action.

Pierce working for a submission but Christopher is keeping him at bay.
Christopher wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pierce.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Christopher is looking to escape.
Poor strikes thrown by Pierce there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Pierce unloads with some shots from mount but Christopher bucks and avoids them well.
Pierce looking to ground and pound but Christopher is blocking nicely.
Christopher doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce tries to control but Christopher wriggling away.
Christopher avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pierce.
Poor strikes thrown by Pierce there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pierce trying to control but Christopher is having none of it.
Pierce moves to take his opponent's back.
Pierce tries to keep control of the position but Christopher is staying busy.
Pierce throwing wild punches that miss their target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Christopher breaks Pierce's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Pierce pulls Christopher in close to prevent any damage.
Pierce is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pierce is on top in guard.

Pierce passes Christopher's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pierce is controlling the pace.
Pierce throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Pierce dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Liam Christopher's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pierce keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lee Pierce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pierce throws a head kick but Christopher moves out of range.
Pierce tries to score a power double leg takedown but Christopher sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pierce somewhat.
Pierce shoots in and drives through. Christopher sprawls well.
Pierce dives in for a single leg takedown but Christopher sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Liam Christopher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lee Pierce.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Christopher misses with a wild combination.
Christopher tries to clinch up but Pierce circles away and keeps his distance.
Christopher dives in for a single leg takedown but Pierce sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pierce closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Christopher's guard.

Christopher pushes Pierce off and gets back to his feet.
Pierce fails with the takedown
enabling Christopher to counter with a crisp jab.

Pierce throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Christopher was covering up waiting for the punch and Pierce finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Christopher trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Christopher is working an open guard so Pierce takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Pierce tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pierce looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Christopher!

Christopher bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Pierce is breathing heavily.
Pierce has his takedown stuffed
and Christopher connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Pierce has his takedown stuffed
and Christopher counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Christopher blocks a head kick by Pierce.
It looked like Christopher wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Pierce looks to land a combination but Christopher avoids it well.
Christopher swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
We've been told by Christopher's head coaches at Cozad MMA Montreal that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Pierce has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Pierce takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Christopher wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Pierce has Christopher pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Pierce pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Christopher tumbling to the mat - Pierce dives into Christopher's guard.
Christopher has control of Pierce's left arm, preventing Pierce from doing any damage.
Christopher 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.
Christopher is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce wants to control from the top but Christopher keeps moving.
Christopher preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Pierce decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Christopher, up you get!
Christopher fails to land with a series of punches.
Pierce throws a wild body kick that Christopher sees coming a mile off.

Pierce has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pierce has Christopher pressed against the cage, preventing Christopher from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Pierce pulls guard successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Liam Christopher will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Liam Christopher's cut.
That's time! Christopher's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Christopher wants to clinch

and Pierce counters with a nice double leg into side control. Christopher won't be happy with that.

Pierce is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Christopher has escaped the position, nice work there.
Christopher tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pierce wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Pierce decides to stand up, so the ref orders Christopher to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pierce closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Christopher wants to get back to striking at distance but Pierce won't allow it.

Pierce manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Lee Pierce has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce controls Christopher momentarily but Christopher frees himself.
Christopher working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Pierce looking to hit a scissor sweep but Christopher is one step ahead there.

Pierce has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Christopher 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 Pierce.
Pierce takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pierce is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Christopher working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce tries to escape but Christopher is in control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pierce can do anything to dispel that myth.
Christopher working away.
Pierce manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Pierce decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Horrible takedown attempt by Pierce or perhaps it was just good defense by Christopher, which made it look bad.
Pierce tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Christopher manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pierce misses with a takedown attempt - Christopher sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Christopher tries to clinch there but Pierce circles away.
Despite the aggression on Pierce's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Christopher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pierce.
Pierce shoots in for a takedown but Christopher shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Liam Christopher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lee Pierce.
Christopher avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Christopher will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Christopher throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pierce's waist but Pierce gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Christopher off to one side.
Christopher takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Christopher shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pierce napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pierce takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Pierce is trying to control Christopher's posture but Christopher avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Christopher wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Christopher cracks Pierce with a big right hand but Pierce just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Christopher working away.

Christopher has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pierce throws a sloppy head kick
and Christopher connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Pierce darts in and clinches Christopher up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Liam Christopher.
I think Christopher 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Liam Christopher!