PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alex St Pierre (ranked 4325 p4p, 25375 weight class) and Danny Rand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Danny Rand enters the cage!

St Pierre
vs
Rand

184 cm
18
170
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
175
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 Tokyo, Alex St Pierre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Danny Rand!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rand avoids a punch combination nicely.
St Pierre shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rand counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rand fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No luck for St Pierre with that takedown attempt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rand!
St Pierre moves in looking to clinch but Rand pushes him off.
St Pierre uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rand.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt - Rand sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt.
It seemed like Rand was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rand as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rand lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Rand.
Rand misses with a head kick.
St Pierre feinted with a counter takedown.
A head kick misses from Rand.
Rand misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rand keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rand tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rand pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rand throws a nice looking combination but St Pierre bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
St Pierre feinted with a counter takedown.
St Pierre shoots in looking for a takedown. Rand tries to sprawl out of it but St Pierre keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rand manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Rand lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rand is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A punch combination from Rand misses.
Rand lands a nice hook to St Pierre's body. St Pierre takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from St Pierre is defended easily by Rand.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.

St Pierre rushes Rand and presses him up against the cage.

St Pierre jumps guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre is working an open guard so Rand takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rand clobbers St Pierre with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
St Pierre checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
St Pierre changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
St Pierre tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rand defends well and St Pierre ends up having to push Rand into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Rand breaks from the clinch.
St Pierre avoids the head kick by Rand.
St Pierre shoots in but no luck this time.

St Pierre gets in close and instigates a clinch.
St Pierre can't find room to land a body shot as Rand controls the action.
St Pierre jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rand walks away with a smile on his face. St Pierre gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
St Pierre shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rand pinned against the cage. Rand gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand misses with a series of wild punches.
Rand's corner calls for a 1-2. Rand obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
St Pierre shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
St Pierre avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rand throws a sloppy head kick and St Pierre moves out of range easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rand throws a head kick but St Pierre moves out of range.
St Pierre tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rand defends well and St Pierre ends up having to push Rand into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Rand escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
St Pierre takes a shot right to the bread basket.
St Pierre slips a jab and a cross from Rand.
Rand tries to bum rush St Pierre with a series of wild strikes but St Pierre uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

St Pierre looks for a takedown but Rand sprawls well.
Rand throws a nice looking combination but St Pierre bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A cross from Rand lands.
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt.

St Pierre scores with a takedown into Rand's guard.
Rand is looking to stand up but St Pierre isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells St Pierre's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
St Pierre stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rand swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre won't allow Rand to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rand can do anything to dispel that myth.

St Pierre thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rand wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rand is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

St Pierre is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
St Pierre moves into full guard.
Rand trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St Pierre is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rand defends well.
St Pierre keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.

Rand stands up and waves to St Pierre to follow him.
St Pierre takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
St Pierre dodges the punch combination from Rand.
St Pierre appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Horrible takedown attempt by St Pierre or perhaps it was just good defense by Rand, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rand lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt - Rand sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rand lands a jab-cross combination.
Rand connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
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!
Rand tries a head kick but it misses.
St Pierre feinted with a counter takedown.
Rand misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand lands a jab to the head.
St Pierre fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rand lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Rand throws a head kick but St Pierre moves out of range.
Rand throws a head kick that misses.
St Pierre appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rand swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by St Pierre.
Rand misses with a head kick.
St Pierre is looking for a counter combo.
Alex St Pierre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
St Pierre takes one to the chin there.
Rand looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rand scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Rand gets tackled into the cage by St Pierre. St Pierre maintains the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rand lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
St Pierre avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rand leaves St Pierre with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
St Pierre moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRand.
Rand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nice cross by Rand.
Rand looks to land a combination but St Pierre avoids it well.

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

St Pierre has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Rand is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. St Pierre yanks on the arm and Rand is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by St Pierre.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Alex St Pierre!
Alex St Pierre thanked the fans post fight for their support.