PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between usman ali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George 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.

ali
vs
St Pierre

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, usman ali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, George St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Daniel Franklin and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

ali tries to keep at a distance but St Pierre has taken the fight into the clinch.
ali tries to pull guard but St Pierre holds him up against the cage and eventually ali drops back down to his feet.
St Pierre pressing his opponent against the cage.
St Pierre using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

St Pierre breaks from the clinch.

ali scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
ali is trying to control. St Pierre wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
St Pierre tries to roll over but ali keeps him under control.
St Pierre is looking to get back to full guard here but ali has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre is working to get back to half guard.
St Pierre is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
St Pierre tries to reverse the position but ali maintains control.
St Pierre wants to control but ali is having none of it.
St Pierre keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

ali jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… St Pierre is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by St Pierre and ali has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
ali connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused St Pierre some visible discomfort.
ali trying to control the action but St Pierre is working from the bottom.
St Pierre tries to bench press ali off him but ali keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre trying his best to control but ali has mounted him.
St Pierre can't escape the position.
St Pierre tries to hold on but ali postures up.
St Pierre is trying desperately to improve position.
ali can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as St Pierre is looking to escape.
St Pierre is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
ali breaks from St Pierre's wrist control and lands an elbow.
St Pierre is looking to improve his position but ali isn't that keen on the idea.
ali is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. St Pierre can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
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.
ali raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

St Pierre shoots in but no luck this time.
usman ali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
St Pierre tries to clinch there but ali circles away.
ali stuffs the takedown attempt from St Pierre. St Pierre gets slowly back to his feet.
ali shoots and misses

and St Pierre counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by St Pierre.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
ali trying to keep a closed guard but St Pierre is proving a slippery customer.
St Pierre keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of ali's head.

ali working for a triangle but St Pierre defends it easily.
St Pierre loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
St Pierre in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
ali manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
St Pierre tries to lock up and control but ali gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
ali with good strikes from the mount here!
St Pierre working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
St Pierre is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

St Pierre defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from ali.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre tries to reverse the position but ali maintains control.

That's four 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.
A nice elbow there by ali.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

ali is standing up, even though he is in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but George St Pierre will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

St Pierre stuffs the takedown.
ali with a lazy takedown attempt
and St Pierre counters with a nice kick to the body.
ali avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
ali with a poor takedown

and St Pierre counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for usman ali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre lands a hook that snaps the head of ali backwards.
St Pierre misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from ali.
St Pierre stalling.
St Pierre throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but ali blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
St Pierre stalling in the clinch but ali improves position.
St Pierre tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and ali avoids it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
St Pierre throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. St Pierre obliges.
A short right hand to the side of the head by St Pierre.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

St Pierre escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A nice combination there by St Pierre.
St Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but ali paws at him with a jab and circles away.
St Pierre tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
St Pierre is looking to clinch but ali is avoiding it.
St Pierre shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with ali but ali pushes him off and we're back to square one.
St Pierre throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre wants to clinch.
George St Pierre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
ali tries for a takedown but St Pierre circles away easily
and St Pierre counters with a two punch combo.
St Pierre tries to clinch but ali is having none of it.
ali chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before St Pierre can pounce on him.
The fight stays on the outside here - St Pierre looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
St Pierre pulls out of a head kick attempt.
St Pierre moves in looking to clinch but ali pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre connects with a high kick.
ali swats away the attempt to clinch by St Pierre.

ali has managed to clinch.
St Pierre will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning ali up against the cage.

ali jumps guard.
St Pierre is looking to stand up but ali won't let him.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as ali works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
ali 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.
St Pierre wants to control from the top but ali keeps moving.
St Pierre would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

ali is looking for a triangle but St Pierre pushes his legs off easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
George St Pierre comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think St Pierre has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

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