PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Burton Guster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tupac Saulnier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Guster has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Guster
vs
Saulnier

195 cm
18
285 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
215 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Burton Guster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tupac Saulnier!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saulnier throws a lazy right hand but Guster sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Saulnier looks to land a left hand but Guster moved out of range nicely.
A big right from Saulnier misses.
Saulnier scores with a punch to the head.

It looks like Burton Guster has been cut.
Guster is breathing heavily.
Guster blocks a head kick by Saulnier.
Saulnier tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Guster paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saulnier throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Guster swinging wilding here.
A big left from Saulnier misses.
Saulnier fails with a takedown attempt.
Saulnier just misses with a punch to the body.
Guster sizes up Saulnier with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Saulnier tries to close the distance and clinch but Guster swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Guster takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Burton Guster is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saulnier misses with a head kick.
Saulnier tries a head kick but it misses.
Saulnier showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Guster.
Guster throws a looping overhand right but Saulnier ducks down to avoid it.
Saulnier takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The fighters circling - Saulnier throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Saulnier throws a shot from downtown. Guster moves away and avoids it.
Guster ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Guster throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saulnier shoots in but Guster avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Saulnier has Guster up against the cage in a clinch.

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.
Saulnier wants a takedown but no success here.
Burton Guster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tupac Saulnier.

Saulnier breaks from the clinch.
Saulnier slips a jab and a cross from Guster.
Saulnier plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Saulnier is looking to clinch.
Guster keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saulnier.
Saulnier misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Saulnier shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saulnier looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Guster throws a combination. Saulnier tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Saulnier slips a jab and a cross from Guster.
Saulnier throws out a loose jab but Guster uses good head movement to avoid it.
A punch combination from Guster misses.
Saulnier is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Guster displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Saulnier.
Guster throws a series of punches but Saulnier avoids them all with ease.
Burton Guster seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saulnier misses with a head kick.
Guster moves out of range as Saulnier strikes.

Saulnier moves into range and clinches up with Guster.
Guster tries to break the clinch but Saulnier is controlling the position.
Saulnier wants to break free but Guster has control.

That's four 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.
Saulnier tries to pull guard but Guster holds him up against the cage and eventually Saulnier drops back down to his feet.
Saulnier is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Guster prevents the takedown attempt.
Guster throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Saulniers head.
Guster scores with a shoulder strike.
Saulnier letting Guster take a breather here.
Guster gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Saulnier.
Guster gets underhooks to prevent Saulnier's takedown attempt.
Guster is trying to force a seperation but Saulnier has the dominant position.
Saulnier scores with a knee to the head.
Saulnier can't break the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Guster.
Guster blocks an elbow strike.
Saulnier misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tupac Saulnier dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Burton Guster's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Saulnier tries to close the distance and clinch up but Guster swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Guster lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Saulnier circles away quickly and effectively.
Guster keeps the fight on the outside.
Saulnier tries to close the distance and clinch but Guster swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Saulnier misses with a straight right.
Guster fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Burton Guster is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big right from Saulnier misses.
Guster jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guster slips a straight right by Saulnier.
Saulnier throws a lazy right hand but Guster sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Guster avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saulnier wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saulnier misses with an attempted mid kick.
Guster moves forwards but Saulnier connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Saulnier dodges the punch combination from Guster.
Saulnier waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Guster.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Saulnier. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Saulnier throws a sloppy head kick and Guster moves out of range easily.
Saulnier connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Guster momentarily.
Saulnier explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Guster rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saulnier moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Guster throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

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.
Saulnier tries to clinch but Guster is having none of it.
Guster lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Guster tries to bum rush Saulnier with a series of wild strikes but Saulnier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Guster displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saulnier throws out the jab.
Saulnier tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Guster misses with a few strikes there.
Saulnier slips a jab and a cross from Guster.
Guster uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Saulnier.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Saulnier.
Guster swinging wilding here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Guster.
Saulnier fails to land the takedown.
Guster swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Saulnier feints and as Guster raises his hands in defense, Saulnier changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Saulnier postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Saulnier throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Guster works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Saulnier scoring with some ground and pound.
Saulnier throws and elbow that misses. Guster uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saulnier's guard. Nice move by Guster!
Guster preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Guster wanted to stand there but Saulnier had control of the position.
Saulnier is trying to control the position but Guster postures up.

Guster stands and steps away. Saulnier gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Guster looks to land a combination but Saulnier avoids it well.
Guster displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Saulnier.
Burton Guster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tupac Saulnier.
Horrible takedown by Saulnier or perhaps it was just good defense by Guster which made him look bad.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
No joy there for Guster, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tupac Saulnier will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Burton Guster's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Guster moves out of range as Saulnier strikes.
Guster stuffs the takedown.
Saulnier throws a head kick that half lands.
Guster looks to land a combination but Saulnier avoids it well.
A big right from Guster misses.
Guster misses with a two punch combination.
Saulnier tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Guster rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saulnier moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guster lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Saulnier moves away from the strike by Guster.
A chopping leg kick lands by Saulnier.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Guster lands a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guster misses with a two punch combination.
Guster swinging wilding here.
Guster throws a series of punches but Saulnier moves out of range.
Saulnier looks to land a right hand but Guster moved out of range.
Saulnier slips a jab and a cross from Guster.
Saulnier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Guster just misses with a punch to the body.
Guster throws a right hand that Saulnier ducks under and follows up with a left that Saulnier also avoids with ease.
Guster tries to bum rush Saulnier with a series of wild strikes but Saulnier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
An inside leg kick lands from Saulnier.

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.
Guster defending well as Saulnier loads up on a big left hand.
Guster uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Saulnier.
Guster connects with the punch.
Guster rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saulnier moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saulnier throws a big shot that misses.
Guster uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Saulnier.
Guster misses with a wild combination.
Tupac Saulnier is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saulnier takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Saulnier slips a straight right by Guster.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Saulnier.
Guster ducks under a wild hook from Saulnier.
Burton Guster has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier throws a left and a right that both miss
and Guster counters with a nice uppercut.
Saulnier throws out a loose jab but Guster uses good head movement to avoid it.
A lazy left from Saulnier finds it's target.
Guster swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Saulnier counters with a one-two to the body.
Guster scores with a nice right hand.
Saulnier shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Guster as he jumps to the side.
Burton Guster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tupac Saulnier.
Guster misses with a double jab
and Saulnier makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Guster really felt that one!
Guster rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saulnier moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Guster cracks Saulnier with an open hand slap.

That's four 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.
Guster misses with a double jab
and Saulnier counters with a straight right hand.
Guster throws a combination that misses

and Saulnier counters by moving into the clinch.

Saulnier manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Saulnier looking for a sweep. Not yet Saulnier, not yet.
Saulnier controls Guster momentarily but Guster frees himself.

Guster gets to his feet - Saulnier follows without any prompting.
Guster is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Guster scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Guster tries to bum rush Saulnier with a series of wild strikes but Saulnier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Guster misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tupac Saulnier.
Well Saulnier has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tupac Saulnier!