PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Panom Yeerum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Laurent (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laurent is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Last Baron - Mastadon. This should be fireworks!

Yeerum
vs
Laurent

168 cm
23
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

SPARTAN FIGHTWARE
PhoQus Sports Enhancement

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Panom Yeerum!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, George Laurent!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yeerum throws a push kick but Laurent slaps the foot to one side.
Laurent displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yeerum.
Yeerum moves out of range of the body kick.
A head kick misses from Yeerum.
Laurent swats away the attempt to clinch by Yeerum.
A head kick misses from Yeerum.
Yeerum throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Laurent counters with a two punch combo.
Yeerum throws a lazy body kick
and Laurent counters with an inside leg kick.
Yeerum moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Laurent throws a nice looking combination but Yeerum bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Yeerum looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Laurent is looking to escape.
Yeerum not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Laurent wants to get back to his feet.

Yeerum seems to be working for a kimura but Laurent defends the submission attempt.
Ground and pound from Yeerum.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yeerum stops Laurent from getting back to his feet.
Yeerum is nestled in close to Laurent, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Laurent is looking for a sweep. Yeerum is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Yeerum connects with a nice short shot to Laurent's temple.

Laurent manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Yeerum shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Laurent counters with a three punch combo that has Yeerum backing up. Yeerum nods at Laurent to acknowledge the strikes.
Laurent slaps away a takedown attempt from Yeerum, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Panom Yeerum. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yeerum tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Laurent counters with a single leg into guard. Yeerum didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laurent wants to stand but Yeerum is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Laurent in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeerum is adopting a defensive guard.
Yeerum avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Yeerum is controlling Laurent's posture.
Laurent wants to stand but Yeerum is controlling his posture from full guard.
Laurent working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laurent stands up over Yeerum, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Yeerum is looking to stand up but Laurent isn't so interested in that idea.
Laurent has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Yeerum is proving hard to escape from.
Yeerum has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Laurent throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Laurent wants to stand and escape but instead Yeerum has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Yeerum is looking to work some ground and pound but Laurent has wrist control.
Laurent really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yeerum. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Yeerum lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Laurent is looking to stand up but Yeerum isn't so interested in that idea.
Laurent looks gassed!
Laurent utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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.
Yeerum passes Laurent's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Yeerum is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Laurent is just riding it out for now. Yeerum eventually gives up the hold.
Yeerum scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Laurent is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Yeerum scores with a couple of nice shots.

Yeerum is looking for a kimura here.
Laurent is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yeerum throws a strike but Laurent avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Panom Yeerum dominated that round.
That's time! Yeerum's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Laurent moves away from the strike by Yeerum.

Yeerum scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Yeerum is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Laurent doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Yeerum.
Laurent wants to get back to his feet.

Yeerum is looking for a kimura but Laurent is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Yeerum to get the leverage.

Yeerum seems to be working for a kimura but Laurent defends the submission attempt.

Yeerum is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Laurent is in trouble now - Yeerum has advanced to mount!
Laurent holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Yeerum tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laurent is looking to improve his position but Yeerum isn't that keen on the idea.
Laurent is trying to stand up.

Yeerum working for a submission but Laurent is keeping him at bay.
Laurent keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Laurent really wants to buck Yeerum off and get back to his feet.

Yeerum is going olschool here, as he tries to force Laurent to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Laurent shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laurent takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Laurent is looking to improve his position but Yeerum isn't that keen on the idea.

Yeerum looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Yeerum pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Yeerum working the ground and pound effectively.
Panom Yeerum overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Yeerum fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Yeerum cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Laurent tries to hold on but Yeerum postures up.
Laurent is looking to improve his position but Yeerum isn't that keen on the idea.

Yeerum has control of Laurent's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Laurent regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yeerum looking for a guillotine from mount but Laurent is having none of it.

Yeerum jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Laurent manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Yeerum is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Laurent knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Laurent tries to bench press Yeerum off him but Yeerum keeps the position.

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.
Yeerum works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Yeerum tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Laurent tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yeerum wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Laurent is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Yeerum has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Yeerum looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Laurent is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Yeerum asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Yeerum tries for a kimura but Laurent is defending well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Laurent can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Laurent is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Panom Yeerum dominated that second round.
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!

Laurent throws a series of punches but Yeerum moves out of range.
A head kick by Yeerum misses
and Laurent counters with a nice uppercut.
Laurent displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yeerum throws out the jab.
Laurent ducks under a wild hook from Yeerum.
Yeerum misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
George Laurent is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Laurent throws a series of strikes that have Yeerum backpedaling.
Panom Yeerum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yeerum slips a jab and a cross from Laurent.
Yeerum throws a lazy head kick

and Laurent counters with a nice double leg into side control. Yeerum won't be happy with that.
Laurent working away.
Yeerum takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Laurent wants to stand but Yeerum has his arm trapped.
Yeerum is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laurent trying to control the position but Yeerum is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yeerum manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Yeerum might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Yeerum trying to hold on to Laurent's head to control him but Laurent postures up.
Yeerum gets back to full guard.
Laurent wants to stand and escape but instead Yeerum has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Yeerum pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Laurent is keeping the position for now.
Laurent trying to keep a closed guard but Yeerum is proving a slippery customer.

Yeerum is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Panom Yeerum is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Laurent trying to control the position.
Yeerum not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Laurent tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yeerum controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Yeerum won't allow Laurent to sweep him here.
Laurent is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Yeerum stays in close to Laurent's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yeerum forces his way into half guard.
Laurent tries to kick Yeerum off but Yeerum keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Yeerum stalling.
Laurent looks like he's trying to stand up.
Yeerum is taking a breather. Laurent says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Laurent trying to control but Yeerum postures up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yeerum in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yeerum'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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Panom Yeerum just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Yeerum throws a sloppy head kick
and Laurent counters with a one-two to the body.
Laurent throws a series of punches but Yeerum avoids them all with ease.
Yeerum lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Laurent takes a kick to the side of the head.
Yeerum tries a head kick but it misses.
Laurent defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Yeerum.

Yeerum looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Laurent is trying to maintain the position but Yeerum is very close to passing his half guard.
George Laurent has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yeerum with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

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 Panom Yeerum.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yeerum, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 28:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Panom Yeerum!