PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ran Haya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Josh St Pierre will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Haya
vs
St Pierre

165 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

186 cm
22
188 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Attliction

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ran Haya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh St Pierre!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Haya scores with a takedown into St Pierre's guard.
Haya preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Haya drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but St Pierre manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Haya has St Pierre in his guard.

Haya is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Haya is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
St Pierre trying to control the position from guard on top but Haya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Haya is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

St Pierre avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Haya can't keep his opponent in guard - St Pierre advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre works his way into full mount!
Haya is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
St Pierre lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
St Pierre manages to capitalize on a mistake by Haya to take his back!
Haya knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for St Pierre on the ground.
Haya tries to roll but St Pierre sticks to his back.
Good control from St Pierre.
Haya tries to roll but St Pierre sticks to his back.

Haya defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
St Pierre is looking to control Haya but Haya is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Haya turns into St Pierre and is now in his guard.
Haya really is a fat lump.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Haya drops back, looking for a kneebar! St Pierre looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. St Pierre looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from St Pierre!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haya is looking to regain half guard here but St Pierre keeps moving and retains side control.
Haya prevents St Pierre from moving into mount.
St Pierre wants to control but Haya is keeping him busy.
St Pierre looks gassed!
Haya tries to improve position but can't.
St Pierre advances to mount.
Haya sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Haya is trying to get back to full guard.
Haya is not content to let St Pierre control the position.
St Pierre works his way into side control.
Haya tries to bench press St Pierre off him but St Pierre keeps the position.
Haya manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haya wants to get back to full guard.

Haya looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

St Pierre seems to be working for a kimura but Haya defends the submission attempt.

Haya looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

St Pierre decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
St Pierre tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
St Pierre with a lazy takedown attempt

and Haya counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for St Pierre!
St Pierre working to try and regain half guard.

St Pierre defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Haya.
St Pierre is controlling an arm, preventing Haya from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Haya working for a guillotine from mount but St Pierre is in no mood to give up.

Haya is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, St Pierre has managed to escape the submission attempt.
St Pierre is desperately trying to improve his position but Haya has a good base and remains in mount.
Haya avoids the attempt from St Pierre to control.

Haya looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
St Pierre sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Haya is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, St Pierre has managed to free his arm - good work.

Haya seems to be working for a kimura but St Pierre defends the submission attempt.

Haya is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so St Pierre is just riding it out for now. Haya eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Josh St Pierre will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Haya shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts St Pierre as he jumps to the side.
St Pierre has his takedown stuffed

and Haya counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
St Pierre has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Haya is working away from the top position though.
Haya tries to pass the half guard into mount. St Pierre knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Haya is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and St Pierre defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre wants to control but Haya is keeping busy.

St Pierre actively working from the bottom here.
St Pierre is breathing heavily.
St Pierre makes his way to full guard. A much better position for St Pierre.

St Pierre has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Haya can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Haya looking to pass the guard.

St Pierre looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
St Pierre keeping full guard, as Haya tries to pass.
St Pierre wants to stand but Haya is controlling the position.
St Pierre trying to control the position.
St Pierre tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
St Pierre is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

St Pierre clinches.
Haya goes for a takedown attempt but St Pierre pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
St Pierre closes the distance but Haya moves to the side

and Haya counters with a nice double leg into side control. St Pierre won't be happy with that.

Haya is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. St Pierre knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
St Pierre tries to escape but Haya is in control.

Haya looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Haya working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
St Pierre gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
St Pierre is pressing down on Haya's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
St Pierre looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Haya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. St Pierre swivels though and keeps the full guard.

St Pierre looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

St Pierre has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Haya can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Haya tries to free his leg and advance position but St Pierre is retaining full guard.

St Pierre looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
St Pierre seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
St Pierre keeping full guard, as Haya tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haya won't allow St Pierre to sweep him here.

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

St Pierre looking for a guillotine here but Haya defends easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haya sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed St Pierre's guard.

Haya is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and St Pierre defends it well.
Haya is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Haya has hold of St Pierre's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and St Pierre manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
St Pierre regains half guard.

Haya is working for a submission of some sort.
Haya is looking to advance position but St Pierre won't allow it.
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 Ran Haya will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Haya drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Haya drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Haya jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Haya tries to free his leg and advance position but St Pierre is retaining full guard.
Haya might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
St Pierre 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.
Haya wants to pass the guard but St Pierre is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Haya drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but St Pierre manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Haya has St Pierre in his guard.

Haya working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because St Pierre has passed into half guard!
Haya wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Pierre not doing much here.
Haya tries to roll over but St Pierre keeps him under control.
St Pierre wants to take a breather but Haya is having none of it.
Haya wants to get back to full guard.
St Pierre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Haya does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
St Pierre closes the distance looking to clinch

and Haya counters with a nice double leg into side control. St Pierre won't be happy with that.

Haya tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Haya has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
St Pierre not landing any meaningful shots this time.
St Pierre keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Haya tries to get to full guard but St Pierre has control of the leg.
St Pierre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Haya does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
St Pierre is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Haya wants to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Haya misses with a takedown attempt

and St Pierre counters with a single leg into guard. Haya didn't expect that.
St Pierre trying to control the position from guard on top but Haya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Haya has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but St Pierre can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Haya has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but St Pierre has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haya tries to improve position but can't.

St Pierre is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Haya knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Haya tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but St Pierre wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
The fighters circling - St Pierre throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Haya closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming St Pierre to the mat! St Pierre manages to get full guard.

Haya 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.

Haya thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Haya tries to reverse the position but St Pierre maintains control.
St Pierre in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Haya tries to reverse the position but St Pierre maintains control.
Haya is working hard here to advance position.
Josh St Pierre has got the better of the ground game so far.
Haya manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Haya is looking for a sweep. St Pierre is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Haya is staying active underneath St Pierre, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Haya looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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 Ran Haya.
I think Haya 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ran Haya!