PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Pearce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Hekmatyar might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Open Season. Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Shah Hekmatyar
vs
Pearce

177 cm
22
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
295 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Adam Pearce!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pearce shoots in for a takedown but Hekmatyar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pearce shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hekmatyar as he avoids it easily.
Hekmatyar doesn't manage to clinch there - Pearce circles away.
Pearce connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

It looks like Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar has been cut.
Hekmatyar stuffs the takedown attempt from Pearce. Pearce gets slowly back to his feet.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Pearce.
Pearce fails with a takedown attempt.
Pearce misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hekmatyar circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hekmatyar counters by clinching up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hekmatyar.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pearce connects with a single shot there.
Hekmatyar avoids a punch combination nicely.
Pearce throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hekmatyar counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hekmatyar pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pearce blocks the elbow strike.
Hekmatyar doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hekmatyar misses with the head strike.
Pearce wants to stall.
Pearce tries to circle away but Hekmatyar has him pinned against the cage.

Hekmatyar breaks from the clinch.
Pearce pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pearce fails to land the takedown.

Hekmatyar moves into the clinch.

Hekmatyar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pearce swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hekmatyar counters with a series of strikes. Pearce will be more careful next time no doubt.
Pearce wants to clinch

and Hekmatyar counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hekmatyar scores with a shoulder strike.
Hekmatyar lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Hekmatyar breaks from the clinch.
Pearce tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hekmatyar swivels and escapes.
Pearce looks gassed!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pearce.
Pearce tries to land a leg kick but Hekmatyar saw it coming and moves away.
Hekmatyar lands a jab-cross combination.
Hekmatyar tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pearce misses with a combination

and Hekmatyar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A head punch on the inside from Hekmatyar fails to land.

Hekmatyar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hekmatyar tries to clinch there but Pearce circles away.
Pearce shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hekmatyar moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pearce gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hekmatyar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hekmatyar lands with a short shot to the head.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch.
Hekmatyar tries to clinch but Pearce is having none of it.
Hekmatyar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pearce swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pearce fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hekmatyar avoids it really well and circles away.
Hekmatyar scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Pearce changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hekmatyar tries to avoid it but Pearce manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hekmatyar to the ground. Hekmatyar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hekmatyar circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hekmatyar counters by moving into the clinch.
Pearce wants to break the clinch but can't.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pearce misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pearce misses with a combination
and Hekmatyar counters with a one-two to the body.

Hekmatyar has Pearce up against the cage in a clinch.
Hekmatyar lands on the inside with an uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hekmatyar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Hekmatyar rushes Pearce and presses him up against the cage.
Hekmatyar working aggressively here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Pearce swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Hekmatyar counters by clinching up.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch.
Hekmatyar wants to clinch up but Pearce keeps it at a distance.
Pearce shoots in but Hekmatyar avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pearce throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hekmatyar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hekmatyar leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hekmatyar lands with a light punch inside.

Hekmatyar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pearce misses with an uppercut.
Pearce tries for a takedown but Hekmatyar circles away easily

and Hekmatyar moves into the clinch.
Pearce is breathing heavily.

Hekmatyar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pearce throws a combination that misses

and Hekmatyar counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hekmatyar doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hekmatyar scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hekmatyar swings wildly with an uppercut but Pearce uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short uppercut from Hekmatyar.
Hekmatyar misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Hekmatyar fails to land.
Hekmatyar keeps control of Pearce as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hekmatyar lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Pearce backwards.
Hekmatyar softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short right from Hekmatyar on the inside.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pearce throws a head kick that misses.
Pearce shoots for a double leg takedown but Hekmatyar sprawls well. He's pushed Pearce's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Pearce.
Hekmatyar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hekmatyar stuffs the takedown.

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.
A swing and a miss from Pearce.
Hekmatyar doesn't manage to clinch there - Pearce circles away.
Pearce closes the distance and clinches up with Hekmatyar, looking for a takedown. Pearce pushes Hekmatyar against the cage but Hekmatyar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hekmatyar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pearce pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Hekmatyar takes the fight into the clinch.
Hekmatyar avoiding damage.

Hekmatyar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pearce throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hekmatyar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pearce wants to break free but Hekmatyar has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hekmatyar creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hekmatyar looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Pearce is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hekmatyar pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hekmatyar working aggressively here.
Pearce tries to break the clinch but Hekmatyar is controlling the position.
Hekmatyar wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pearce has him pressed against the cage.
Hekmatyar misses with the head strike.
Pearce tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pearce wants a takedown but no success here.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice takedown defense from Hekmatyar. No joy for Pearce on that attempt.
Pearce misses with a leg kick.
Hekmatyar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pearce manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pearce throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hekmatyar moves into the clinch.

Hekmatyar manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Pearce shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hekmatyar defends it nicely.
Hekmatyar ducks under a wild hook from Pearce.

Pearce decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hekmatyar is not content to let Pearce control the position.
Hekmatyar wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Pearce falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hekmatyar counters by clinching up.
Pearce has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hekmatyar is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hekmatyar throws a head punch that misses.

Hekmatyar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hekmatyar gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Pearce.
Pearce looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pearce misses with a few strikes there.
Pearce misses with a body shot.
Hekmatyar throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pearce looks to land a combination but Hekmatyar avoids it well.

Hekmatyar rushes Pearce and presses him up against the cage.
Pearce can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hekmatyar manages to break the clinch.
Pearce falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hekmatyar moves into the clinch.

Hekmatyar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hekmatyar slaps away a takedown attempt from Pearce, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Hekmatyar.
Hekmatyar misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pearce missing with a left hand there. Hekmatyar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Adam Pearce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pearce gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hekmatyar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Pearce.
Pearce takes a shot to the head.

That's two 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.

Hekmatyar manages to break the clinch.
Pearce moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Pearce shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hekmatyar but Hekmatyar pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hekmatyar slips a straight right by Pearce.
Pearce throws a head kick that misses.
Pearce misses with a double jab

and Hekmatyar counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hekmatyar.

Hekmatyar manages to break the clinch.
Pearce cracks Hekmatyar with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Pearce scores a takedown into full mount!
Pearce really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hekmatyar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hekmatyar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearce landing strikes from the mount and Hekmatyar is in trouble!
Pearce has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hekmatyar's face.
Pearce lands with some strikes.
Pearce with good strikes from the mount here!
Hekmatyar tries to buck Pearce off but he can't manage it.
Hekmatyar might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pearce lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hekmatyar hang on?

Pearce wants to finish this one by submission but Hekmatyar is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Pearce.
Pearce lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pearce is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Pearce is landing with some decent strikes but Hekmatyar is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Pearce controlling the pace for now.
Pearce putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Adam Pearce has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pearce won't let Hekmatyar get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Pearce looking to secure an arm triangle but Hekmatyar defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adam Pearce comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hekmatyar 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ahmad Shah Hekmatyar!