PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between George St Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stevie Thatcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Thatcher's choice of entrance music: party and bullshit. Stevie Thatcher has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with George St Paul's chin.

St Paul
vs
Thatcher

182 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, George St Paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stevie Thatcher!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thatcher tries to clinch but St Paul moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from St Paul.
Horrible takedown by Thatcher or perhaps it was just good defense by St Paul which made him look bad.

Thatcher moves into range and clinches up with St Paul.

Thatcher breaks the clinch.

St Paul feints and as Thatcher raises his hands in defense, St Paul changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
St Paul preventing the sweep.
Thatcher keeping moving, preventing St Paul from controlling successfully.

Thatcher throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
St Paul's corner is telling him to maintain position.
St Paul'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.

Thatcher is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. St Paul is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thatcher keeping moving, preventing St Paul from controlling successfully.
Thatcher can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as St Paul controls the pace.

Thatcher is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and St Paul defends well.
St Paul postures up in Thatcher's guard and throws a big left but Thatcher blocks it.
Thatcher controls St Paul momentarily but St Paul frees himself.
Thatcher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
St Paul chips away with some ground and pound.
St Paul is looking to work some ground and pound but Thatcher has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Paul is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

St Paul avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Thatcher utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

Thatcher is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thatcher looks gassed!
Thatcher keeping moving, preventing St Paul from controlling successfully.
St Paul controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
St Paul working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thatcher's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thatcher wants to sweep here but St Paul controlling him for the moment.
Thatcher is trying to control the position but St Paul postures up.
Thatcher is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Paul is in close to Thatcher's body, working some short punches and elbows.
St Paul is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
St Paul connects with a couple of short punches.
St Paul stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thatcher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
St Paul trying to control the position from guard on top but Thatcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
St Paul 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.
Thatcher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thatcher keeping moving, preventing St Paul from controlling successfully.
Thatcher being controlled here, momentarily.
St Paul postures up and lands a big shot to Thatcher's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thatcher is looking for a triangle but St Paul pushes his legs off easily.
St Paul is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
St Paul is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
St Paul is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
St Paul tries to free his leg and advance position but Thatcher is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Thatcher had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. St Paul defends it easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Thatcher is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thatcher shoots in looking for a takedown. St Paul tries to sprawl out of it but Thatcher keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. St Paul manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
St Paul shoots for a double leg takedown but Thatcher sprawls well. He's pushed St Paul's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
St Paul throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thatcher's waist but Thatcher gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing St Paul off to one side.
George St Paul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Thatcher does no damage.

St Paul shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. St Paul showed some decent athleticism there.
St Paul missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Thatcher is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but St Paul pulls his head out easily.
Thatcher trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Paul working Thatcher over with strikes.
St Paul working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
St Paul working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Thatcher looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Thatcher is breathing heavily.
Thatcher wants to get back to full guard.
St Paul trying to control the pace.
St Paul slips a nice elbow through Thatcher's hands, connecting with Thatcher's forehead.
St Paul controlling the action here.
Thatcher pushes St Paul off but St Paul dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher tries to get back to half guard but can't.
St Paul wants to control but Thatcher is keeping him busy.
St Paul is putting a hurting on Thatcher here, landing some big shots from side control.
Thatcher misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Thatcher struggling a bit here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
St Paul wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thatcher keeps working.
Thatcher is looking for a sweep.
St Paul grinds an elbow into Thatcher's temple.
Thatcher takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
St Paul in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
St Paul working away.
St Paul scores with punches from side control.
George St Paul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thatcher is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thatcher taking punishment in the form of punches.
A lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher struggling a bit here.
St Paul works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Thatcher is trying to improve his position.
St Paul lands a nice forearm strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thatcher tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but St Paul presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
St Paul with the ground and pound from mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
St Paul unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George St Paul dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

St Paul tries for a takedown but Thatcher sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
St Paul throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thatcher's waist but Thatcher gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing St Paul off to one side.
Thatcher tries to clinch but St Paul is having none of it.
St Paul shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Paul. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thatcher wants to clinch up but St Paul keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thatcher looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thatcher stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Thatcher wants it to stay on the feet.
St Paul shoots in but Thatcher avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nice takedown defense from St Paul. No joy for Thatcher on that attempt.
Thatcher is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Thatcher darts in and clinches St Paul up against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thatcher manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Thatcher is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and St Paul defends well.
Thatcher is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Thatcher is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, St Paul has managed to free his arm - good work.
St Paul trying to control from the bottom.

Thatcher looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
St Paul wants to control but Thatcher is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher tries to stand but can't do so whilst St Paul controls his leg.
St Paul moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Thatcher drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but St Paul manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Thatcher has St Paul in his guard.
St Paul looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher trying to keep a closed guard but St Paul is proving a slippery customer.
St Paul controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
St Paul shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thatcher pinned against the cage. Thatcher gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thatcher slaps away a takedown attempt from St Paul, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thatcher has his takedown stuffed

and St Paul counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by St Paul.
St Paul is working Thatcher over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
St Paul won't allow Thatcher to sweep him here.
St Paul trying to control but Thatcher is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
St Paul lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
St Paul slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thatcher looking to hit a scissor sweep but St Paul is one step ahead there.

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 George St Paul.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for St Paul, 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

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