PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tim Ernst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jordan Pierce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jordan Pierce has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ernst
vs
Pierce

180 cm
20
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tim Ernst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jordan Pierce !
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ernst misses with a straight right.
Ernst avoids the head kick by Pierce .

Ernst drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ernst is pushing down on Pierce 's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pierce is fighting to maintain full guard but Ernst has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pierce wants to improve his position but Ernst is controlling well.
Ernst thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pierce 's head.

Ernst is looking for a kimura but Pierce is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ernst to get the leverage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pierce wants to improve his position but Ernst is controlling well.
Pierce regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ernst preventing the sweep.
Ernst wants to pass the guard but Pierce is keeping the position.
Ernst postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pierce tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ernst looks for a takedown but Pierce sprawls well.
Ernst walks into a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce throws a series of punches but Ernst avoids them all with ease.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pierce .
Ernst throws a good cross that connects.

Ernst scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pierce is refusing to be controlled, as Ernst sits in half guard.
Ernst passes to side control.
Ernst is breathing heavily.
Ernst working away.
Pierce tries to improve position but can't.
Pierce regains half guard.
Pierce is trying to maintain the position but Ernst is very close to passing his half guard.
Pierce throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ernst is looking to advance position but Pierce won't allow it.
Pierce wants to improve his position but Ernst is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ernst moves into the clinch.

Ernst has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pierce uses from the top position.

Ernst has his foot on Pierce 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pierce works his way back into a safe position though.

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

Ernst has his foot on Pierce 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pierce works his way back into a safe position though.

Pierce has gone for a leg lock! Ernst slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pierce 's guard.
Ernst makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ernst slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ernst trying to control the position from guard on top but Pierce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pierce had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ernst defends it easily.

Pierce has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Ernst is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Pierce .
Ernst passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Pierce !

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce is trying to escape the mount.
Ernst controlling his opponent.
Ernst looking to finish Pierce with some ground and pound. This is bad for Pierce !

Ernst looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Ernst trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pierce keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Ernst dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pierce fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ernst avoids it really well and circles away.
Ernst throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A left and a right from Ernst both land. Nice combination.

Ernst scores a takedown into full mount!
Pierce is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ernst tries to control but Pierce wriggling away.
Ernst takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Pierce tries to lock up and control but Ernst gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ernst is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Pierce can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Ernst trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pierce sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Pierce tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ernst prevents Pierce from improving his position.

Pierce looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ernst slips a nice elbow through Pierce 's hands, connecting with Pierce 's forehead.
Ernst looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Pierce looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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.
Ernst lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ernst works his way into side control.
Ernst working away.
Ernst happy to just control the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ground and pound from Ernst.
Ernst really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Ernst is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Pierce is just riding it out for now. Ernst eventually gives up the hold.
Pierce is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ernst's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ernst's back!
Ernst turns into Pierce and is now in his guard.
Ernst pushing down on Pierce 's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ernst seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pierce does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pierce pushes Ernst off looking to stand but Ernst dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ernst missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ernst is trying to control the action in half guard but Pierce is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Pierce kicks off Ernst and gets to his feet.
Pierce takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ernst connects with a crisp jab.
Pierce tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ernst was well out of range. Poor timing from Pierce .

Ernst scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Pierce is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ernst lands an elbow.
Ernst working away.
Pierce is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Ernst dominated that second round.
That's time! Ernst's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Pierce dodges the punch combination from Ernst.
Some wild striking there from Pierce .
Ernst shoots for a double leg takedown but Pierce sprawls well. He's pushed Ernst's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ernst showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pierce .

Ernst fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pierce sprawls well initially but Ernst persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pierce controlling the position for now.
Pierce is looking to control Ernst's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pierce avoid being mounted?
Pierce tries to roll over but Ernst keeps him under control.

Pierce actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ernst has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pierce bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Ernst looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Pierce drops back looking for a leg! Ernst is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ernst manages to kick Pierce off! Pierce jumps back into Ernst's guard.
Ernst looking for a sweep. Not yet Ernst, not yet.

That's two 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.
Ernst is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ernst wants to sweep here but Pierce controlling him for the moment.

Pierce 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.
Pierce is looking to work some ground and pound but Ernst has wrist control.

Pierce drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pierce jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ernst closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pierce circles away.
Pierce gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ernst counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ernst is looking to take a break and control but Pierce is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ernst lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ernst prevents Pierce from standing back up.
Ernst wants to pass the guard but Pierce is defending well.
Pierce is refusing to be controlled, as Ernst sits in half guard.
Ernst is really struggling to control Pierce but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Pierce actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pierce misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pierce misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tim Ernst is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ernst takes the fight into the clinch.

Pierce is fighting off a takedown attempt but Ernst is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pierce to the mat. Pierce regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Pierce keeping moving, preventing Ernst from controlling successfully.
Pierce trying to control the position.
Ernst looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Ernst showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ernst has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Ernst!