PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Mann (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Pieru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Simon Mann has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mann
vs
Pieru

186 cm
20
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
29
184 lbs
12 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 Las Vegas, Simon Mann!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, George Pieru!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pieru will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mann throws a head kick that misses.
A jab from Mann misses.

Mann gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mann misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pieru.
Mann scores with a knee to the head.
Mann trying to land knees to the body.
Mann displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pieru up against the cage.
Mann misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pieru.
Mann tries a knee to the head but Pieru blocks it.
Pieru avoids a wild elbow strike from Mann.
Pieru managing to block the knees to the body from Mann.
Pieru has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mann is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mann gets underhooks to prevent Pieru's takedown attempt.
Simon Mann has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Pieru.
Mann pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Pieru takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mann lands an elbow just above Pieru 's eye.

It looks like George Pieru has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pieru wants a takedown but no success here.
Mann is pressed up against the cage. Pieru has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mann down to the mat. Mann avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Pieru drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Mann wants to sweep here but Pieru controlling him for the moment.
Pieru is looking to work some ground and pound but Mann has wrist control.
Pieru throwing strikes from guard but Mann blocks nicely.
Pieru working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mann's head.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pieru throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mann works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mann wants to sweep here but Pieru controlling him for the moment.
Pieru throwing strikes from guard but Mann blocks nicely.
Mann trying to control the position here.
Pieru is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pieru connects with a couple of short punches.
Pieru postures up in Mann's guard and throws a big left but Mann blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mann working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pieru.
Mann pulls Pieru in to control the position.
Mann trying to keep a closed guard but Pieru is proving a slippery customer.
Mann working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pieru.
Pieru with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pieru postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pieru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pieru throwing strikes from guard but Mann blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mann looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pieru working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pieru working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pieru stopping the sweep attempt from Mann.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mann utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Pieru dominated that round.
The cut man is working on George Pieru's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mann looks to throw the jab but Pieru is out of range.
Mann throws a low kick but Pieru moves out of range easily.
Pieru checks the leg kick.

Mann pushes Pieru up against the cage in a clinch.
Mann is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pieru is defending well for now.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mann just misses with a elbow thrown towards Pieru's brow.
Mann is pressed up against the cage. Pieru has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mann down to the mat. Mann avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Mann looks to land a body kick but Pieru moved away.
Pieru fails with the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Mann as Pieru shoots in.
Simon Mann has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Pieru.
Good work by Pieru as he checks the leg kick.
Mann throws the left hand but Pieru avoids the punch easily.
Mann stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mann wants it to stay on the feet.
Mann misses with a few strikes there.

Pieru forces Mann back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mann lands a nice knee to the body.
Mann missing with knees to the body.
Mann tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pieru avoids it.

Pieru gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Mann regains guard.
Pieru missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mann wants to sweep but no luck.
Pieru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pieru throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mann works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pieru distracts Mann with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mann is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mann stalling away here and it's allowed Pieru to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Pieru keeping full guard, as Mann tries to pass.
Pieru looking for a sweep. Not yet Pieru, not yet.
Pieru is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Pieru missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pieru not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pieru thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mann's head.
Mann keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pieru thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Mann to regain full guard.
Pieru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pieru landing some decent shots from guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pieru accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
George Pieru has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pieru is looking to work some ground and pound but Mann has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pieru scoring with punches to the head and body.
Pieru postures up in Mann's guard and throws a big left but Mann blocks it.
Mann looking for a sweep. Not yet Mann, not yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pieru thows a big elbow that misses.
Pieru working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pieru content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pieru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pieru throws a big right hand that misses.
Mann utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Pieru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on George Pieru's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pieru scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Pieru throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Mann gets back to half guard.
Pieru is keen to just control but Mann is a slippery customer.
Pieru not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mann tries to get to full guard but Pieru has control of the leg.
Pieru lands strikes from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mann blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pieru.
Pieru missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mann trying to control from the bottom.
Mann regains full guard. Nicely done.
Pieru wants to control from the top but Mann keeps moving.
Pieru working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pieru missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pieru trying to control but Mann is working from the bottom.
Pieru with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mann trying to keep a closed guard but Pieru is proving a slippery customer.
Pieru thows a big elbow that misses.
Pieru stopping the sweep attempt from Mann.
Simon Mann has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pieru throws a strike but Mann rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pieru is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pieru manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mann manages to get himself to full guard.
Pieru wants to control from the top but Mann keeps moving.
Mann 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pieru throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pieru postures up in Mann's guard and throws a big left but Mann blocks it.
Mann looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pieru is one step ahead there.
Pieru trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
George Pieru is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mann looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Pieru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pieru winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

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