PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between George St Pierre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Ettorei (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

St Pierre
vs
Ettorei

195 cm
28
175 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

180 cm
21
180 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, George St Pierre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Antonio Ettorei!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Patrick Alders and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ettorei dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on St Pierre. That did some damage!
St Pierre on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ettorei. Ettorei obviously looking to wear him down.

St Pierre has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ettorei breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ettorei throws a lazy head kick
and St Pierre counters with a solid body kick.
St Pierre looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Ettorei fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and St Pierre has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Ettorei rushes St Pierre and presses him up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Ettorei's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Ettorei breaks from the clinch.
Ettorei's coach down at Venice of the North MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Ettorei's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
A head kick by Ettorei misses

and St Pierre counters by moving into the clinch.

Ettorei's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ettorei will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ettorei throws a sloppy head kick and St Pierre moves out of range easily.
A solid body kick from Ettorei.
Ettorei tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ettorei tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
St Pierre darts in looking for a takedown but Ettorei gets double underhooks and turns St Pierre into the cage.
Ettorei is trying to break the clinch but St Pierre has him pressed against the cage.
Ettorei wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ettorei tries to break the clinch but St Pierre is controlling the position.
St Pierre avoiding damage as Ettorei throws knees to the body.
St Pierre has Ettorei pressed against the cage, preventing Ettorei from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ettorei breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ettorei buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Antonio Ettorei seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ettorei connects with an inside leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ettorei. That's going to slow St Pierre down.
Ettorei tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
St Pierre blocks a head kick by Ettorei.
Ettorei misses with a kick to the body
and St Pierre makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Ettorei really felt that one!

St Pierre closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

St Pierre has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Ettorei looks winded!
This has been an exciting period of action!
St Pierre fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
St Pierre avoids the head kick by Ettorei.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ettorei throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Ettorei drives through and clinches with St Pierre against the cage.

St Pierre gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Ettorei regains guard.

St Pierre stands and steps away. Ettorei gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
St Pierre misses with a wild combination.
St Pierre shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ettorei throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
St Pierre avoids a kick to the body.
Ettorei throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
enabling St Pierre to counter with a crisp jab.

St Pierre fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ettorei sprawls well initially but St Pierre persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
St Pierre passes to full mount!
St Pierre really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ettorei is looking to escape.
St Pierre takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
St Pierre can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ettorei is looking to escape.

That's four 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Pierre dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that George St Pierre will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

St Pierre drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ettorei tries to improve position but can't.

St Pierre decides to take the fight back to the feet.
St Pierre looks for a takedown but Ettorei sprawls well.
St Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch but Ettorei swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Ettorei.
Ettorei with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
St Pierre is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
St Pierre avoids the head kick by Ettorei.
Antonio Ettorei is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ettorei pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ettorei misses with a body kick.
Ettorei gets off balance looking for a body kick

and St Pierre moves into the clinch.

Ettorei's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ettorei throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and St Pierre counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
St Pierre avoids a kick to the body.
Ettorei tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
St Pierre tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ettorei swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Ettorei moves into the clinch.
Ettorei has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
St Pierre is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ettorei misses with a knee to the head.

Ettorei breaks from the clinch.
St Pierre fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ettorei throws a push kick but St Pierre slaps the foot to one side.

St Pierre looking to score a takedown here. Ettorei is defending well but St Pierre drives through and ends up in Ettorei's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
This has been an exciting period of action!

St Pierre decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ettorei looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
St Pierre misses with a takedown attempt - Ettorei sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
St Pierre stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ettorei.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ettorei clinches.

Ettorei breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ettorei connects with a leg kick. St Pierre looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Ettorei instigates a clinch.

Ettorei escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
That kick from Ettorei tenderised St Pierre's leg. St Pierre is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ettorei tries a head kick but it misses.
Ettorei throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and St Pierre counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Antonio Ettorei seems to be getting the better of the standup.
St Pierre tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A good leg kick by Ettorei.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! St Pierre crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Ettorei - the referee stops the clock and St Pierre gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Ettorei. St Pierre manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Ettorei looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Ettorei gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Knees to the body from Ettorei.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ettorei manages to get himself to full guard.

St Pierre stands up and waves to Ettorei to follow him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
St Pierre looks for a takedown but Ettorei sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ettorei can pounce on him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
St Pierre closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ettorei circles away.
Ettorei scores with a kick to the midsection.
Ettorei moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Antonio Ettorei will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Good leg kick by Ettorei there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ettorei closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ettorei tries to close the distance and clinch up but St Pierre swats him away and circles back towards the center.
St Pierre tries to clinch there but Ettorei circles away.
A good leg kick by Ettorei.
An inside leg kick lands from Ettorei.
St Pierre avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ettorei pulls out of a head kick attempt.
St Pierre looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ettorei keeps St Pierre at a distance using the push kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Ettorei.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
An inside leg kick lands from Ettorei.
George St Pierre is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ettorei tries to clinch up.
St Pierre will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
St Pierre takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ettorei thuds his shin into the meat of St Pierre's side.
Ettorei throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Ettorei rushes St Pierre and presses him up against the cage.
Ettorei tries to land a knee to the head but St Pierre blocks with his arms.

Ettorei breaks the clinch.
Ettorei throws a leg kick which misses St Pierre's front leg but catches the back leg as St Pierre tries to avoid it.
St Pierre dives in for a single leg takedown but Ettorei sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ettorei lands a knee to the head.

St Pierre breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
St Pierre throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ettorei lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ettorei scores with a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ettorei throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ettorei clinches.
Ettorei connects with a nasty looking knee right to St Pierre's face.
St Pierre tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George St Pierre. That's going to take a lot out of him.
St Pierre is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ettorei is defending well.

Ettorei's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
An inside leg kick lands from Ettorei.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ettorei. That's going to slow St Pierre down.
A head kick misses from Ettorei.
St Pierre avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
St Pierre chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ettorei can pounce on him.
Ettorei lands with a nice body kick.
St Pierre looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ettorei throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Ettorei.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ettorei.
Ettorei connects with a solid leg kick.

Ettorei has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ettorei manages to break the clinch.
Ettorei throws a nice inside leg kick.
Crunch! Ettorei slams his shin into St Pierre's torso.
Ettorei scores with a head kick. St Pierre tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Ettorei moves into range and clinches up with St Pierre.

Ettorei escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

St Pierre shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
St Pierre will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
St Pierre stops Ettorei from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Pierre stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Ettorei comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ettorei has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Ettorei!
Antonio Ettorei thanked the fans post fight for their support.