PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ray Pearson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Archer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pearson
vs
Archer

217 cm
24
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ray Pearson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Shawn Archer!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Archer looks for the body kick but Pearson saw that one coming.

Archer shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pearson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pearson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Archer wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Pearson is working hard here to advance position.
Pearson parries the strikes from Archer easily there. Archer is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pearson to escape.
Pearson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pearson is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Archer off and has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
I really don't envy Archer right now.
Pearson 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 one minute gone in the round.

Archer showing good submission defense here.

Pearson working for a choke but Archer reverses nicely into Pearson 's guard.
Archer stopping the sweep attempt from Pearson.
Archer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pearson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pearson wants to sweep here but Archer controlling him for the moment.
Archer content to stall in guard here.
Pearson is trying to control the position but Archer postures up.
Archer is stalling in the full guard.
Pearson trying to keep a closed guard but Archer is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Archer 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.
Archer missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pearson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Archer controls the pace.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Archer closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Archer lands in his opponent's guard.
Archer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Archer stopping the sweep attempt from Pearson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Pearson 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.
Archer trying to control the position from guard on top but Pearson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pearson working for a triangle but Archer defends it easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Archer dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Archer drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Archer is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Archer won't allow Pearson to sweep him here.
Pearson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pearson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Archer manages to get himself to full guard.

Archer is trying to control the position but Pearson postures up.
Pearson throws an elbow that misses. Archer uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pearson's guard. Nice move by Archer!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Archer's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Pearson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Archer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Pearson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Archer wants to get up but he can't break Pearson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Archer's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pearson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Archer thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Archer sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Pearson trying to keep a closed guard but Archer is proving a slippery customer.
Archer content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Archer drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Pearson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Archer has Pearson in his guard.

Archer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pearson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pearson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Archer is proving hard to escape from.
Archer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pearson throws a big right hand that misses.
Archer is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Archer 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.
Pearson wants to stand and escape but instead Archer has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Archer not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Archer trying to control but Pearson is working from the bottom.
Archer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Archer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Pearson gets a takedown into half guard.
Archer keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Archer is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pearson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Archer defending well though.
Archer on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Pearson seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archer trying to hold on to Pearson's head to control him but Pearson postures up.
Pearson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Pearson prevents Archer from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Pearson.
Pearson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Pearson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Archer makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Archer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pearson throws a big right hand that misses.
Pearson is fighting to break Archer's control of his arms but Archer is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Archer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pearson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pearson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Archer bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Archer sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Pearson is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Pearson takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearson stops Archer from passing to mount.
Archer taking a breather here.
Pearson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pearson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Archer's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Archer's back!
Archer breaks Pearson's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Archer controlling from the top position.
Archer trying to control the position from guard on top but Pearson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Pearson seems keen to control Archer's posture.
Archer postures up.
Shawn Archer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Shawn Archer has got the better of the ground game so far.
Archer stays in close to Pearson's body and controls the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ray Pearson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Pearson is looking for a triangle but Archer pushes his legs off easily.

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 Ray Pearson.
Well Archer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shawn Archer!
Shawn Archer was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.