PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Willdoit (ranked 3415 p4p, 3824 weight class) and Carleton Starling (ranked 451 p4p, 492 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Willdoit
vs
Starling

200 cm
26
200
2 - 2 - 0

194 cm
25
190
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Willdoit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Carleton Starling!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Columbo Gatti and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Willdoit connects with a nice looking jab.
Starling misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Starling throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Willdoit's waist but Willdoit gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Starling off to one side.
Nice takedown defense from Willdoit. No joy for Starling on that attempt.
A little feinted left hand from Willdoit on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Willdoit lands with a shot to the body.
Willdoit definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Willdoit wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nice body kick from Willdoit.
Willdoit fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Starling looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Willdoit throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Willdoit lands the left hand.
Starling is looking to clinch but Willdoit is avoiding it.
Starling with a poor takedown
and Willdoit makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Steve Willdoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carleton Starling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Starling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willdoit connects with a solid leg kick.

Starling clinches up against the cage.
Willdoit is trying to stall.

Starling pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Willdoit scores with a push kick.
Willdoit is looking to land body kicks.
Starling with the counter takedown but Willdoit avoids it easily.
Willdoit cracks Starling with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Willdoit connects with a crisp jab.
Willdoit throws a quick inside leg kick.
Starling misses with a combination
and Willdoit makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Willdoit moves out of range of the leg kick from Starling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willdoit tried to score with a low kick but Starling checks it.
Starling blocks the body kick.
Steve Willdoit is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Starling takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Willdoit scores with a kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Willdoit goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
It seemed like Starling was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Willdoit blocks a head kick by Starling.
Starling with a lazy takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Starling looks winded!
Willdoit lands a front kick.
Willdoit throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Willdoit lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Starling takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Willdoit takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Willdoit.
Willdoit misses with a body kick.
Willdoit thuds his shin into the meat of Starling's side.
Willdoit works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Starling tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Willdoit counters with a nice body kick.
Willdoit lands with a thumping leg kick.
Willdoit connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Starling's hands.
Carleton Starling seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starling fails with the takedown.
Nice shot by Willdoit.
Willdoit pushes Starling away with a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willdoit paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

It looks like Carleton Starling has been cut.
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!
Willdoit cracks Starling with a good jab.
Willdoit feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Starlings jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Starling is rocked!
Starling throws a leg kick that misses.
Starling moves forwards but Willdoit connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Starling is still on wobbly legs! Can Willdoit finish him?
Starling tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Willdoit manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Starling seems to have recovered his senses.
Willdoit digs a good hook to Starling's body.
Starling takes a swing at Willdoit's ribcage but misses.
Willdoit explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Willdoit keeps the fight on the outside.
Willdoit throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Starling.
Willdoit is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Willdoit scores with a nice right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Willdoit dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carleton Starling's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Starling keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Willdoit.
Starling tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Carleton Starling is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Starling has a takedown stuffed.
Starling shoots for a takedown but Willdoit saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Willdoit throws a leg kick which misses Starling's front leg but catches the back leg as Starling tries to avoid it.
Willdoit throws a jab when Starling was well out of range.
Starling dives in and grabs Willdoit's left leg, looking for a takedown. Willdoit pushes down on Starling's head and hops out.
Steve Willdoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carleton Starling.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Willdoit - that will leave a mark!
Starling shoots in for a double leg but Willdoit sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Willdoit swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Willdoit is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Starling can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Starling has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Starling there as he acknowledges the shot.
Starling's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Willdoit lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice uppercut lands for Willdoit. That snapped Starling's head back.
Starling is breathing heavily.
Willdoit throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starling swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Willdoit counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Willdoit scores with the left hand. Starling knows he should have avoided that one.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Starling crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Willdoit - the referee stops the clock and Starling gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Willdoit. Starling manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Starling tries for a takedown but Willdoit circles away easily
letting Willdoit counter with a right hand.
A jab from Willdoit does it's job there.
Willdoit connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Willdoit scores with a punch to the head.
A jab from Willdoit does it's job there.
Willdoit smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Starling tries to clinch but Willdoit moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Willdoit lands with a nice body kick.
Starling takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Nice cross by Willdoit.
Willdoit throws out a powerful jab.
Starling blocks a head kick by Willdoit.
Starling is trying desperately to land a takedown but Willdoit is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Starling.
Starling slips under a jab.
Nice takedown defense from Willdoit. No joy for Starling on that attempt.
Starling has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Starling on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Willdoit lands with a thumping leg kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Willdoit - that will leave a mark!
Starling pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Steve Willdoit is winning the standup battle so far.
Willdoit blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starling misses with a hook
enabling Willdoit to counter with a crisp jab.
Willdoit throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Willdoit throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Starling.
Starling fails with the takedown.
It appears Willdoit was looking to counter with a kick there.
Starling takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Willdoit lands a front kick.
Willdoit changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Starling chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Willdoit can pounce on him.
Willdoit throws a body kick that misses.
Willdoit lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starling with a lazy takedown attempt
and Willdoit counters with a straight right hand.
Starling shoots in looking for a takedown but Willdoit manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Starling's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Willdoit wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Willdoit lands a jab.
Willdoit cracks Starling with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Willdoit lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Starling takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
That kick from Willdoit tenderised Starling's leg. Starling is trying to keep his angry face on.
Willdoit bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Willdoit connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Starling's hands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Willdoit dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Carleton Starling's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A nice inside leg kick there by Willdoit. That's going to slow Starling down.
Starling fails with the takedown
and Willdoit counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Willdoit thumps Starling with a low kick.

Starling moves into the clinch.
Willdoit stalls.
Willdoit prevents a takedown attempt there.
A bit of stalling here from Willdoit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Come on Willdoit - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Starling takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Willdoit will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Starling up against the cage.
Willdoit is trying to maintain a safe position but Starling gets an underhook and turns Willdoit into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Steve Willdoit.
A low kick lands for Willdoit.
Starling fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Starling fails in his attempt to clinch.
Willdoit looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Starling drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Willdoit connects with an inside leg kick.
A low kick from Starling is predictable there
and Willdoit counters with a leg kick.
Starling tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Willdoit pushes Starling away with a front kick.
A solid body kick from Willdoit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willdoit tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Starling was well out of range. Poor timing from Willdoit.
Starling looks to clinch
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
and Willdoit counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Starling fails with a takedown attempt.
Steve Willdoit has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carleton Starling.
Willdoit ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Starling walks into a stiff left hand from Willdoit.
Willdoit moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Donk. Willdoit catches Starling right on the button with a cross.
Starling walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Starling swinging wildly here.
Willdoit jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willdoit scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Willdoit connects with a solid leg kick.
Starling tries to clinch but Willdoit moves out of range.
Willdoit connects with a leg kick.

Starling clinches with his opponent.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Starling being controlled against the cage.
Starling is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Willdoit breaks the clinch.
Willdoit jabs Starling right on the nose. Starling blinks but takes it well.
Willdoit blocks a head kick by Starling.
Starling closes this distance looking for a takedown but Willdoit circles away.
Starling tries for a takedown but Willdoit sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
It looked like Willdoit wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Willdoit scores with a decent looking hook.
Willdoit throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Starling.
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!
Starling misses with a takedown
and Willdoit counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Carleton Starling has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steve Willdoit is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Starling throws a lazy body kick
and Willdoit makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Willdoit showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Willdoit, 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:25
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:25

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