PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ed Sterns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Sterns
vs
Baker

175 cm
25
157 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

180 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite 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 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, Ed Sterns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will Baker!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sterns doesn't seem bothered though.
Baker walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Sterns misses the shot to the body.
Baker throws a sloppy head kick and Sterns moves out of range easily.
Baker tries a head kick but it misses.
Baker tries for a takedown but Sterns sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Baker is defended easily by Sterns.
The fighters circling - Sterns throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baker dodges the punch combination from Sterns.
Baker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ed Sterns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Baker.
Baker on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterns avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baker looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Baker looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A head kick by Sterns misses
and Baker counters with a big head kick but Sterns shrugs it off.
A punch combination from Sterns misses.
Sterns doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Baker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sterns looks to land a combination but Baker avoids it well.
Sterns blocks a head kick by Baker.
Baker is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sterns sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Baker tries to clinch up.

Sterns gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker is trying to get back to half guard.
Baker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sterns. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sterns connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Baker some visible discomfort.

Sterns is trying to get an arm triangle but Baker is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sterns throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The strikes coming from Sterns are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sterns tries to move to mount but Baker blocks the move with his legs.
Sterns lands a few punches from side control.
Sterns misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Baker parries the strikes from Sterns easily there. Sterns is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Baker to escape.
Sterns is breathing heavily.
Sterns postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterns lands a nice forearm strike.
Sterns working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Sterns prevents Baker from escaping the position.
Baker prevents Sterns from improving position.
Sterns creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Baker sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Baker lands a head kick!
No joy there for Baker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sterns misses the body punch
and Baker counters with a slapping leg kick.
Baker throws a head kick that misses

so Sterns counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sterns working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sterns is pushing down on Baker's leg trying to pass to half guard. Baker is fighting to maintain full guard but Sterns has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sterns working the head and body with strikes.
Sterns works his foot free and advances to mount.

Sterns wants to finish this one by submission but Baker is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Sterns.
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!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sterns punishing his opponent with strikes.
Baker tries to hold on but Sterns pushes him away.
Sterns with a couple of short strikes.
Sterns has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sterns looking to control but Baker is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Sterns connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ed Sterns dominated that round.
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.

Sterns looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Baker wants to clinch but Sterns slips to the side

and Sterns counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sterns thows a huge punch but Baker dodges it nicely.
Sterns missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Sterns lands strikes from half guard.
Baker keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sterns missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Baker wants to get back to full guard.
Sterns thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baker's head.
Baker is trying to stand back up but Sterns is controlling him

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sterns cracks Baker with a good jab.
A head kick misses from Sterns.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sterns tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Baker is able to avoid easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A leg kick checked by Baker.
Sterns tests Baker's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sterns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sterns throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Baker counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sterns makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sterns.
Sterns wants to sweep but no luck.

Sterns looking for a guillotine here but Baker defends easily.

Sterns is looking for a triangle but Baker pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sterns is keeping the position for now.
Baker trying to control but Sterns is working from the bottom.

Baker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sterns manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sterns lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterns is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Baker can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Sterns landing shots from mount.
Sterns working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sterns with the ground and pound from mount.
Sterns scores with a couple of good head shots there.
BOOM! Sterns connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Sterns thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Sterns throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Baker is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Sterns has hold of Baker's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Baker manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baker in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baker takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sterns fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sterns has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Baker's face.
Baker is looking to improve his position but Sterns isn't that keen on the idea.
Baker wants to get back to his feet.
Sterns landing strikes, looking to finish!

Sterns has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Baker is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ed Sterns!