PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Timo Stara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darrell Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stara
vs
Thomas

188 cm
23
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
177 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

FinnFighters Nutrition
FinnFighters Nutrition

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Timo Stara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Darrell Thomas!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stara shoots in but Thomas avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stara stuns Thomas with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Stara closes this distance looking for a takedown but Thomas circles away.
Stara lands a two punch combo.
Timo Stara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stara misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timo Stara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stara wants to clinch up but Thomas keeps it at a distance.
Thomas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stara counters with a flying knee. Nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stara is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Thomas misses with a jab to the body
and Stara counters with a left to the body.
Thomas throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stara shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thomas but Thomas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thomas falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Stara counter with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Thomas.
Stara lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas throws a right hand that Stara ducks under and follows up with a left that Stara also avoids with ease.
Thomas will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Thomas throws a predictable looking body shot
and Stara counters with a nice body shot.
Thomas swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Thomas throws a combination that misses
and Stara cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stara steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Thomas.
Thomas throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Stara fakes the leg kick and cracks Thomas in the body.
Thomas slips a jab and a cross from Stara.
Stara lands with a nice body punch.
Stara lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Thomas looks gassed!
Stara tries to score a power double leg takedown but Thomas sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stara somewhat.
Stara fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Stara finds it's way through Thomas's defenses.
Stara misses with a takedown attempt - Thomas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thomas misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Stara counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Stara avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thomas keeps the fight on the outside.
Stara throws a nice looking combination but Thomas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Thomas stuffs the takedown.
Thomas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Stara counters with a one-two to the body.
Thomas misses with a double jab
and Stara makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Stara throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Thomas swings for the body but Stara moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stara tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thomas misses with a jab to the body
and Stara counters with a one-two to the body.
Thomas takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Stara misses with a jab, cross combination.
Thomas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stara.
Thomas looks to score with a jab to the body but Stara is just out of range.
Thomas throws a jab but it's blocked by Stara.
Thomas just misses with a punch to the body.
Thomas misses with a hook. Stara ducked under it nicely.
Thomas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thomas chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stara can pounce on him.
Stara moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Thomas throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stara counters with a right hand to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stara.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a right hand that Stara ducks under and follows up with a left that Stara also avoids with ease.
Stara feints and then cracks Thomas's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Thomas down.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Nice body punch from Stara.
Stara fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stara scores with a one two! Thomas had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
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!
Stara closes the distance and clinches up with Thomas, looking for a takedown. Stara pushes Thomas against the cage but Thomas circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Stara looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thomas is fending him off so far but Stara persists. Nope, Thomas circles away and we're back to standing.
Thomas misses with a combination
and Stara counters with a left and a right that stings Thomas.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
No luck for Stara with that takedown attempt.
Stara ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timo Stara dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Thomas throws a leg kick
and Stara counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Stara shoots for a double leg takedown but Thomas sprawls well. He's pushed Stara's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thomas misses with a wild body shot.
Thomas on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Stara. Stara obviously looking to wear him down.
Thomas takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Stara shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Thomas as he avoids it easily.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Thomas might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Stara has got the better of the exchanges.
Thomas swings away with a body shot that misses
and Stara counters with a left and a right that stings Thomas.

Thomas shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Thomas showed some decent athleticism there.
Thomas throwing shots but Stara is blocking nicely.
Thomas stops Stara from getting back to his feet.
Thomas not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Stara keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thomas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stara trying to control from the bottom.
Stara is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thomas's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thomas's back!
Thomas covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Stara wants to control but Thomas is keeping busy.
Thomas trying to get back to his feet but Stara is in full control for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Stara is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Stara working for a choke but Thomas is defending well.
Thomas holding both Stara 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thomas manages to escape to his feet.

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

and Thomas counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thomas.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timo Stara. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thomas working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Thomas throws a big right hand that misses.
Stara is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Thomas is in trouble now - Stara has advanced to mount!
Thomas squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Darrell Thomas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Stara scores with a nice right hand.

Thomas closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Thomas lands in his opponent's guard.
Stara looking to control.
Thomas forces his way into half guard.
Thomas winds up and cracks Stara with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Thomas missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thomas missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stara regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Thomas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Thomas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thomas throws a strike but Stara rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Thomas has a closed guard, preventing Stara from standing up.
Stara looking to sit in guard and control but Thomas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two 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.
Stara working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thomas.
Stara looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thomas is one step ahead there.
Stara looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Thomas puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thomas lands strikes from half guard.
Thomas thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Stara to regain full guard.
Thomas tries to free his leg and advance position but Stara is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stara looking to control.
Thomas looking to sit in guard and control but Stara gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thomas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stara is controlling him.
Stara is standing up over Thomas. Thomas looks to escape but Stara dives into side control.
Thomas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thomas is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Stara goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Thomas rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Stara's guard! Nice work there by Thomas!
Thomas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stara works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thomas throws a big right hand that misses.
Thomas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darrell Thomas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thomas 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darrell Thomas!