PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between AJ Styles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Jarl (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Styles comes to the cage accompanied by I Am by Dale Oliver. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Styles
vs
Jarl

180 cm
26
215 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

188 cm
24
207 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, AJ Styles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Benny Jarl!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, David Schapiro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jarl throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Styles looks for a takedown but Jarl sprawls well.
Jarl throws a jab when Styles was well out of range.
A punch combination from Jarl misses.
Styles uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Jarl.
Jarl misses with a jab, cross combination.
Styles works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Styles closes the distance and pushes Jarl back into the cage.
Styles tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jarl blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jarl working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Styles has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Jarl avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Jarl lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Styles or not.
Jarl prevents a body shot from Styles.
Jarl lands a shoulder strike.
Styles drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Jarl gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ Styles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Styles misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jarl lands a hook to the side of the head.
Jarl lands with a right to the head.
A short body shot lands from Jarl as the two fighters clinch.
Styles tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Styles has a couple of punches blocked by Jarl.
Jarl has had enough of the clinch but Styles keeps him there for the moment.
Styles working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jarl.
Styles prevents Jarl from breaking the clinch.
Jarl lands a hook to the side of the head.
Jarl scores with a hook to the body.
Styles misses with some punches.
Jarl lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Styles or not.
Styles is breathing heavily.

Jarl's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Styles tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jarl paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jarl tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Styles was well out of range. Poor timing from Jarl.
Jarl misses with a looping right.
A punch combination from Jarl misses.
A bone on bone clash there as Jarl blocks the leg kick.
Jarl is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Styles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Styles displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Jarl throws out the jab.
A punch combination from Jarl misses.
Styles is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jarl throws a series of punches but Styles moves out of range.

Styles drives through and clinches with Jarl against the cage.

Jarl breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jarl throws a series of punches but Styles moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Styles.
Styles fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Styles slips under a jab.
Jarl scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Styles throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Styles tries to clinch up.
Jarl misses with a jab to the body

and Styles counters by moving into the clinch.
Styles misses with a short punch on the inside.
Jarl fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Styles fails to land.
Jarl makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A short right from Jarl on the inside.
Styles misses with the head strike.
Jarl tries to circle away but Styles has him pinned against the cage.
Styles can't find room to land a body shot as Jarl controls the action.
Nice body punch from Jarl - that landed with a thud.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Styles doesn't manage to clinch there - Jarl circles away.
Jarl missing with a left hand there. Styles was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Styles is looking to clinch.
Styles tries to clinch but Jarl moves out of range.
Styles fails with a takedown attempt.
Styles shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jarl but Jarl pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Benny Jarl is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jarl thows a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benny Jarl dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Styles shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jarl but Jarl pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Jarl misses with the combination.
Benny Jarl seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jarl swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Styles counters with a stiff right hand.
Styles bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A decent looking cross lands there for Jarl.
Benny Jarl is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jarl misses with a body shot

and Styles counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Styles is looking to work some ground and pound but Jarl has wrist control.

Jarl looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Jarl escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Styles gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Styles postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Jarl is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Styles is aware though and is defending well.
Styles cracks Jarl with a solid left hand.
Jarl keeping moving, preventing Styles from controlling successfully.
Styles stands and throws Jarl's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Styles lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Jarl down.

Styles tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Styles has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Styles prevents Jarl from escaping the position.
Jarl is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Styles working the head and body with strikes.
Jarl takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Styles is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Jarl has escaped the position, nice work there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Styles is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Jarl has escaped the position, nice work there.
Jarl is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Styles scoring with punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jarl is looking for a sweep.
Styles working the head with strikes.
Styles working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Styles 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.
Styles wants to control but Jarl is keeping him busy.

Styles wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Jarl, who protects the arm well.
Styles working the ground and pound.
Jarl is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Styles has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Styles working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Styles landing strikes.
Styles is looking to take a break and control but Jarl is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Styles scoring with punches from side control.

Jarl is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Styles works to advance to full mount. Jarl defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Styles fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Jarl is still in real trouble! Can Styles finish him?
Styles loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Jarl scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Styles land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Styles stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). AJ Styles!