PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gabbie Jay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy Starks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jay comes into the arena with Why Can't We Be Friends blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Jay
vs
Starks

186 cm
24
190 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

180 cm
28
195 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Empire Threads - Featuring Deadly Clothing

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 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabbie Jay!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andy Starks!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Dean Styles and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jay comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Starks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Jay misses the target.
Gabbie Jay seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jay looks to score with a jab to the body but Starks is just out of range.
Jay misses with a straight right.
Jay takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Jay misses with a looping right.
Starks ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jay moves away.
Starks lands with a right hand.
The crowd cheers as Starks lands an impressive looking overhand right. Jay doesn't seem phased though.
Starks throws a head kick that Jay semi-blocks.
Starks moves out of range of the strikes.
Starks takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Starks showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jay.
Jay thows a body shot but no joy.
A big right from Jay misses.
Starks connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Jay momentarily.
Jay swings away with a body shot that misses
and Starks makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jay with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Starks throws a big shot that misses.
Nice straight punches there by Starks. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Starks.
Jay misses with a hook.
Starks throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jay avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Starks doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gabbie Jay is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Starks lands with a straight right. Jay didn't see that one coming.
Jay throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jay stalks Starks and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Starks's face. Starks staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Andy Starks has been cut.
Starks misses with a looping left.
Starks takes one to the chin there.
Jay throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Starks avoids the body shot from Jay.
Jay is looking to wear down Starks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Jay misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Starks.
Starks connects with a body shot.

Starks rushes Jay and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starks lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Jay or not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jay can't break the clinch.
Nice body punch from Starks.
Starks throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Jays head.
Starks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jay.
Starks doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Jay manages to break the clinch.
Starks tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jay paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jay throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Jay thows a body shot but no joy.
Jay throws a looping overhand right but Starks ducks down to avoid it.
Starks lands a nice looking body kick.
Starks throws a hook to the side of Jay's head but Jay sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Starks throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Jay's head.
Starks keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jay misses with a wild body shot.
Starks looks to throw the jab but Jay is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Starks or perhaps it was just good defense by Jay which made him look bad.

Starks drives through with a takedown into guard.
Starks postures up.
Starks throwing strikes from guard but Jay blocks nicely.
Starks looking to pass the guard.
Jay wants to stand and escape but Starks is having none of it.
Jay has control of Starks's left arm, preventing Starks from doing any damage.
Jay preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jay is controlling Starks's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jay is keeping the position for now.

We're going to have a standup here because Gabbie Jay wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Jay thows a body shot but no joy.
Jay swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Starks counter with a right hand.
Good leg kick by Starks there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Starks throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Jay misses the shot to the body.
Starks showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jay.
Jay ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Starks moves away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Starks stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Starks takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Starks throws a front kick aimed at Jay's knee but Jay avoids it well.

Starks drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Andy Starks will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Andy Starks's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Starks throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Jay.
Jay throws a sloppy body shot
and Starks counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Starks shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Jay defends it nicely.
Jay scores with a jab to the body.
Jay looks to score with a jab to the body but Starks is just out of range.
Starks avoids the body shot from Jay.
Jay misses with a body punch
and Starks counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jay pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Starks closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Starks lands in his opponent's guard.
Jay has his hands on Starks's head, controlling the position.
Starks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jay is looking to stand up but Starks isn't so interested in that idea.
Jay pulls Starks in to control the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Starks trying to control but Jay is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabbie Jay just wasn't active enough.
Jay misses with a body shot
and Starks connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jay fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Starks manages to avoid it.
Jay lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Starks at a distance.
Jay throws out a loose jab but Starks uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jay throws a hook but Starks avoids it easily.
Starks misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Starks closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Starks tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Jay's elbow.
Starks looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Starks misses with an elbow over the top.
Starks lands a hook that snaps the head of Jay backwards.
Starks throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Jays head.
Starks has a couple of punches blocked by Jay.
Starks throws an elbow that misses.
Starks goes for a takedown attempt but Jay pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Jay!
Jay misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Starks counters with a big head kick but Jay shrugs it off.
A punch combination from Jay misses.
Jay misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Starks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jay misses with a hook to the body
and Starks counters with a nice leg kick.
Starks avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Starks connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jay. Starks does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gabbie Jay is winning the standup battle so far.
Starks with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Starks slips under a jab.
A head kick misses from Starks.
Jay swats away the attempt to clinch by Starks.
Jay misses the body punch

and Starks decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Jay's guard.
Starks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jay is keeping the position for now.
Jay looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jay is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Starks is controlling him.
Jay is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starks with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Starks missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jay looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jay controls Starks momentarily but Starks frees himself.
Starks tries to free his leg and advance position but Jay is retaining full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Jay is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabbie Jay just wasn't active enough.
Jay swats away the attempt to clinch by Starks.
Jay scores with a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Starks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Andy Starks's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Starks pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Jay throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Jay misses the shot to the body.
Jay swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jay lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Starks at a distance.
Good standup being displayed there by Jay as he connects with a hook.
Jay misses the body punch
and Starks connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jay waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Starks.

Starks looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Starks with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Jay utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jay pulls Starks in close to prevent any damage.
Starks forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starks scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Jay is looking to control Starks's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jay avoid being mounted?
Starks has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Starks trying to control from half guard but Jay is working away.
Starks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jay defending well though.

Starks is trying to work for a kimura but Jay is defending well.
Jay looks like he's trying to stand up.

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.
Starks thows a huge punch but Jay dodges it nicely.
Jay trying to control here.
Jay looks like he's trying to stand up.
Jay won't allow Starks to pass to mount.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Jay looks like he's trying to stand up.
Starks perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starks scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Jay is looking to escape.
Jay trying to control from the bottom.
Andy Starks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jay is looking to escape.
Jay trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabbie Jay just wasn't active enough.
Starks throws a head kick that misses.
Gabbie Jay has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Starks ducks right into an uppercut from Jay.
Jay tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Starks was well out of range. Poor timing from Jay.
Starks lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Jay misses with a body shot
and Starks counters with a straight right hand.
Jay ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Jay misses with a series of wild punches.
Jay misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Starks.
A telegraphed right hand from Jay misses the target.
Starks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jay swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jay swings for the body but Starks moves out of range.
Starks misses with a few strikes there.
Jay swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jay throws the left hand but Starks avoids the punch easily.
Jay avoids the head kick by Starks.
Jay takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Starks lands a head shot.
Jay slaps away a takedown attempt from Starks, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jay blocks a head kick by Starks.
Jay throws a hook but Starks avoids it easily.
Starks throws a combination. Jay tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andy Starks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Starks winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andy Starks!