PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Starr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Doug Lowbrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lowbrow has chosen The Chicken Dance as his entrance music. Stephen Starr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Starr
vs
Lowbrow

172 cm
24
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stephen Starr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Doug Lowbrow!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Columbo Gatti and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lowbrow closes the distance but Starr moves to the side
and Starr counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Starr clinches.
Starr has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lowbrow has Starr pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Starr manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lowbrow misses with a knee strike.

Starr lands a takedown into guard.
Starr trying to control the position from guard on top but Lowbrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lowbrow is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Starr is aware though and is defending well.
Starr trying to control but Lowbrow is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starr wants to pass the guard but Lowbrow is keeping the position.
Starr looking to sit in guard and control but Lowbrow gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lowbrow controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Lowbrow is looking to work some ground and pound but Starr has wrist control.
Starr keeping full guard, as Lowbrow tries to pass.
Lowbrow would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Starr looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lowbrow looking to pass the guard.
Starr on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Starr tries to get out of the position.
Starr avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Starr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Starr working a defensive guard but Lowbrow manages to pass into side control anyway.

Lowbrow decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Lowbrow swings widly with a right hand

and Starr counters by clinching up.
Lowbrow is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Starr wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starr throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

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

Starr clinches up with Lowbrow and pushes him back against the cage.

Starr has Lowbrow pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Starr pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Lowbrow tumbling to the mat - Starr dives into Lowbrow's guard.
Lowbrow is trying to keep Starr in close.
Starr slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lowbrow keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Lowbrow is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lowbrow tries for a takedown but Starr circles away easily

and Starr counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Starr.
Starr digs a right hand into Lowbrow's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Lowbrow's gas tank.
Starr tries to break free but Lowbrow pushes him back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Starr as Lowbrow tries to tie him up.

Starr has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Lowbrow is trying to keep an underhook but Starr manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Starr takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Well, if Starr is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Starr trying to control from half guard but Lowbrow is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Starr dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lowbrow has his takedown stuffed

so Starr counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Starr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lowbrow swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lowbrow not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Starr trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Starr wants to control from the top but Lowbrow keeps moving.

Lowbrow throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Lowbrow keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.
Starr has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Starr slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr prevents Lowbrow from standing back up.
Lowbrow is breathing heavily.
Starr not doing much here.
Starr passes to side control.
Starr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lowbrow keeps working.
Lowbrow is trying to get back to half guard.
Starr knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lowbrow on the ground.
Starr trying to control the position but Lowbrow is working away.

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.
Starr slows the pace down.
Starr advances to mount.
Starr looking to control and managing it successfully.
Starr tries to control but Lowbrow wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lowbrow can't escape the position.
Lowbrow tries to lock up and control but Starr gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lowbrow is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Starr controlling his opponent.
Lowbrow is in all sorts of trouble here.
Starr content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Starr lands a big elbow.
Lowbrow is looking to improve his position but Starr isn't that keen on the idea.
Starr looking to control and managing it successfully.
Starr seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lowbrow for as long as he can get away with.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Starr dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lowbrow tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Starr holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lowbrow pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Starr breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lowbrow moves to clinch but Starr breaks away
letting Starr counter with a right hand.

Starr drives through and clinches with Lowbrow against the cage.

Starr pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Starr darts in and clinches Lowbrow up against the cage.
Starr tries to land a knee to the head but Lowbrow blocks with his arms.
Starr stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Starr stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Lowbrow tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr stalling the fight.
Lowbrow swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lowbrow throws a knee to the head but misses.
Starr pushes Lowbrow back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Starr is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lowbrow is trying to break the clinch but Starr is controlling him.
Starr holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Lowbrow's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lowbrow tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Starr counters by clinching up.
Starr is trying to break the clinch but Lowbrow is controlling him.

Starr breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lowbrow tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Starr counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Starr.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Starr.

Starr wants the takedown. Lowbrow is fighting it off but Starr persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Lowbrow's guard against the cage.
Lowbrow is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Stephen Starr overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Starr is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Doug Lowbrow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Stephen Starr wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Starr instigates a clinch.
Starr tries to land knees in the clinch but Lowbrow avoids the damage to the body.

Starr tightens his grip and picks Lowbrow up, before dumping him to the ground. Lowbrow manages to land in guard.
Lowbrow tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lowbrow wants to stand and escape but Starr is having none of it.
Starr slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starr trying to control the position from guard on top but Lowbrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lowbrow keeping full guard, as Starr tries to pass.
Starr is working hard here to advance position.
Starr wants to control from the top but Lowbrow keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Stephen Starr just wasn't active enough.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lowbrow, right into the meat.
Stephen Starr is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Starr closes the distance and clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Starr showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Starr has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Starr!