PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Doug Harden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and C G Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Harden
vs
G Stark

186 cm
22
172 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

180 cm
27
175 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

[JMFC] 160!

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Doug Harden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, C G Stark!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Alyssa Summers and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harden swings away with a body shot that misses
and Stark makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Harden with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stark to score with a decent uppercut.
Harden throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Stark counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Harden keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stark throwing shots but Harden is blocking nicely.
Stark is looking to advance position but Harden won't allow it.
Harden trying to control here.
Stark working Harden over with strikes.
Harden is looking for a sweep. Stark is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stark sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Harden defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark misses with a head shot. Harden uses the momentum to regain guard.
Stark seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Stark wants to pass the guard but Harden is keeping the position.
Stark thows a big elbow that misses.
Stark throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Harden works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stark postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stark trying to control the position from guard on top but Harden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Stark looking to pass the guard.
Stark with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Harden keeping moving, preventing Stark from controlling successfully.
Harden wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Stark loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Harden on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Harden tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but Harden has wrist control.
Harden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stark postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Harden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Stark has gone for a leg lock! Harden slips out almost immediately though and dives into Stark's guard.
Stark tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Doug Harden just wasn't active enough.
Harden throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Stark counters with a nice uppercut.
Harden falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stark counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Harden misses with a lunging right hand

and Stark counters with a nice double leg into side control. Harden won't be happy with that.
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Stark has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Stark throwing shots but missing, from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Harden misses with a hook to the body
and Stark counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Harden tries to move into range but Stark moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Harden misses with a body punch

and Stark counters with a single leg into guard. Harden didn't expect that.
Stark is in close to Harden's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Stark pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Harden is keeping the position for now.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Harden blocks nicely.
Stark throws a big right hand that misses.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Harden looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark trying to control but Harden is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark is pushing down on Harden's leg trying to pass to half guard. Harden is fighting to maintain full guard but Stark has managed to sneak the leg through.
Stark sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Harden defending well though.
Stark is looking to stall here but Harden recovers full guard.
Stark thows a big elbow that misses.
Stark trying to control but Harden is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Stark tries to free his leg and advance position but Harden is retaining full guard.
Harden trying to control the position.
Stark loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but Harden has wrist control.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
C G Stark has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stark won't allow Harden to sweep him here.
Stark trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but Harden has wrist control.
Harden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harden preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Harden avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stark content to stall in guard here.
Harden avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stark throwing strikes but missing.
Harden trying to control the position.
Stark throws a strike but Harden rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Harden got a little sloppy there for a moment and Stark has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Harden has managed to get both his arms back between Stark's legs - danger averted.

Stark is looking for a triangle but Harden pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

C G Stark showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Harden throws a sloppy body shot
and Stark counters with a straight right hand.
Harden misses with a jab to the body

and Stark counters with a takedown into side control.
Stark wants to lay and pray for a moment but Harden keeps working.
Harden avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stark.
Stark wants to lay and pray for a moment but Harden keeps working.
Sloppy strikes there by Stark.
Harden tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Harden is not content to let Stark control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Stark wants to control but Harden is keeping him busy.
Stark throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Stark cracks Harden with a big elbow.
Stark creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Stark scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Harden to see if he's OK.
Harden takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Stark creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Harden sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Doug Harden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Stark.
Stark scoring with punches from side control.
Harden stops Stark from passing to mount.
Stark fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Stark in side control lands a decent elbow.
Stark throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Stark looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Stark wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Harden, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ground and pound from Stark seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Stark lands a nice forearm strike.
Stark throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Stark tries for a kimura but Harden is defending well.
Stark in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stark swings around for an armbar but Harden sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Stark's guard.
Harden trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Harden is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Stark is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Stark has escaped and now he's on top!
Stark with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
C G Stark comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stark has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... C G Stark!