PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Austin Daniels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Stone has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Daniels
vs
Stone

176 cm
22
153 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

177 cm
22
143 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Austin Daniels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brandon Stone!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, John Kavanagh and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stone gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Daniels has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Stone avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Stone has had enough of the clinch but Daniels keeps him there for the moment.
Stone wants to break free but Daniels has control.
Daniels looking for a takedown.
Stone has had enough of the clinch but Daniels keeps him there for the moment.
Daniels fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Austin Daniels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Daniels looking to stall.
Stone tries to break the clinch but Daniels is controlling the position.
Daniels fails to pull guard.
Daniels tries to pull guard but Stone holds him up against the cage and eventually Daniels drops back down to his feet.
Daniels tries to stall but Stone uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Stone wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Daniels has him pressed against the cage.

Daniels has clasped his hands together around Stone's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone tries to escape but Daniels is in control.
Daniels is looking to take a break and control but Stone is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Daniels lands a decent elbow from side control.
Stone tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on Daniels's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Daniels creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Stone sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Daniels in the domination position with Stone hanging on.
Stone is looking for a sweep.
Stone is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Daniels in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fighters circling - Stone throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Daniels uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Stone has time to react.
Daniels throws a combination. Stone tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Brandon Stone has been cut.

Stone gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Daniels looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniels trying to control here.

Stone is looking for a kimura here.
Daniels slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Daniels is trying to control the position but Stone postures up.
Stone trying to control but Daniels is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Daniels throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Stone with a flurry of punches that miss.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Stone shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stone gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Daniels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stone takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Daniels scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Daniels trying to control the action but Stone is working from the bottom.
Daniels not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Stone wants to get back to full guard.
Stone moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Stone wants to stand up but Daniels is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Daniels!
Daniels is squirming around, avoiding Stone's attempts to control the action.
Daniels is in all sorts of trouble here.
Stone throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stone looking to control but Daniels is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stone punching from mount but Daniels doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Stone looking to control but Daniels is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Daniels dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brandon Stone's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Daniels bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Stone's head.
Daniels lands a two punch combo.
Stone circles away from the clinch attempt

and Stone counters with a takedown into side control.
Daniels is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Stone is looking to take a break and control but Daniels is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stone looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Daniels manages to get to full guard.
Daniels preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Daniels's guard.
Stone seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Daniels does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Daniels wants to get back to full guard but Stone has passed into side control.
Daniels looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Daniels trying to control the position but Stone manages to sink in the hooks.
Daniels is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Daniels is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Stone gets his way!
Stone missing with strikes.

Daniels defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Stone is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone is trying to stick to Daniels's back but Daniels is turning into Stone. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Stone's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Daniels.
Daniels is in close to Stone's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Daniels pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stone is keeping the position for now.
Stone trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Stone seems keen to control Daniels's posture.
Daniels pushing down on Stone's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Stone is trying to maintain the position but Daniels is very close to passing his half guard.
Brandon Stone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Daniels seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stone does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone pushes Daniels off looking to stand but Daniels dives back in and keeps control.
Daniels missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Daniels thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stone's head.
Stone is refusing to be controlled, as Daniels sits in half guard.
Stone is pressing down on Daniels's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Stone is trying to keep Daniels in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Daniels closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Daniels is thwarting Stone's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone wants to improve his position but Daniels is controlling well.
Stone slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Daniels controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Daniels postures up in Stone's guard and throws a big left but Stone blocks it.
Daniels thows a big elbow that misses.
Daniels postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stone trying to keep a closed guard but Daniels is proving a slippery customer.

Stone looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Daniels is looking to advance position but Stone has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brandon Stone will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Brandon Stone's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Stone drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Daniels keeping moving, preventing Stone from controlling successfully.
Stone wants to pass the guard but Daniels is keeping the position.
Daniels not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Daniels has a closed guard, preventing Stone from standing up.
Daniels manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Daniels lands a nice shot to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels avoids the attempt from Stone to control.
Daniels punching from mount but Stone doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Daniels trying to control but Stone is having none of it.
Daniels content just to control the position here.
Daniels avoids the attempt from Stone to control.

Daniels jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Stone is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Stone and Daniels has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

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.
Stone sneaks back into half guard.
Daniels missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Daniels keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Stone desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Stone wants to improve his position but Daniels is controlling well.
Stone is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Daniels's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Daniels's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone missing with strikes from the back.
Will Stone go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Stone is hanging on to Daniels's back as he tries to escape.
Daniels tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Stone trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Stone throws some wild stikes that Daniels manages to avoid easily.
Daniels tries to reverse the position but Stone maintains control.
Daniels is squirming around, avoiding Stone's attempts to control the action.

That's four 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.
Stone looking to ground and pound but Daniels is blocking nicely.
Stone punching from mount but Daniels doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Stone looking to finish with strikes here!
Stone looking to finish with strikes here!
Daniels wants to control but Stone is having none of it.
Stone misses with a head shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Daniels tries to hold on but Stone pushes him away.
Daniels is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Stone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stone 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight for Austin Daniels!
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight for Austin Daniels!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Austin Daniels!

Austin Daniels wins by unanimous decision!