PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brian Staal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Malibu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shawn Malibu has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Brian Staal's chin.

Staal
vs
Malibu

197 cm
23
273 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
242 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

5th Round

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brian Staal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shawn Malibu!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Staal connects with a crisp jab.
Staal thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shawn Malibu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Staal moves out of range as Malibu strikes.
Malibu misses with a kick to the body.

Staal closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Staal lands in his opponent's guard.

Malibu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Staal slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Staal is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Staal loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Staal tries to free his leg and advance position but Malibu is retaining full guard.

Malibu had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Staal is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Malibu Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Staal's back instead.
Malibu gets his hands free as Staal looks to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal turns into Malibu and is now in his guard.
Malibu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Malibu trying to strike off his back.
Staal looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Staal misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Malibu misses with a double jab
and Staal counters with a big head kick but Malibu shrugs it off.
Malibu scores with a nice right hand.
Malibu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staal manages to avoid it.
Staal scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Danga de danga de dang - Staal scores with a four punch combination!
Malibu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malibu closes the distance but Staal moves to the side
and Staal counters with a straight right hand.

Malibu is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Malibu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Malibu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Malibu ducks under a wild hook from Staal.
Staal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Malibu throws a right hand that Staal ducks under and follows up with a left that Staal also avoids with ease.
Malibu misses with a straight left.
Staal throws a nice inside leg kick.
Malibu throws a body punch but Staal moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malibu slips under a jab.
Malibu lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Staal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Malibu but Malibu pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A combination from Malibu does no damage.
Staal fakes the leg kick and cracks Malibu in the body.
Malibu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Staal counters with a stiff right hand.
Malibu clinches but Staal breaks the clinch

and Staal counters with a nice double leg into side control. Malibu won't be happy with that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Staal in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Staal connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Malibu some visible discomfort.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malibu tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Staal creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Malibu is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Staal off and has taken his back!
Staal can't escape the position.
Staal tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Malibu pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Staal tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Malibu is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Staal can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Malibu looks gassed!

Malibu with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Staal is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Malibu dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Staal dominated that round.
That's time! Staal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Staal misses with an uppercut.
Staal loads up on a big right hand but Malibu slips the punch.
Malibu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staal manages to avoid it.
Malibu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Malibu looks to land a right hand but Staal moved out of range.
Staal misses with a body kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Staal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An inside leg kick lands from Staal.
A jab from Malibu does it's job there.
Malibu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Staal counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malibu scores with a hook.
Malibu misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Staal jabbing away but nothing is landing.
No joy there for Malibu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Malibu moves out of range as Staal strikes.

Malibu gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Malibu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Malibu throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Staal throwing strikes from guard but Malibu blocks nicely.

Malibu has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Staal can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Malibu is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Malibu is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Malibu working for a triangle but Staal defends it easily.
Staal scoring with some ground and pound.
Malibu can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Staal controls the pace.
Staal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Staal scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Staal slips a nice elbow through Malibu's hands, connecting with Malibu's forehead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Malibu makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Malibu.

Malibu looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal is working Malibu over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Staal passes into half guard.
Staal has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Staal pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Staal looking to finish Malibu with some ground and pound. This is bad for Malibu!
Staal is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Staal scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Malibu keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Staal controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal punishing his opponent with strikes.
Malibu is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Staal looking to finish Malibu with some ground and pound. This is bad for Malibu!
Malibu is looking to get to half guard.

Staal wants to finish this one by submission but Malibu is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Staal.
Staal breaks from Malibu's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Malibu taking shots to the head.
Malibu is in all sorts of trouble here.
Staal lands a nice shot to the head.
Malibu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Staal dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Malibu misses with a double jab

and Staal counters with a nice double leg into side control. Malibu won't be happy with that.
Malibu tries to bench press Staal off him but Staal keeps the position.
Staal is chipping away with strikes.
Staal will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Staal wants to control but Malibu is keeping him busy.
Staal tries to move into full mount but can't pass Malibu's legs.
Malibu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Staal scores with punches from side control.
Malibu on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Brian Staal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Staal lands an elbow.
Malibu is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Malibu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malibu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Staal is tying to control. Malibu wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Staal lands strikes from half guard.
Staal wants to pass to mount but Malibu is defending the position.
Staal blocks the strikes from Malibu.
Staal wants to free his trapped foot but Malibu is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Staal lands strikes from half guard.

Malibu is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Staal pulls his head out easily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A big left from Malibu misses.

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.
Staal throws out a loose jab but Malibu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Malibu misses with an attempted mid kick.
Brian Staal is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice sprawl there from Malibu as Staal shoots in.
Malibu throws a lazy right hand but Staal sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A combination from Staal does no damage.
Malibu misses with a combination

and Staal counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Malibu's guard now.

Malibu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Malibu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Staal working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Malibu's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Staal is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Malibu keeping moving, preventing Staal from controlling successfully.

Malibu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Staal landing some decent shots from guard.
Malibu doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Staal wants to control from the top but Malibu keeps moving.
Staal is in close to Malibu's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Staal works over Malibu with some ground and pound from guard.
Malibu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Shawn Malibu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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 referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Staal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Malibu throws a right and a left that both miss.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Staal.
Malibu wants to clinch.
Malibu misses with the combination.
Shawn Malibu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Malibu falls off balance throwing a combination
and Staal connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brian Staal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Staal 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Staal!