PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lorik Berisha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Stanley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Berisha
vs
Stanley

170 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
22
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lorik Berisha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, George Stanley!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berisha dodges the punch combination from Stanley.
Berisha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stanley misses with a few strikes there.
Berisha slips a jab and a cross from Stanley.

Berisha feints and as Stanley raises his hands in defense, Berisha changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stanley preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Berisha missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Berisha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Berisha throws and elbow that misses. Stanley uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Berisha's guard. Nice move by Stanley!
Berisha is striking but Stanley is not phased and passes to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Berisha wants to improve his position but Stanley is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berisha moves into full guard.
Berisha wants to sweep here but Stanley controlling him for the moment.
Berisha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stanley manages to get himself to full guard.
Berisha is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Berisha throwing strikes but missing.
Stanley working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Berisha.
Berisha passes Stanley's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley is trying to stand up here but Berisha is controlling him well.
Stanley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Berisha trying to pass the guard but Stanley defending well.
Berisha is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Berisha drops an elbow to the side of Stanley's head.
Berisha throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Berisha is breathing heavily.
Stanley looks like he's trying to stand up.
Berisha missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berisha throwing shots but Stanley is blocking nicely.
Berisha looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Berisha throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stanley can do anything to dispel that myth.
Berisha missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stanley won't allow Berisha to pass to mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stanley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berisha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Berisha shoots for a takedown but Stanley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Stanley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berisha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Berisha.
Stanley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Berisha.

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.
Stanley misses with a few strikes there.
Stanley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Berisha.
Stanley swinging wilding here.
Stanley misses with a series of wild punches.
Berisha slips a jab and a cross from Stanley.
Berisha shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Stanley as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lorik Berisha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stanley misses with a double jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stanley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berisha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley throws a right and a left that Berisha avoids nicely.
Berisha fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stanley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stanley throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stanley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berisha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley misses with a few strikes there.
Stanley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stanley stuffs the takedown attempt from Berisha. Berisha gets slowly back to his feet.
Stanley looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanley misses with a two punch combination.
Stanley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
George Stanley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stanley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berisha shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A combination from Stanley does no damage.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.
Berisha misses with a takedown attempt - Stanley sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lorik Berisha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stanley misses with a few strikes there.
Berisha dodges the punch combination from Stanley.
George Stanley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stanley misses with the combination.
Stanley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.

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.

Berisha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Berisha punching from mount but Stanley doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Berisha throws some wild stikes that Stanley manages to avoid easily.
Stanley really wants to buck Berisha off and get back to his feet.
Berisha throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Berisha throwing strikes but Stanley recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Berisha throws a strike but Stanley avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Stanley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Berisha prevents Stanley from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stanley misses with a series of wild punches.
Stanley misses with the combination.
A combination from Stanley does no damage.
Stanley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Stanley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Berisha showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stanley.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.
Berisha fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

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.
Stanley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Berisha dodges the punch combination from Stanley.
Stanley misses with a jab, cross combination.
Berisha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stanley pinned against the cage. Stanley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Some wild striking there from Stanley.
Stanley misses with the combination.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stanley misses with a two punch combination.
Stanley misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but George Stanley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. 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.

Stanley throws a right and a left that Berisha avoids nicely.
Berisha tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stanley swivels and escapes.
Stanley misses with the combination.
Stanley misses with a jab, cross combination.
No joy there for Stanley, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Berisha shoots in for a takedown but Stanley shows good takedown defense.
Berisha shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lorik Berisha. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stanley stalks Berisha and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Berisha's face. Berisha staggers backwards, shaken.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanley misses with a two punch combination.
Stanley looks to land a combination but Berisha avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stanley misses with a few strikes there.
Berisha showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stanley.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berisha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stanley is fending him off so far but Berisha persists. Nope, Stanley circles away and we're back to standing.
Stanley tries to bum rush Berisha with a series of wild strikes but Berisha uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Berisha dodges the punch combination from Stanley.
Some wild striking there from Stanley.
Stanley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stanley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.
Stanley throws a nice looking combination but Berisha bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.

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.
Berisha shoots in and drives through. Stanley sprawls well.
Stanley throws a series of punches but Berisha avoids them all with ease.
Berisha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stanley circles away.
Stanley throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stanley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berisha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Berisha shoots for a takedown but Stanley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Stanley moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Stanley swinging wilding here.
Berisha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stanley pinned against the cage. Stanley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Berisha shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Berisha was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berisha with a couple of short strikes.
Berisha loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Stanley scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Berisha land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Berisha stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lorik Berisha!