PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eddard Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Stonedberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Stark
vs
Stonedberg

190 cm
27
190 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

197 cm
24
200 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eddard Stark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Michael Stonedberg!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stark decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Stark is trying to control the action in half guard but Stonedberg is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Stark sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stonedberg defending well though.
Stark thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stonedberg's head.
Stark with the ground and pound but Stonedberg uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Stonedberg preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stark missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Stark content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Stark wants to control from the top but Stonedberg keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Stonedberg blocks nicely.
Stark is in close to Stonedberg's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Stark throws a big right hand that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark working some strikes from top position.
Stark trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stark with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stonedberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stark is one step ahead there.
Stark postures up in Stonedberg's guard and throws a big left but Stonedberg blocks it.
Stonedberg looking for a sweep. Not yet Stonedberg, not yet.
Stonedberg trying to control the position.
Stark looking to pass the guard.
Stark throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stonedberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stark is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stark scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stark postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Stonedberg blocks nicely.
Stonedberg trying to control the position.
Stark with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stark's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Stark landing with the ground and pound.
Stonedberg wants to sweep here but Stark controlling him for the moment.
Stark throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stonedberg works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stark prevents Stonedberg from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Stonedberg blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stark postures up in Stonedberg's guard and throws a big left but Stonedberg blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stark trying to control but Stonedberg is working from the bottom.
Stark postures up.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stark throws a strike but Stonedberg rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Stonedberg wants to get up but he can't break Stark's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Stark managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stonedberg stops Stark from standing up.
Stark looking for a sweep. Not yet Stark, not yet.
Stark keeping full guard, as Stonedberg tries to pass.
Stonedberg wants to stand and escape but instead Stark has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but Stonedberg has wrist control.
Stark working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Stark has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stark postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stark working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Stonedberg's head.
Stonedberg is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stark is controlling him.
Stark scoring with punches to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stonedberg gets caught flat footed, as Stark shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Stonedberg wants to stand but Stark is controlling the position.
Stark scoring with punches to the head and body.
Stark scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stark throws a strike but Stonedberg rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Stonedberg won't allow Stark to get back to his feet.
Stark wants to sweep here but Stonedberg controlling him for the moment.
Stonedberg controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Stark manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Stonedberg misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stonedberg is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Stark has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Stonedberg avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Stonedberg gets underhooks to prevent Stark's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddard Stark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stonedberg lands a body punch in the clinch.
Stark can't get the takedown.
Stark is trying to drag Stonedberg to the mat but Stonedberg just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Stark wants to take the fight to the mat but Stonedberg manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A short right from Stonedberg on the inside.
Stonedberg lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Stark wants to take the fight to the mat but Stonedberg manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Stonedberg pushes Stark back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Stonedberg tries to work over Stark's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stark wants a takedown.
Stark wants a takedown.
Stark is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stonedberg lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Stonedberg breaks the clinch.
Eddard Stark is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stonedberg scores with a leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stark tries a head kick but it misses.
Stonedberg fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stark manages to avoid it.
Stark chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stonedberg can pounce on him.
Stonedberg uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Stark.
Stonedberg feints and then cracks Stark's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stark down.
Stonedberg throws a body kick that misses.
Stark stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Stonedberg.
No joy there for Stark, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stonedberg bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stark uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stonedberg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stonedberg avoids the body shot from Stark.
Stark throws a looping overhand right but Stonedberg ducks down to avoid it.
Stonedberg looks to score with a jab to the body but Stark is just out of range.
Stonedberg tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stark was well out of range. Poor timing from Stonedberg.
Michael Stonedberg is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stark throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Stark misses with a looping right.
Stark blocks a head kick by Stonedberg.
Stark shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stonedberg but Stonedberg pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stark throws an off balance right hand
and Stonedberg makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Stark really felt that one!
Stark throws a hook but Stonedberg avoids it easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Stonedberg.
Stark fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Stonedberg lands with a shot to the body.
Stark doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stark misses with a hook. Stonedberg ducked under it nicely.
Stark goes for a double leg but Stonedberg avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Stonedberg continues to drive forward.
Stark goes for a takedown attempt but Stonedberg pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Stonedberg scores with a leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Stonedberg. Stark shrugs it off though.
Jab from Stonedberg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Stonedberg showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

A slapping body kick lands there for Stonedberg.
Stark throws the left hand but Stonedberg avoids the punch easily.
Stark scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Stonedberg tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stonedberg lands a lovely overhand right.

It looks like Eddard Stark has been cut.
Stark swinging wildly here.
Jab from Stark.

Stonedberg lands a big head kick that sends Stark tumbling to the mat! Stonedberg takes a step backwards and waves Stark back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Stark is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stonedberg defending well as Stark loads up on a big left hand.
Oh Stark is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Stark misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stonedberg.
Stark seems to have got his legs back now.
Nice sprawl there from Stonedberg as Stark shoots in.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stonedberg jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark shoots in for a double leg but Stonedberg sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Michael Stonedberg seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stonedberg digs a good hook to Stark's body.
Stonedberg scoring well with a low kick there.
Stonedberg misses with a looping right.
Stonedberg throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stark closes the distance and clinches up with Stonedberg, looking for a takedown. Stark pushes Stonedberg against the cage but Stonedberg circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddard Stark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stark misses with a hook
and Stonedberg counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Good leg kick by Stonedberg there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Stonedberg lands a jab to Stark's midsection.
Stonedberg moves out of range as Stark strikes.
Stark is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Stonedberg steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stark.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stonedberg throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A chopping leg kick lands by Stonedberg.
Stonedberg misses the jab.
Stonedberg doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Stark is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Stonedberg's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Stonedberg looks for a left high kick but can't connect. Stonedberg backs up to catch a breather... no he lunges forward with a huge flying knee that smacks Stark's temple! It sends Stark violently to the canvas! The crowd goes nuts as Stonedberg celebrates and the doctors try to help Stark!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Flying Knee). Michael Stonedberg!
During a confident post fight interview, Michael Stonedberg thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.