PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Hamsik (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shinya 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.

Hamsik
vs
Stanley

180 cm
23
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Hamsik!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Shinya Stanley!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamsik doesn't manage to clinch there - Stanley circles away.
Hamsik is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stanley throws a right hand that Hamsik ducks under and follows up with a left that Hamsik also avoids with ease.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hamsik.
Stanley fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hamsik looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Hamsik closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nice elbow from Hamsik.
Stanley changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hamsik fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hamsik avoids a punch combination nicely.
Stanley fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hamsik scores with a leg kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Stanley has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hamsik has Stanley pressed against the cage, preventing Stanley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hamsik tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hamsik blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamsik wants to break free but Stanley has control.
Stalling in the clinch from Hamsik.
Hamsik taking a breather.
Stanley wants a takedown but no success here.
Hamsik prevents the takedown attempt.
John Hamsik has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shinya Stanley.

Hamsik pulls guard successfully.
Stanley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stanley 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.
Stanley wants to stand but Hamsik is controlling his posture from full guard.
Stanley won't allow Hamsik to sweep him here.
Hamsik trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hamsik. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of John Hamsik.
Hamsik tries to clinch up but Stanley circles away and keeps his distance.
Stanley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Hamsik tries to keep at a distance but Stanley has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stanley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hamsik prevents it.

Hamsik manages to break the clinch.

Stanley feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hamsik keeping moving, preventing Stanley from controlling successfully.
Stanley distracts Hamsik with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Hamsik looking for a guillotine here but Stanley defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hamsik is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hamsik trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hamsik keeping moving, preventing Stanley from controlling successfully.
Stanley wants to pass the guard but Hamsik is keeping the position.
Stanley 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.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stanley wants to pass the guard but Hamsik is keeping the position.
Stanley postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stanley trying to control the position from guard on top but Hamsik is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hamsik wants to stand and escape but Stanley is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Shinya Stanley.
Stanley misses with a wild combination.
Stanley looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Hamsik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stanley pinned against the cage. Stanley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Hamsik moves into the clinch successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hamsik trying to stall but Stanley improves his position.
A shot in the inside from Stanley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Stanley dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stanley closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hamsik did well to prevent Stanley getting side control.
Hamsik holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Stanley seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hamsik does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hamsik desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Hamsik won't allow Stanley to pass to mount.
Hamsik works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hamsik will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hamsik is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Stanley postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stanley looking to sit in guard and control but Hamsik gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Stanley controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanley tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hamsik wants to control from the top but Stanley keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Stanley is on top in guard.
Stanley pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hamsik is keeping the position for now.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Hamsik manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Stanley is trying to break the clinch but Hamsik is controlling him.
Hamsik tries to stall but Stanley uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Hamsik breaks from the clinch.
A punch combination from Stanley misses.
Hamsik moves in looking to clinch but Stanley pushes him off.
Hamsik shoots in looking for a takedown but Stanley manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hamsik's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamsik wants to clinch up but Stanley keeps it at a distance.
Stanley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hamsik tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stanley takes a kick to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stanley scores with a jab to the body.
Hamsik tries to clinch there but Stanley circles away.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Stanley drives through and clinches with Hamsik against the cage.
Stanley goes for a takedown attempt but Hamsik pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Stanley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hamsik lands with a slapping head kick.
A punch combination from Stanley misses.

Stanley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hamsik is being controlled here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stanley is looking to take a break and control but Hamsik is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hamsik takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Stanley controlling the position from side mount.
Hamsik wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Hamsik tries to buck Stanley off but Stanley is having none of it.
Stanley trying to control the action but Hamsik is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamsik sneaks back into half guard.
Stanley is trying to control the action in half guard but Hamsik is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Shinya Stanley hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hamsik tries to clinch up but Stanley circles away and keeps his distance.
Stanley misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stanley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stanley looks to land a combination but Hamsik avoids it well.
Stanley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A big left from Stanley misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stanley keeps the fight on the outside.
Hamsik shoots in looking for a takedown but Stanley manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hamsik's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stanley swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamsik.
Stanley keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinya Stanley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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 body kick but he was well out of range there.
John Hamsik is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hamsik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stanley pinned against the cage. Stanley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Stanley clinches up with Hamsik and pushes him back against the cage.
Hamsik connects with a knee to the head.
Stanley has had enough of the clinch but Hamsik keeps him there for the moment.

Hamsik escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stanley misses with a right hand
and Hamsik counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Stanley is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Stanley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Stanley looks up at the clock and then as Hamsik takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Stanley smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Stanley is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Hamsik has escaped the position, nice work there.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanley working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stanley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hamsik keeps working.
Hamsik manages to work his way to half guard, despite Stanley's best efforts.
Hamsik is looking for a sweep. Stanley is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stanley stops Hamsik from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hamsik is not content to let Stanley control the position.
Stanley working the head and body with strikes.
Stanley wants to stand up but Hamsik has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanley wants to take a breather but Hamsik is having none of it.
Hamsik trying to control but Stanley postures up.
Stanley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hamsik wants to control but Stanley is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hamsik keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stanley takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Stanley listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hamsik looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stanley on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamsik throws a series of punches but Stanley moves out of range.
Hamsik tries to clinch but Stanley moves out of range.
Good work by Hamsik as he checks the leg kick.

Stanley dives in and scores a takedown into Hamsik's guard.
Stanley postures up.
Hamsik being controlled here, momentarily.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Stanley wants to pass the guard but Hamsik is keeping the position.
Stanley trying to control the position from guard on top but Hamsik is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Shinya Stanley wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hamsik takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Hamsik bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hamsik tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stanley misses with a double jab
and Hamsik counters with a head kick.
A big left from Stanley misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stanley swats away the attempt to clinch by Hamsik.
Hamsik shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stanley pinned against the cage. Stanley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Stanley clinches up with Hamsik and pushes him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stanley is looking to control Hamsik's arms but Hamsik gets an underhook and turns him. Now Stanley has his back to the cage.
John Hamsik has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stanley lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hamsik backwards.

Stanley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinya Stanley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stanley 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinya Stanley!