PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alistair Nauman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cletus Starnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alistair Nauman has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Nauman
vs
Starnes

189 cm
22
214 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

194 cm
18
211 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alistair Nauman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Cletus Starnes!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Wagner Zegers and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starnes wants to slow Nauman down by chopping away at his legs.
Nauman definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Nauman shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Starnes has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Nauman wants to pass the guard but Starnes is defending well.
Starnes works his way to full guard. Good work.

Nauman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Nauman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Starnes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nauman has managed to get both his arms back between Starnes's legs - danger averted.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Starnes trying to control the position.
Nauman not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Starnes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Starnes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starnes is trying to keep Nauman in close.
Starnes is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Starnes throws a jab when Nauman was well out of range.

Starnes tries to sprawl but Nauman drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starnes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nauman trying to pass the guard but Starnes defending well.
Starnes works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nauman trying to control but Starnes is working from the bottom.
Starnes wants to sweep here but Nauman controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nauman wants to control from the top but Starnes keeps moving.

Alistair Nauman has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Nauman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Starnes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nauman regains half guard, as Starnes was trying to land strikes.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nauman pushes Starnes off looking to stand but Starnes dives back in and keeps control.
Nauman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Starnes on the ground.
Starnes is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Nauman is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Starnes goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Nauman is on top in guard.
Nauman is looking to work some ground and pound but Starnes has wrist control.
Nauman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Starnes keeping moving, preventing Nauman from controlling successfully.
Starnes looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Nauman puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Starnes tries to get to full guard but Nauman has control of the leg.
Nauman thows a huge punch but Starnes dodges it nicely.
Nauman not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nauman wants to free his trapped foot but Starnes is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nauman prevents Starnes from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nauman is looking to take a break and control but Starnes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Nauman decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Nauman closes the distance looking to clinch

and Starnes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
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!
Starnes trying to control but Nauman is working from the bottom.
Starnes passes into half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Nauman looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cletus Starnes dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nauman rushes Starnes and presses him up against the cage.

Nauman escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Starnes misses with a lunging right hand

and Nauman counters by clinching up.

Nauman has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Starnes clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
I really don't envy Starnes right now.
Starnes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Nauman doesn't have the hooks in and Starnes manages to turn into his guard.
Cletus Starnes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Starnes prevents Nauman from getting back to his feet.

Starnes is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Starnes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starnes tries to free his leg and advance position but Nauman is retaining full guard.
Starnes lands a couple of digs.
Starnes trying to control but Nauman is working from the bottom.
Starnes stopping the sweep attempt from Nauman.
Starnes trying to control but Nauman is working from the bottom.
Starnes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nauman swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nauman trying to control the position.
Nauman wants to stand but Starnes is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Nauman throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Starnes tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nauman is in Starnes's guard.
Starnes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Nauman manages to get himself to full guard.
Starnes trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Nauman manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Starnes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Starnes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nauman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nauman passes into half guard.
Nauman trying to control the action but Starnes is working from the bottom.

Starnes is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nauman pulls his head out easily.
Starnes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Starnes.
Nauman tries to stand but Starnes is controlling from the bottom.

Starnes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Starnes is breathing heavily.
Starnes looking for a sweep. Not yet Starnes, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nauman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Starnes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nauman with a flurry of punches that miss.
Nauman stopping the sweep attempt from Starnes.

Starnes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Starnes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nauman.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Starnes is on top in guard.
Starnes pushes down on Nauman's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cletus Starnes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nauman lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Starnes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nauman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cletus Starnes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nauman has taken the fight to the clinch.

Starnes jumps guard and drags Nauman to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Starnes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nauman's guard.
Starnes stops Nauman from standing up.
Starnes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nauman is keeping the position for now.
Nauman not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Starnes drops back, looking for a kneebar! Nauman looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Nauman looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Nauman!
Starnes manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Nauman is trying to control the action in half guard but Starnes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Starnes looking for submissions off his back.
Starnes is staying active underneath Nauman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Starnes throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Starnes looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Starnes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Starnes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Starnes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Starnes looking for a guillotine here but Nauman defends easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nauman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nauman trying to control but Starnes is working from the bottom.
Nauman throwing strikes from guard but Starnes blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nauman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Starnes looking for subs off his back but Nauman has passed one foot through into half guard.
Starnes tries to roll over but Nauman keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nauman is stalling here. Starnes is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Nauman seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Starnes has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Nauman is looking to reverse the position.
Nauman struggling a bit here.
Nauman sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nauman is looking for a sweep. Starnes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Starnes tries to pass the half guard into mount. Nauman knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Nauman actively working from the bottom here.
Starnes passes the guard and advances to mount!
Nauman regains half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nauman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alistair Nauman.
I think Starnes 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight for Cletus Starnes!
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight for Cletus Starnes!
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Cletus Starnes!

Cletus Starnes wins by unanimous decision!
A very excited looking Cletus Starnes made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.