PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steven Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Curly Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stark comes to the cage accompanied by Sledgehammer!. 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
Howard

172 cm
24
156 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
155 lbs
7 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Determined

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry
KAISER

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Stark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Curly Howard!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stark lands with a hook. Howard tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Howard avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Howard throws a half hearted mid kick.
Howard moves away from the strike by Stark.
Howard is looking to chop away at Stark's legs.
Stark moves out of range of the leg kick from Howard.
Stark feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Howards jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Howard throws a head kick but Stark moves out of range.
Stark connects with a leg kick. Howard looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Stark connects with a single shot there.
Stark throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
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!
Howard takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Howard is rocked!
Stark misses with a lunging right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Stark looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Howard moves away from the strike by Stark.
Howard uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stark.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stark shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Stark is thwarting Howard's attempts to control the position.
Howard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stark.
Howard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stark is working away from the top position though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Howard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Stark looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Stark looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howard has hold of Stark's hands but Stark slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Howard wants to control but Stark is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howard is controlling Stark's position as best he can from this difficult position.
We've been hearing that Stark has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Stark slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard is trying to maintain the position but Stark is very close to passing his half guard.
Howard wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Howard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Stark throws a nice head kick!
Howard is still on wobbly legs! Can Stark finish him?
Stark fails to land with a series of punches.
Howard seems to have recovered his senses.
Stark throws out a loose jab but Howard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Howard looks for the body kick but Stark saw that one coming.
Stark misses with a low kick.
Stark throws a jab but it's blocked by Howard.
Howard drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark misses with a two punch combination.
Stark blocks a head kick by Howard.
Howard slips under a jab.
Curly Howard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stark takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Howard throws a leg kick but Stark moved away.
Stark connects with a jab.
Howard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A left lands for Stark.
Stark digs a good body shot into Howard's ribs.
Stark throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Stark shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Howard manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howard being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark lands a couple of digs.
Howard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stark trying to control but Howard is working from the bottom.
Stark wants to pass the guard but Howard is keeping the position.
Stark wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steven Stark wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Stark lands the left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stark dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Stark thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Howard if he has to take too many more of those.
A big left from Stark misses.
Steven Stark is winning the standup battle so far.
Stark misses with the body kick
and Howard counters with a thumping low kick.
Stark fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Howard looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Stark throws a shot from downtown. Howard moves away and avoids it.
Stark throws a sloppy head kick and Howard moves out of range easily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Stark checks a leg kick.
Stark scores with a sloppy right hand. Howard should have avoided that one.
Howard tries a head kick but it misses.
Howard throws out a leg kick but Stark moves out of range and Howard only half commits.
Stark checks a low kick from Howard.
Stark moves into range and connects with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stark tries to clinch up but Howard circles away and keeps his distance.
Stark wants to land a leg kick but Howard is out of range.
Stark fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark misses with a few strikes there.
Howard feints and then cracks Stark's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stark down.
Howard misses with a low kick.
Nice cross by Stark.
Howard pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Stark 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.
Stark throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stark accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stark controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Howard looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stark is one step ahead there.
Stark wants to control from the top but Howard keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark connects with a couple of short punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howard wants to control but Stark passes easily into half guard.
Howard wants to get back to full guard.

Stark is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Howard is just riding it out for now. Stark eventually gives up the hold.
Stark passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Howard!

Stark is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Howard has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard is looking to get to half guard.
Stark lands a nice shot to the head.
Howard is bucking up trying to escape but Stark cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Stark scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Howard wants to hold on but Stark pushes him away.
Stark can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Howard is looking to escape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stark avoids the attempt from Howard to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark controlling his opponent.
Stark lands a big shot to the head and Howard winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Steven Stark!
During a confident post fight interview, Steven Stark thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.