PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finn Balor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balor kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Monster. Stark comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sledgehammer! kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Finn Balor could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Steven Stark's chin.

Balor
vs
Stark

172 cm
36
152 lbs
25 - 11 - 1

172 cm
33
156 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Finn Balor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Steven Stark!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stark thuds a left hand into Balor's body.
Balor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stark.
Stark throws a jab when Balor was well out of range.
It looked like Balor wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Balor attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Stark lands with a hook. Balor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jab by Stark.
Stark blocks a head kick by Balor.
Stark blocks a leg kick.
Balor chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stark looks to throw the jab but Balor is out of range.
Stark turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Balor moves out of range of the body kick from Stark.
Balor moves out of range as Stark throws a body kick.
Steven Stark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stark swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stark moves out of range of the body kick.
A leg kick checked by Stark.
Balor does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Stark scores with a jab to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stark lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Stark catches Balor with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Balor moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Stark avoids a kick to the body.
Stark cracks Balor with a good jab.
Stark has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Balor throws a leg kick which misses Stark's front leg but catches the back leg as Stark tries to avoid it.
Stark throws a body kick that misses.
Balor dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Balor has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Stark.
Stark jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stark throws a low kick but Balor moves out of range easily.
Balor scores with a jab to the head.
Stark uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
An inside leg kick from Balor misses.
It seemed like Stark was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Balor misses with a low kick.
Balor does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark throws a half hearted mid kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Balor.
Balor tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stark was well out of range. Poor timing from Balor.
Stark throws a big shot that misses.
Balor swings away with a body shot that misses

and Stark counters with a shoot takedown. Balor fights it but they end up in guard.
Stark pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balor is keeping the position for now.
Stark trying to control but Balor is working from the bottom.
Stark working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Balor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stark throws a big right hand that misses.
Stark postures up in Balor's guard and throws a big left but Balor blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark trying to control but Balor is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark throwing strikes but missing.
Stark wants to control from the top but Balor keeps moving.
Stark postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stark throws an elbow that misses. Balor uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stark's guard. Nice move by Balor!

Balor wants to control from the top but Stark keeps moving.
Balor is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Stark is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Stark has an active guard here but Balor has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balor passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Stark!
Balor landing shots from mount.
Stark blocking the ground and pound.
Stark is in a horrible position here. Balor smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Balor in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steven Stark will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Stark feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Balor's calf.
Balor lands with a nice combination. Stark backs away looking to recover.
Balor works Stark's body with a nice hook.
Stark lands a nice leg kick that just misses Balor's sensitive parts.
Stark cracks Balor with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Balor throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Stark.

It looks like Steven Stark has been cut.
Steven Stark seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Balor misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stark.
Balor shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Stark throws out a counter right but Balor avoids it with no problem.
Balor fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stark manages to avoid it.
Balor is looking to land body kicks.
Stark lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stark misses the jab.
Stark throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
As Stark backs away, Balor returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Stark chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stark fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A clash of legs there as Stark blocks the low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balor lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Balor checks a low kick from Stark.
Stark connects with a right hand. Balor shakes it off.
Stark on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Balor. Balor obviously looking to wear him down.
Stark scores with a hook.
Balor lands a slapping body shot.
Stark takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Stark is rocked!
Balor circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Stark to the canvas! Stark doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Balor keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Finn Balor!
Finn Balor opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.