PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jeremy Starr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danilo Pichardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pichardo comes into a darkened arena with his song building. "Dueño De La Conec" by Jhon Gotty kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Jeremy Starr had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Starr
vs
Pichardo

170 cm
20
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jeremy Starr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Danilo Pichardo!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Sandra Marshall and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pichardo is looking to clinch but Starr is avoiding it.

Pichardo has Starr up against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Pichardo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Pichardo pulls Starr into guard.
Starr trying to control but Pichardo is working from the bottom.
Pichardo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Starr with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pichardo pulls Starr in close to prevent any damage.
Starr trying to control but Pichardo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr throwing strikes but missing.
Pichardo seems keen to control Starr's posture.
Pichardo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pichardo.
Pichardo tries to close the distance and clinch but Starr swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Starr seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Starr looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Starr tries to clinch there but Pichardo circles away.

Pichardo moves into range and clinches up with Starr.
Pichardo slows down the pace here.
Pichardo jumps guard but Starr stands there with Pichardo around his waist. Pichardo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starr looking for a takedown.
Pichardo looking for a takedown.
Jeremy Starr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danilo Pichardo.
Pichardo is trying to break free.
Pichardo wants to get back to striking at distance but Starr won't allow it.
Pichardo is looking for a takedown.
Pichardo is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Starr to keep the fight standing.

Starr's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pichardo clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Starr manages to pull guard.
Pichardo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Pichardo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Starr has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pichardo has managed to get both his arms back between Starr's legs - danger averted.
Pichardo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pichardo wants to control from the top but Starr keeps moving.
Pichardo might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Starr haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starr is trying to keep Pichardo in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pichardo stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Pichardo rushes Starr and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Starr looking for a takedown.
Pichardo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Starr is breathing heavily.
Pichardo stalling against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pichardo stops a takedown attempt from Starr.
Pichardo tries to break the clinch but Starr is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danilo Pichardo dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Pichardo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Starr shoots in for a takedown but Pichardo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Starr misses with a head kick.
Pichardo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pichardo cracks Starr with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Starr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pichardo lands a jab-cross combination.

Pichardo clinches.
Starr wants to break the clinch but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pichardo holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Starr breaks the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Pichardo gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pichardo pulls guard successfully.
Pichardo controls Starr momentarily but Starr frees himself.
Pichardo trying to control the position here.

Pichardo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Starr doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Starr manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Pichardo wants to sweep but no luck.
Starr loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Starr working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pichardo keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Starr trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Pichardo blocks a head kick by Starr.

Pichardo darts in and clinches Starr up against the cage.
Pichardo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Starr just stands there and leans against the cage.

Starr gets control of Pichardo's arms and successfully pulls guard. Starr will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Pichardo stays in close to Starr's body and controls the position.
Starr working a defensive guard here.
Pichardo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Starr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pichardo trying to move into half guard but instead Starr has managed to sweep!

Pichardo keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.
Pichardo looking to control.
Starr stopping the sweep attempt from Pichardo.
Starr throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Starr looking to sit in guard and control but Pichardo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Pichardo looking to pass the guard.
Pichardo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pichardo stays in close to Starr's body and controls the position.
Starr preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Starr wants to stand but Pichardo is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danilo Pichardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Starr is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pichardo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Starr tries for a takedown but Pichardo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Starr shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Pichardo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeremy Starr. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Starr breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pichardo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Starr is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pichardo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pichardo is defended easily by Starr.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pichardo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pichardo looks for a takedown but Starr sprawls well.
Jeremy Starr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr fails with a takedown attempt.
Starr takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pichardo fails with the takedown.
Starr has his takedown stuffed
and Pichardo counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Starr. No joy for Pichardo on that attempt.
Pichardo tries for a takedown but Starr sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Starr attempts a counter takedown but Pichardo avoids it well and moves away.

Starr darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Pichardo pushes Starr off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Starr leaves Pichardo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Starr was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Starr shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Starr was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pichardo parries the strikes from Starr easily there. Starr is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pichardo to escape.
Pichardo is holding Starr down, trying to stall.
Pichardo can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Starr politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Starr prefers to stall for the moment though.

Starr is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pichardo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Pichardo wants to control but Starr postures up.
Pichardo is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Starr is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Starr tries to advance to mount but can't.
Starr could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Starr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pichardo keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pichardo tries to improve position but can't.
Starr wants to control but Pichardo is keeping him busy.
Starr in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pichardo pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Starr back to the cage. Pichardo follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Jeremy Starr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Danilo Pichardo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Starr lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pichardo circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Danilo Pichardo.
I've got Pichardo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danilo Pichardo!
In his post fight interview, Danilo Pichardo started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.