PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Stafford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Acosta (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.

Stafford
vs
Acosta

157 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mickey Stafford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mario Acosta!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Acosta just misses with a punch to the body.
Stafford feinted with a counter takedown.
Stafford could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Stafford avoids the head kick by Acosta.
Acosta lands a slapping body shot.
Stafford throws a sloppy head kick and Acosta moves out of range easily.
Acosta is looking for the big counter here.
Acosta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stafford moves away.
A left and a right from Stafford both land. Nice combination.
A low kick from Acosta misses

and Stafford counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Stafford is working for a submission of some sort.

Stafford is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Acosta is just riding it out for now. Stafford eventually gives up the hold.

Stafford is working for a kimura but Acosta is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acosta is looking for a sweep. Stafford is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Stafford is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Acosta defends it well.
Acosta is looking to control Stafford's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Acosta avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stafford takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Acosta wants to control but Stafford passes into side.
Stafford controls the position.

Stafford tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stafford thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Stafford decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Acosta is looking to slow Stafford down with leg kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Acosta connects with a high kick.
Acosta lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Acosta connects with a body shot.
Stafford looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Stafford lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Acosta circles away quickly and effectively.
A nice side step and Acosta releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Acosta takes a swing at Stafford's ribcage but misses.
Acosta misses with a body shot.
Acosta bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Acosta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stafford.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Acosta misses with a wild body shot.
Acosta misses with a body shot.
Stafford thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey Stafford dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stafford throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Acosta.
Stafford looks to land a combination but Acosta avoids it well.
Acosta misses with a head kick.
Stafford is looking to land body kicks.
Stafford misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stafford takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Stafford misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stafford fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Acosta moves out of range as Stafford strikes.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slapping leg kick lands for Acosta.
Acosta throws a leg kick but Stafford moved away.
Acosta looks to land a combination but Stafford avoids it well.
Acosta is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Stafford rather than just go for the knockout.
Stafford takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acosta looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Acosta keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stafford.
Acosta let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Stafford shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Stafford moves away from the strike by Acosta.
Stafford changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Acosta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Acosta digs a good body shot into Stafford's ribs.
Stafford is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Acosta.
Acosta appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Acosta staying out of range there.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Acosta.
A decent looking cross lands there for Acosta.
Acosta ducks under a wild hook from Stafford.
Acosta throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stafford throws a series of punches but Acosta moves out of range.
Acosta just misses with a punch to the body.
Acosta tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stafford was well out of range. Poor timing from Acosta.
Acosta misses with a few strikes there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stafford misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stafford throws a series of punches but Acosta avoids them all with ease.
Acosta fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Stafford swings widly with a right hand
and Acosta counters with a nice kick to the body.
Stafford uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Acosta.
Acosta is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Acosta lands with a slapping head kick.
Acosta avoids the head kick by Stafford.
Acosta dodges the punch combination from Stafford.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Acosta.
Acosta fakes the leg kick and cracks Stafford in the body.
Stafford misses with a right hand
and Acosta counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Acosta misses with a head kick.
Stafford looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Mickey Stafford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stafford throws a right hand that misses
and Acosta counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Stafford misses with a looping left.
A head kick from Acosta lands but Stafford takes it in his stride.
Acosta takes a swing at Stafford's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Acosta there.
Sloppy strikes from Acosta. Those never looked like landing.
Stafford went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Acosta throws a leg kick but Stafford moved away.
Stafford throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Acosta counters with an outside leg kick.
Acosta throws a head kick that half lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stafford takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Acosta catches Stafford with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Acosta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mario Acosta seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stafford takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Stafford misses with an attempted mid kick.
Acosta blocks the body kick.
Stafford misses with a looping left.
Acosta lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Acosta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Stafford takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Stafford throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Acosta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Crunch! Acosta slams his shin into Stafford's torso.
Stafford swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stafford throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Acosta.
Stafford on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Stafford throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Acosta to counter with a crisp jab.

Stafford instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stafford manages to break the clinch.
Acosta moves out of range of the leg kick from Stafford.
Mario Acosta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stafford takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Acosta has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Acosta misses with a body shot.
Stafford attempts a counter takedown but Acosta avoids it well and moves away.
Acosta has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Acosta misses.
Stafford seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Acosta explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Stafford tries to bum rush Acosta with a series of wild strikes but Acosta uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Acosta lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stafford circles away quickly and effectively.
Acosta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stafford.
Acosta unleashes a big counter combination but Stafford bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Acosta scores with a hook to the body. Stafford takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Acosta connects with a body shot that sends Stafford's belly button to the back.
Acosta with a nice cross.

Stafford closes the distance and pushes Acosta back into the cage.

Stafford manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stafford wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Acosta gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Acosta stuns Stafford with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
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!
Acosta fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stafford manages to avoid it.
Acosta misses with a jab, cross combination.
And Stafford counters with a quick kick to the body but Acosta blocks it.
Acosta lands a nice leg kick that just misses Stafford's sensitive parts.
Acosta throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Stafford stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Acosta throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Stafford stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Acosta misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stafford.
As Acosta looks to move away, Stafford throws a big counter combo but Acosta just gets out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acosta swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Stafford.
Stafford throws a big shot that misses.
Stafford misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Acosta only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Acosta misses with a few strikes there.
It looked like Stafford was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Acosta misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stafford looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Acosta steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stafford.
Acosta throws a counter combo.
Stafford is looking to clinch.
Acosta connects with a high kick.
Stafford throws a lazy right hand but Acosta sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stafford misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acosta throws a head kick that Stafford semi-blocks.
Acosta punishes Stafford's body with a nice straight punch.
Acosta tries to work over Stafford's front leg with a kick but Stafford checks it.
It looked like Stafford was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Danga de danga de dang - Acosta scores with a four punch combination!
Stafford will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big right from Acosta misses.
Nice jab there from Acosta.
Acosta looks to score with a jab to the body but Stafford is just out of range.
Stafford looks to land a combination but Acosta avoids it well.

Stafford fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Acosta, pushing him back against the cage.
Stafford keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Acosta's efforts to push away.
Acosta is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Acosta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Acosta 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Acosta!