PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wesley Templar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeremy Stapleton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stapleton has chosen Stick To Your Guns - Against Them All as his entrance music. Wesley Templar has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Templar
vs
Stapleton

191 cm
43
209 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

194 cm
34
215 lbs
23 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Wesley Templar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeremy Stapleton!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stapleton scores with a punch to the head.
Stapleton moves into range and connects with a jab.
A swing and a miss from Templar.

Templar shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Templar was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Stapleton tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stapleton is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Templar's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Templar is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Stapleton is trying to get back to full guard.
Stapleton keeps trying to improve his position.
Stapleton is trying to maintain the position but Templar is very close to passing his half guard.
Templar working Stapleton over with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stapleton connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Templar lands with a punch from half guard.
Stapleton is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Templar scores with a couple of nice shots.
Stapleton tries to get to full guard but Templar has control of the leg.
Stapleton wants to control but Templar is keeping busy.

Stapleton is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Templar pulls his head out easily.
Stapleton tries to get to full guard but Templar has control of the leg.
Templar slows the pace down in half guard.
Templar slips a nice elbow through Stapleton's hands, connecting with Stapleton's forehead.
Stapleton is looking for a sweep. Templar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stapleton avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Templar.
Stapleton wants to improve his position but Templar is controlling well.
Stapleton manages to get to full guard.

Stapleton is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Templar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Templar is in close to Stapleton's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Templar working some strikes from top position.
Templar 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.
Templar landing with the ground and pound.
Templar stays in close to Stapleton's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stapleton working for a triangle but Templar defends it easily.
Templar is working Stapleton over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Stapleton has his foot on Templar's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Templar works his way back into a safe position though.
Templar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stapleton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stapleton trying to keep a closed guard but Templar is proving a slippery customer.
Templar is in close to Stapleton's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Templar content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Templar's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Stapleton wants to sweep here but Templar controlling him for the moment.
Templar controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stapleton is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Templar seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Templar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Templar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Stapleton has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Templar has managed to get both his arms back between Stapleton's legs - danger averted.
Templar postures up and lands a big shot to Stapleton's brow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stapleton working for submissions but it's allowed Templar to get to half guard.
Templar lands with a punch from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wesley Templar dominated that round.
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.

Templar just misses with a punch to the body.
Stapleton misses with a head kick.
Templar feinted with a counter takedown.
Stapleton lands a slapping body shot.
Templar throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Stapleton sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Stapleton missing with a left hand there. Templar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stapleton takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Templar with a lazy takedown attempt
and Stapleton counters with a right hand to the body.
Templar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stapleton throws out the jab.
Stapleton misses with an uppercut. Templar saw that one coming.
Templar on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Wesley Templar has been cut.

Templar scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Stapleton is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Templar pulls his head out easily.
Templar slows the pace down in half guard.
Stapleton taking some punishment here, with Templar in his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Templar is working for a submission of some sort.
Wesley Templar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stapleton wants to get back to his feet.
Templar controlling the pace.
Templar is looking to take a break and control but Stapleton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stapleton misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Stapleton looking for submissions off his back.
Stapleton is trying to maintain the position but Templar is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Stapleton tries to roll over but Templar keeps him under control.
Templar keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Templar lands strikes from half guard.
Stapleton is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Templar scores with a couple of nice shots.
Templar is trying to control. Stapleton wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Stapleton is looking to escape.
Stapleton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Stapleton looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Templar is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stapleton can do to turn this around?
Stapleton working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Templar postures up and lands a big shot to Stapleton's brow.
Templar distracts Stapleton with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Templar trying to control but Stapleton is working from the bottom.
Templar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Templar wants to control from the top but Stapleton keeps moving.
Templar keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Stapleton's head.
Stapleton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Stapleton escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Templar gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Templar connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stapleton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Templar stopping the sweep attempt from Stapleton.
Templar scoring with some ground and pound.
Templar is working Stapleton over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Stapleton is rocked!
Templar scoring with some ground and pound.
Stapleton is still in real trouble! Can Templar finish him?
Templar postures up from his opponent's guard, before exploding into some vicious ground and pound! Stapleton covers up, he's hurt! Templar keeps throwing the strikes, glancing at the referee... Will he stop it?? One more big shot from Templar and the ref steps in to end the fight! Templar can't hide his delight as he celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Wesley Templar!
After winning the bout, Wesley Templar thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.