PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Because I Can (ranked 1145 p4p, 117 weight class) and Khal Stark (ranked 1323 p4p, 136 weight class). Stark is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The River Dragon by Nevermore. Khal Stark will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

I Can
vs
Stark

155 cm
28
145 lbs
17 - 18 - 0

174 cm
33
158 lbs
19 - 14 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)
Red Light Coffeeshop

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 17 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Because I Can!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 2, fighting out of New York, Khal Stark!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Arvi Lind and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stark throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Stark throws a body punch but I Can moves out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Stark. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Stark.
Stark tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stark jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Khal Stark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
I Can scores with a nice head shot.
Stark fakes high and swings low for a body shot but I Can manages to avoid it.
I Can was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Stark throws a right and a left that both miss.

Stark closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stark lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of I Can backwards.
Stark tries to land a knee to the head but I Can blocks with his arms.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark avoiding damage.
I Can swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I Can misses with a hook from the clinch.
I Can blocks an uppercut.
Stark looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Stark tightens his grip and picks I Can up, before dumping him to the ground. I Can manages to land in guard.
I Can trying to keep a closed guard but Stark is proving a slippery customer.
I Can wants to sweep here but Stark controlling him for the moment.
Stark content to stall in guard here.
I Can controlling Stark's posture.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but I Can blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark postures up.
Stark trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but I Can has wrist control.
Stark stopping the sweep attempt from I Can.
Stark in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stark won't allow I Can to sweep him here.
We've been hearing good reports from I Can's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Stark controlling from the top position.
Stark looking to sit in guard and control but I Can gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

I Can might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Stark wants to sweep here but I Can controlling him for the moment.
I Can trying to control the position from guard on top but Stark is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark working a defensive guard here.
Stark 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stark keeping moving, preventing I Can from controlling successfully.
I Can is pushing down on Stark's leg trying to pass to half guard. Stark is fighting to maintain full guard but I Can has managed to sneak the leg through.
Stark wants to get back to his feet.

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.
Stark is refusing to be controlled, as I Can sits in half guard.
I Can performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
I Can wants to take a breather but Stark is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Khal Stark is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
I Can tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Stark defends well and I Can ends up having to push Stark into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
I Can looks to throw the jab but Stark is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khal Stark dominated that round.
That's time! I Can's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

I Can fails with a takedown attempt.
Stark lunges at I Can with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by I Can's hand.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Stark lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and I Can has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from I Can and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stark misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stark connects with a body shot.

Stark closes the distance and clinches.
Stark swings wildly with an uppercut but I Can uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stark tried to land a shot to the body but connects with I Can's elbow.

Stark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
Stark throws a leg kick that misses.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
Stark avoids a punch combination nicely.
I Can throws a body punch but Stark moves out of range.
Stark swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
I Can throwing a counter right hand but Stark manages to avoid it.

I Can shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Stark's guard.
I Can won't allow Stark to sweep him here.
Stark utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stark has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Stark is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
I Can wants to control from the top but Stark keeps moving.
I Can controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I Can trying to control but Stark is working from the bottom.
I Can looking to sit in guard and control but Stark gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Stark trying to control the position from guard on top but I Can is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
I Can is pulling down on Stark's head to control his posture.
Stark slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark passes I Can's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stark looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
I Can trying to control here.
I Can blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stark.
Stark working the head and body with strikes.
I Can holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Stark keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
I Can slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Stark trying to control the position from guard on top but I Can is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khal Stark has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark postures up.
Stark 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.
Stark must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
I Can keeping moving, preventing Stark from controlling successfully.
My spies in Touch Of Death Combat Academy inform me that Stark has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
I Can lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Stark working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. I Can doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. I Can manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Stark lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
I Can working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khal Stark showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stark lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
I Can shoots in for a double leg but Stark sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Stark looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
I Can fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Stark has managed to clinch.
Stark dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Stark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
I Can sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Stark has taken the fight to the clinch.
Stark misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Khal Stark is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
I Can misses with a looping left.
Stark dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on I Can. That did some damage!
I Can has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
I Can avoids a punch combination nicely.
I Can throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Stark moves into range and clinches up with I Can.
Stark tries to throw a body punch but I Can avoids it by throwing Stark back against the cage.
Stark is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. I Can is defending well for now.
Stark tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
I Can working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Because I Can has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Khal Stark is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Stark pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stark lands on the inside with an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
I Can misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Stark fails to land.
I Can tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Stark's elbow.
Khal Stark seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
I Can takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
I Can swings wildly with an uppercut but Stark uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stark lands with a short shot to the head.
I Can tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
I Can tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stark lands a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I Can misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Stark fails to land.

Stark breaks the clinch.
Stark fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Stark pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Khal Stark seems to be getting the better of the standup.
I Can throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stark is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Stark shoots in and bounces I Can off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

I Can looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
I Can can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Stark controls the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khal Stark comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stark has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khal Stark!
After the big win, Khal Stark made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$) and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.
Because I Can spoke after the fight, saying 'I'm so handsome i'm not surprised this guy was all over me the way he was!'.