PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Stark (ranked 1957 p4p, 238 weight class) and Hifives Ghost (ranked 2139 p4p, 209 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Stark
vs
Ghost

176 cm
31
167 lbs
11 - 19 - 0

168 cm
29
155 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 19 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brandon Stark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hifives Ghost!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ghost ducks under a wild hook from Stark.
Stark lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ghost throws a nice looking combination but Stark bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stark misses with a straight left.
Stark shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ghost as he jumps to the side.
Ghost ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ghost throws the kick towards the body but Stark avoids it.
Stark fails with a takedown attempt.
Stark throws a series of punches but Ghost moves out of range.
Stark pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ghost with the counter takedown but Stark avoids it easily.
Stark tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A good leg kick by Ghost.
Ghost feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Starks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Ghost misses with a looping right.
Stark tries to counter by clinching up but Ghost breaks away and moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stark shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ghost manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We've been hearing good reports from Stark'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.
Ghost avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghost wants to sweep here but Stark controlling him for the moment.
Ghost keeping moving, preventing Stark from controlling successfully.
Stark working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stark wants to pass the guard but Ghost is keeping the position.
Stark controls from within his opponent's guard.
Stark sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ghost's guard.
Stark thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ghost's head.
Stark 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.
Stark trying to control the pace.

That's two 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.
Ghost tries to get to full guard but Stark has control of the leg.
Stark working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Ghost's thigh. Ghost counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Ghost is pulling down on Stark's head. It's preventing any offense from Stark, at least for the moment.
Stark postures up in Ghost's guard and throws a big left but Ghost blocks it.
Stark is looking to work some ground and pound but Ghost has wrist control.
Stark controlling from the top position.
Ghost looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghost working a defensive guard here.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Stark takes one on the button.
Ghost misses with an uppercut.
Ghost avoids the head kick by Stark.
Ghost looks to score with a jab to the body but Stark is just out of range.
Stark swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ghost steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stark.

Stark looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ghost!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ghost is trying to get back to half guard.
Ghost manages to work his way to half guard, despite Stark's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Stark is controlling the pace.
Ghost gets back to full guard.
Stark stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ghost swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stark passes Ghost's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stark not doing much here.
Stark wants to free his trapped foot but Ghost is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stark scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Ghost connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Stark misses with a two punch combination.

Stark drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ghost wants to control but Stark postures up.

Stark wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ghost, who protects the arm well.
Ghost is trying to improve his position.
Brandon Stark overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stark tries to score with some ground and pound. Ghost controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Stark trying to control the action but Ghost is working from the bottom.
Stark working the ground and pound but Ghost is defending the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Stark taking a breather here.
Stark working the head and body with strikes.
Stark creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Ghost sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Stark landing a few strikes.
Stark remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Ghost manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Stark is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ghost is trying to control. Stark wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ghost stalling away here and it's allowed Stark to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Ghost throws a big right hand that misses.
Stark wants to sweep here but Ghost controlling him for the moment.

Stark looking for subs off his back but Ghost has passed one foot through into half guard.
Ghost is thwarting Stark's attempts to control the position.
Ghost trying to mount his opponent but Stark defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghost missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stark manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Stark is on top in guard.

Ghost keeping moving, preventing Stark from controlling successfully.
Stark pushing down on Ghost's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ghost trying to control but Stark postures up.
Stark seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ghost does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ghost won't allow Stark to pass to mount.
Ghost controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ghost has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stark is working away from the top position though.
Stark tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ghost knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Stark thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ghost's head.
Stark is taking a breather. Ghost says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ghost keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ghost is doing well to control the position and prevent Stark from advancing to side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stark trying to control the action but Ghost is working from the bottom.
Stark winds up and cracks Ghost with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Stark dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ghost misses with an uppercut.
Ghost keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Ghost ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stark moves away.
Stark throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ghost's waist but Ghost gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stark off to one side.
Ghost looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A big right from Ghost misses.

Stark changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ghost looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Stark is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ghost knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Stark is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ghost can do to turn this around?

Stark wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ghost, who protects the arm well.

Stark wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ghost, who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ghost tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark trying to control the position but Ghost is working away.
Stark sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Ghost is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Stark tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Stark throws an elbow but Ghost slips to the side and avoids it well.
Ghost is trying to improve his position.
Brandon Stark is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stark trying to control the position but Ghost is working away.
Hifives Ghost has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Stark is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ghost knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ghost is being controlled here.
Stark trying to control the action but Ghost is working from the bottom.
Ghost is looking to reverse the position.

Stark is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ghost knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Stark sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Ghost is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark just content to control the position.
Ghost is looking for a sweep.
Stark in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Stark works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stark landing strikes.
Stark trying to control the position but Ghost is working away.
Ghost is trying to control Stark's posture but Stark avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

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

Stark thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ghost parries the strikes from Stark easily there. Stark is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ghost to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stark is looking to take a break and control but Ghost is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stark remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Stark showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stark, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Stark!
After winning the bout, Brandon Stark thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.