PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elden Stokes (ranked 24939 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zoumana Cisse (ranked 5784 p4p, 0 weight class). Cisse has chosen L'intro du General as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stokes
vs
Cisse

212 cm
18
278 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

178 cm
21
242 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Elden Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zoumana Cisse!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Reed Andrews and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cisse shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stokes sprawls well. Stokes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cisse gets slowly back to his feet.
Stokes tries to close the distance and clinch but Cisse swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cisse throws a counter combo.
Stokes checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Horrible takedown attempt by Cisse or perhaps it was just good defense by Stokes, which made it look bad.
Stokes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
A head kick misses from Stokes.

Cisse clinches up with Stokes and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Cisse's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Stokes pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cisse stands and steps away. Stokes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cisse shoots in for a takedown but Stokes shows good takedown defense.
Elden Stokes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zoumana Cisse.

Cisse closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Stokes did well to prevent Cisse getting side control.

Stokes makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Cisse thuds his right hand into Stokes's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Cisse looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cisse fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Stokes tries to keep at a distance but Cisse has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cisse is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Stokes to keep the fight standing.

Stokes gets control of Cisse's arms and successfully pulls guard. Stokes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Cisse has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Stokes is proving hard to escape from.

Cisse postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Stokes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Cisse, into his guard.

Cisse looks winded!
Stokes works over Cisse with some ground and pound from guard.
Stokes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cisse preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stokes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stokes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cisse wants to sweep here but Stokes controlling him for the moment.
Stokes chips away with some ground and pound.
Cisse not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stokes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cisse not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Stokes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cisse is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stokes with a nice head shot there.
Stokes throwing strikes but missing.
Stokes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cisse works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stokes cracks Cisse with a solid left hand.
Stokes is working Cisse over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes postures up and lands a big shot to Cisse's brow.
Stokes throws a big elbow that misses.
Stokes throws a big elbow that misses.
Stokes working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cisse trying to keep a closed guard but Stokes is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stokes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Stokes lands a couple of digs.
Stokes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Stokes 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.
Stokes stands up over Cisse, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stokes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cisse avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stokes throwing strikes but missing.
Stokes works over Cisse with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elden Stokes 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.

Cisse blocks a head kick by Stokes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cisse! But no joy.

Cisse drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Stokes scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Cisse has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cisse wants a takedown but no success here.
Stokes can't find room to land a body shot as Cisse controls the action.
Stokes slowing the pace effectively.
Cisse is trying to push Stokes away but Stokes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cisse goes for a takedown attempt but Stokes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cisse is breathing heavily.
Stokes is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stokes moves into range and clinches up with Cisse.
Cisse tries for a takedown but Stokes manages to get underhooks.
Elden Stokes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zoumana Cisse.
Stokes just leaning against Cisse, taking a breather.
Cisse tries a knee to the head but Stokes blocks it.
Stokes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cisse.
Cisse wants to stall.

Stokes manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stokes lands a jab to the nose.
Cisse doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Stokes moves into the clinch.
Stokes content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Stokes struggles to land a body shot inside as Cisse controls his hands.
Stokes gets underhooks to prevent Cisse's takedown attempt.
Cisse fails to pull the fight into his guard.
The referee is keeping an eye on Stokes - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Stokes dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Stokes gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stokes breaks the clinch.

Cisse closes the distance and pushes Stokes back into the cage.
Stokes is pushing Cisse up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Cisse is fighting off a takedown attempt but Stokes is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Cisse to the mat. Cisse regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Cisse utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Elden Stokes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stokes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Stokes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Stokes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Stokes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cisse can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes is looking to work some ground and pound but Cisse has wrist control.
Stokes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stokes working some strikes from top position.
Stokes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stokes lands a couple of elbows.
Stokes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Stokes throws a big elbow that misses.
Cisse is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cisse has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Stokes works to full guard.
Cisse trying to stand up but can't free himself from Stokes's guard.
Cisse wants to control from the top but Stokes keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elden Stokes dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Stokes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cisse looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stokes is fending him off so far but Cisse persists. Nope, Stokes circles away and we're back to standing.
Cisse shoots for a double leg takedown but Stokes sprawls well. He's pushed Cisse's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Cisse blocks a leg kick.
Cisse shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Elden Stokes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zoumana Cisse.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stokes.

Stokes closes the distance and pushes Cisse back into the cage.
Cisse blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cisse tries to pull guard but Stokes holds him up against the cage and eventually Cisse drops back down to his feet.
Cisse takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stokes moves into range and clinches up with Cisse.
Stokes is pressed up against the cage. Cisse has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Stokes down to the mat. Stokes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Stokes takes the fight into the clinch.

Stokes breaks from the clinch.
Cisse tries to score a power double leg takedown but Stokes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Cisse somewhat.
Stokes tries to counter by clinching up but Cisse breaks away and moves out of range.
Cisse checks a low kick from Stokes.
Cisse is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Cisse rushes Stokes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cisse is trying to pull guard but Stokes has him pressed against the cage.

Stokes manages to break the clinch.
Cisse shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stokes but Stokes pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stokes has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Stokes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cisse, pushing him back against the cage.
Cisse is looking to control Stokes's arms but Stokes gets an underhook and turns him. Now Cisse has his back to the cage.
Stokes has Cisse pressed against the cage, preventing Cisse from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Stokes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cisse misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Stokes counters with a left to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Stokes.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Stokes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cisse misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stokes. Cisse does a little dance to reset his feet.
And Cisse tries to counter it with a takedown but Stokes pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Stokes digs a good hook to Cisse's body.

Stokes closes the distance and clinches.
Stokes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Stokes breaks the clinch.
Cisse is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stokes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stokes moves into range and clinches up with Cisse.

Stokes breaks from the clinch.
Stokes tries to clinch up but Cisse circles away and keeps his distance.
Stokes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cisse fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Stokes is looking for a counter combo.

Stokes rushes Cisse and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cisse has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stokes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Stokes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zoumana Cisse has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Elden Stokes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Stokes moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elden Stokes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stokes has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:26
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:26
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elden Stokes!