PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Staal (ranked 243 p4p, 32 weight class) and Robert Munson (ranked 323 p4p, 42 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Staal
vs
Munson

180 cm
31
192 lbs
20 - 7 - 1

185 cm
31
185 lbs
20 - 9 - 3

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, Eric Staal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 3, fighting out of Los Angeles, Robert Munson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, David Schapiro and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Munson connects with a right hand. Staal shakes it off.
Munson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Staal takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Munson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Staal.
Munson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Staal.
Munson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Staal throws out the jab.
A little jabbing left from Munson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A punch combination from Munson misses.
Staal shoots in for a takedown but Munson shows good takedown defense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Munson with a nice cross.
Staal walks into a straight right hand from Munson.

Staal looking to score a takedown here. Munson is defending well but Staal drives through and ends up in Munson's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal is fighting to break Munson's control of his arms but Munson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Staal with a flurry of punches that miss.
Staal 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.
Staal is looking to work some ground and pound but Munson has wrist control.
Munson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Staal trying to control the position from guard on top but Munson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Munson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Staal is one step ahead there.
Staal throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Staal sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Munson has Staal pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Robert Munson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Munson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Staal swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Munson throws a lazy body kick

and Staal counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Munson pushes Staal off and gets back to his feet.
Munson throws a front kick aimed at Staal's knee but Staal avoids it well.
Staal attempts a counter takedown but Munson avoids it well and moves away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Munson. That's going to slow Staal down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal moves out of range of the strikes.
Staal is looking to counter punch.
Staal ducks under a wild hook from Munson.
Munson throws a shot from downtown. Staal moves away and avoids it.
Munson looks to land a right hand but Staal moved out of range.
Staal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Munson pinned against the cage. Munson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice defenses there by Staal.
Staal throws a quick counter kick to the body but Munson avoids it.
Staal checks a low kick from Munson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Munson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Munson throws a body shot but no joy.
Staal throws a hook but Munson avoids it easily.
Munson connects with an inside leg kick.
A good leg kick by Munson.
Munson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Staal appears to be looking for a big counter.
Staal tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Staal has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Staal there as he acknowledges the shot.
Munson takes a swing at Staal's ribcage but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Munson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A good leg kick by Munson.
A punch combination from Staal misses.
Robert Munson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Staal shoots in looking for a takedown. Munson tries to sprawl out of it but Staal keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Munson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Munson misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Staal staying out of range there.
Munson thows a body kick. Staal tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Staal bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal misses with a right hand
and Munson counters with an inside leg kick.
Munson on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Robert Munson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Staal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Munson.
Staal lands a slapping body shot.
Munson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Staal on the side of the head.
Munson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Munson has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Staal misses with a low kick.

Staal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Staal laying and praying for a moment but Munson takes advantage and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Staal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Munson keeps working.
Munson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Staal.
Staal sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Munson defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Staal lands strikes from half guard.
Munson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Staal.
Staal working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Eric Staal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Munson keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Munson trying to control from the bottom.
Staal is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Munson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Staal.
Munson is trying to maintain the position but Staal is very close to passing his half guard.
Staal stalling.

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.
Staal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Munson tries to roll over but Staal keeps him under control.
Staal content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Munson throws a front kick aimed at Staal's knee but Staal avoids it well.
Munson misses with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Staal 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. This is the final round!

Staal has a takedown stuffed.
Staal moves away from the strike by Munson.
Munson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Munson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Munson throws a chopping leg kick but Staal manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
An attempted straight right counter from Staal misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Staal cracks the inside of Munson's front leg.
Munson throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Staal counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Munson thinking.
Munson with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Staal drives through and clinches with Munson against the cage.

Staal has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Munson is trying to keep an underhook but Staal manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Munson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Staal trying to control but Munson is working from the bottom.
Staal with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Staal postures up in Munson's guard and throws a big left but Munson blocks it.
Munson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Staal controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal is looking to work some ground and pound but Munson has wrist control.
Staal postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Staal scoring with punches to the head and body.
Munson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Staal.
Staal working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Munson's head.
Staal in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Staal postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Staal trying to control but Munson is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Staal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Munson pinned against the cage. Munson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Munson loads up on a big right hand but Staal slips the punch.
Munson misses with a body shot.
Staal is looking to counter punch.
Staal has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Staal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Munson tries a head kick but it misses.
Munson dips to his left and cracks Staal with an uppercut!
Munson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Staal.
Munson chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Staal takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Staal tries to score a power double leg takedown but Munson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Staal somewhat.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Robert Munson.
I think Munson 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

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