PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lionel Stanton (ranked 6631 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joshua Navarrete (ranked 5253 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Joshua Navarrete was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Stanton
vs
Navarrete

162 cm
23
178 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

194 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lionel Stanton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joshua Navarrete!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stanton closes the distance and pushes Navarrete back into the cage.

Stanton successfully pulls guard.
Navarrete is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Navarrete looking to sit in guard and control but Stanton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Stanton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Navarrete wants to sweep but no luck.
Stanton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Navarrete really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stanton. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stanton has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Navarrete is proving hard to escape from.
Stanton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanton stands up over Navarrete, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stanton sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stanton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Navarrete working for a triangle but Stanton defends it easily.

Stanton avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Stanton works over Navarrete with some ground and pound from guard.

Navarrete is working an open guard so Stanton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Stanton could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Stanton scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Navarrete trying to control but Stanton postures up.
Stanton 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Navarrete wants to control but Stanton passes into side.
Stanton working the head with strikes.
Stanton working away.
Stanton is working Navarrete over with some ground and pound from side control.
Stanton connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Navarrete some visible discomfort.
Stanton lands some shots froms side control.
Stanton landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Navarrete tries to buck Stanton off but Stanton is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stanton lands a few punches from side control.
Stanton working the ground and pound.
Stanton cracks Navarrete with a big elbow.
Stanton cracks Navarrete with a big right hand but Navarrete just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Stanton taking a breather here.
Stanton landing strikes.
Navarrete is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Navarrete's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stanton in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Stanton working the head with strikes.
Check out the look on Stanton's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Stanton landing a few strikes.
Stanton is working Navarrete over with some ground and pound from side control.
Stanton happy to just control the position for now.
Navarrete is trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stanton working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stanton tries to sprawl but Navarrete drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Stanton slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stanton keeping moving, preventing Navarrete from controlling successfully.
Stanton wants to stand and escape but Navarrete is having none of it.
Lionel Stanton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stanton is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Navarrete is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Navarrete wants to control from the top but Stanton keeps moving.
Navarrete postures up in Stanton's guard and throws a big left but Stanton blocks it.
Stanton keeping moving, preventing Navarrete from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Stanton scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Navarrete tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stanton scores with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stanton landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Stanton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Navarrete can do to turn this around?
Stanton is putting a hurting on Navarrete here, landing some big shots from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Stanton is working Navarrete over with some ground and pound from side control.
Stanton scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Navarrete to see if he's OK.
Navarrete trying to remain calm as Stanton controls from the top position.
Stanton scoring with punches and elbows.
Navarrete takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarrete on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Navarrete takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Navarrete tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stanton wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Stanton landing strikes.
Stanton is chipping away with strikes.
Stanton scoring with punches and elbows.
Stanton scores with a couple of short elbows.
Navarrete tries to buck Stanton off but Stanton is having none of it.
Stanton working the ground and pound from side control.
Stanton connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Navarrete some visible discomfort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stanton landing strikes.
Check out the look on Stanton's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
You can see the frustration on Navarrete's face as Stanton controls the position.
Stanton cracks Navarrete with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Stanton stands up and beckons Navarrete to his feet.
Navarrete is breathing heavily.
Navarrete throws a right and a left that Stanton avoids nicely.

Stanton closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Navarrete to the mat! Navarrete manages to get full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stanton won't allow Navarrete to sweep him here.
Stanton slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Navarrete trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Stanton dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Navarrete looks to clinch
and Stanton counters with a two punch combo.

Navarrete rushes Stanton and presses him up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stanton.

Stanton pulls guard.
Stanton keeping moving, preventing Navarrete from controlling successfully.
Stanton keeping full guard, as Navarrete tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanton striking off his back but it's not causing Navarrete any problems.
Navarrete trying to control but Stanton is working from the bottom.

Stanton looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanton keeping full guard, as Navarrete tries to pass.
Stanton keeping moving, preventing Navarrete from controlling successfully.
Navarrete prevents Stanton from getting back to his feet.
Navarrete wanted to stand there but Stanton had control of the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Navarrete drives through with a takedown into Stanton's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Stanton is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Navarrete presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Navarrete wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stanton taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Navarrete manages to break the clinch.
Stanton moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Navarrete drives through with a takedown into guard.
Navarrete takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stanton is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Navarrete is aware though and is defending well.
Navarrete trying to control but Stanton is working from the bottom.

Stanton has an active guard here but Navarrete has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Navarrete stops Stanton from getting back to his feet.

Stanton has one foot on Navarrete's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Navarrete moves in looking to clinch but Stanton pushes him off.
Navarrete cracks Stanton with an open hand slap.
Navarrete throws a series of punches but Stanton avoids them all with ease.
Stanton seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Stanton keeps the fight on the outside.
Navarrete connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Stanton gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Navarrete to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Stanton has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Navarrete has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Stanton has Navarrete pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Stanton pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Navarrete tumbling to the mat - Stanton dives into Navarrete's guard.
Stanton landing with the ground and pound.
Stanton lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lionel Stanton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stanton, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lionel Stanton!