PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paul Starker (ranked 1519 p4p, 62 weight class) and Hussein Stahl (ranked 1543 p4p, 63 weight class). Starker comes into the arena with Catrin O'Neill - Ar Lan Y Mor blaring out of the sound system. Hussein Stahl will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Starker
vs
Stahl

190 cm
38
265 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

208 cm
38
287 lbs
25 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Starker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hussein Stahl!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Starker rushes Stahl and presses him up against the cage.
Stahl wants a takedown.
Starker misses with a short punch on the inside.

Stahl pulls guard.

Stahl looking for a guillotine here but Starker defends easily.
Starker has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Starker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

Stahl is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Stahl is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Starker is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Starker decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Starker pushes Stahl up against the cage in a clinch.
Stahl tries to throw a body punch but Starker avoids it by throwing Stahl back against the cage.
Starker lands an elbow inside.
We've been informed that Stahl has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Starker blocks an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stahl tries to pull guard but Starker won't allow it.
Stahl takes an elbow to the forehead.
Stahl jumps guard but Starker stands there with Stahl around his waist. Stahl gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Paul Starker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hussein Stahl.
Starker lands a damaging elbow.
Starker pushes off an throws an elbow but Stahl leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Stahl dodges an elbow strike from Starker.
Starker lands an elbow that stopped Stahl in his tracks for a moment.
Starker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Stahl throws an elbow that misses.
Starker lands an elbow inside that Stahl shrugs off.

Stahl lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Stahl is trying to work for a kimura but Starker is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stahl is working for a kimura but Starker is defending it quite comfortably.
Stahl throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stahl is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Starker defends it well.
Starker is trying to stand.
Stahl with the ground and pound but Starker uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Starker might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Starker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stahl with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stahl lands a couple of digs.
Stahl stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Starker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stahl has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Starker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stahl passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Stahl wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Starker, who protects the arm well.
Starker is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Stahl is controlling him well.
Stahl tries to score with some ground and pound. Starker controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Starker looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Stahl tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stahl has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Stahl is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Starker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Stahl swings around for an armbar but Starker sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Stahl's guard.
Starker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stahl on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stahl has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Starker can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Starker stands up and waves to Stahl to follow him.

Stahl tries to keep at a distance but Starker has taken the fight into the clinch.
Starker is pressed up against the cage. Stahl has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Starker down to the mat. Starker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nice shot by Stahl.
Stahl throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Starker on the side of the head.

Starker instigates a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stahl pushes off an throws an elbow but Starker leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Stahl fails to pull the fight into his guard.
With the fighters up against the cage, Starker throws an elbow but misses.
Starker lands a right hand.
Stahl takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Hussein Stahl has been cut.
Stahl tries to score a body lock takedown but Starker shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Starker gets through Stahl's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paul Starker will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hussein Stahl's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Starker closes the distance and clinches.
Stahl has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Starker is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Starker blocks an elbow strike from Stahl.
Stahl lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Starker or not.
Starker throws an elbow but it misses.
Stahl's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Starker creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Stahl lands an elbow inside that Starker shrugs off.
Starker pushes off an throws an elbow but Stahl leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Stahl misses with a punch on the inside.
Stahl misses with a knee to the head.
Stahl misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Starker.
Stahl is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Starker to keep the fight standing.
Starker lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice elbow from Starker.
Starker stops a takedown attempt from Stahl.
Paul Starker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hussein Stahl.
Starker gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stahl is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Starker pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stahl has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Starker avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Stahl is breathing heavily.
Stahl has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Starker is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Starker lands a damaging elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starker lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Starker creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Stahl blocks an elbow strike from Starker.
Starker lands an elbow inside.
Stahl dodges an elbow strike from Starker.
A short right from Starker.
Starker lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Starker misses with an elbow over the top.

Stahl gets dropped by a huge elbow on the inside by Starker! He drops to his knees and Starker takes his back! This one might not last much longer!

Stahl is rocked!

That has opened up Hussein Stahl's cut even more.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stahl staying busy and making it hard for Starker to control.
Stahl is still in real trouble! Can Starker finish him?

Starker stands up from back control! Strange decision that!

Starker fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stahl, pushing him back against the cage.
Stahl seems to have recovered his senses.
A head punch on the inside from Stahl fails to land.
Nice elbow from Starker.
Starker prevents a takedown attempt there.
Stahl's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Stahl is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Starker to keep the fight standing.
Starker lands an elbow just above Stahl 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starker lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Starker pulls back and lands a big elbow that stuns Stahl! Starker unloads with more strikes and Stahl sinks to his knees! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paul Starker!
Paul Starker spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.