PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Stapleton (ranked 4034 p4p, 351 weight class) and Pavlik Dacik (ranked 4169 p4p, 358 weight class). Jack Stapleton has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stapleton
vs
Dacik

190 cm
25
250 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Stapleton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pavlik Dacik!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, David Schapiro and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stapleton chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dacik can pounce on him.
Dacik is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Dacik fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stapleton, pushing him back against the cage.
Dacik prevents the takedown attempt.
Dacik blocks the elbow strike.

Dacik successfully pulls guard.
Stapleton looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Stapleton postures up.
Stapleton throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stapleton 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stapleton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dacik preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stapleton works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Stapleton is trying to control. Dacik wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Stapleton sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Dacik defending well though.
Dacik has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA St Petersburg. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dacik keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stapleton moves nicely into side control.
Stapleton in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The strikes coming from Stapleton are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Dacik tries to buck Stapleton off but Stapleton is having none of it.
Stapleton creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Dacik sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Stapleton lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Dacik is not content to let Stapleton control the position.
Stapleton in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stapleton trying to control the position but Dacik is working away.
Dacik tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stapleton wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Stapleton is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Dacik is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dacik is looking for a sweep.
Stapleton looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Dacik is avoiding damage well.
Stapleton misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stapleton is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Dacik has escaped the position, nice work there.
Dacik really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stapleton. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dacik avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stapleton.
Dacik is looking for a sweep.

Stapleton tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stapleton has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stapleton wants to control but Dacik is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dacik sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Stapleton dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Stapleton closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dacik circles away.
Dacik tries to clinch there but Stapleton circles away.
Dacik fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dacik keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Stapleton clinches up against the cage.
Stapleton can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Stapleton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dacik has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Stapleton is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Dacik is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dacik tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Stapleton smiles and moves away.
A left and a right from Dacik both land. Nice combination.
A head kick misses from Stapleton.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dacik shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Stapleton defends it nicely.

Stapleton clinches.
Dacik is trying to drag Stapleton to the mat but Stapleton just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Dacik is trying to break the clinch but Stapleton is controlling him.
Stapleton tries to work over Dacik's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Dacik decides to pull guard.
Stapleton is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Stapleton slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dacik tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dacik managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stapleton.
Stapleton controlling the position from side mount.
Dacik is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Dacik being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stapleton working the head and body with strikes.
The strikes coming from Stapleton are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Stapleton has hold of Dacik's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Dacik seems comfortable defending it but Stapleton has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Dacik is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Dacik is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Stapleton couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jack Stapleton!