PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aljamain Sterling (ranked 1720 p4p, 1103 weight class) and Jackson Davis (ranked 128 p4p, 84 weight class). Sterling comes to the cage accompanied by I Love. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sterling
vs
Davis

170 cm
33
135
16 - 13 - 0

175 cm
26
140
8 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aljamain Sterling!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jackson Davis!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Chris Edwards and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Davis throws a right and a left that Sterling avoids nicely.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sterling.
Sterling moves out of range of the strikes.
Sterling defending well as Davis loads up on a big left hand.
Sterling shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Davis as he avoids it easily.
Davis lands a nice shot that snaps Sterling's head back.
Sterling throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Davis sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sterling misses with a straight left.
Nice defenses there by Sterling.
Sterling throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sterling shoots in for a double leg but Davis sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aljamain Sterling. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davis punishes Sterling's body with a nice straight punch.
Davis just misses with a punch to the body.
Sterling looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Davis looks to land a left hand but Sterling moved out of range nicely.
Sterling throws a body punch but Davis moves out of range.
Sterling fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sterling throws a body punch but Davis moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling misses with a wild body shot.
Davis misses with a straight left.
Jab from Davis.
Sterling pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Davis connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Jackson Davis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Davis throws a jab when Sterling was well out of range.
Davis scores with a punch to the head.
Nice defenses there by Davis.
Davis swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Sterling.
Sterling takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A big right from Sterling misses.
Davis uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sterling.
Davis dips to his left and cracks Sterling with an uppercut!
Davis with a jab.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sterling looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis connects with a single shot there.
Davis cracks Sterling with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Sterling misses with a straight left.
Davis might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Davis cracks Sterling with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Davis smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Sterling swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sterling takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Davis ducks under a wild hook from Sterling.
Sterling swings for the body but Davis moves out of range.
Davis shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Davis with a jab.
Sterling ducks right into an uppercut from Davis.
Davis misses with a hook. Sterling ducked under it nicely.
Sterling slips under a jab.
Davis's corner calls for a 1-2. Davis obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Sterling swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Davis swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Davis.
Davis has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Sterling drops his hands momentarily and Davis takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Davis misses with a hook. Sterling ducked under it nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Davis misses the target.
Sterling ducks under a wild hook from Davis.
Sterling takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Davis listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Davis throws the left hand but Sterling avoids the punch easily.
Davis misses with a hook. Sterling ducked under it nicely.
Davis connects with a single shot there.
Davis connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sterling's hands.
Davis slips a jab from Sterling.
Davis pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sterling swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Davis lands a front kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Davis connects with a nice looking jab.
Sterling walks into a straight right hand from Davis.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sterling shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Davis but Davis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
It seemed like Davis was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sterling staying out of range there.
Davis misses the jab.
It looked like Sterling wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Davis misses with a looping right.
Sterling shoots in but no luck this time.
Davis works the jab nicely.
A decent looking cross lands there for Davis.
Davis ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sterling on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Sterling fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Davis with a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Davis dominated that round.
That's time! Sterling's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sterling moves forwards but Davis connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Davis displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sterling throws out the jab.
Sterling ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sterling swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Davis throws a hook to the side of Sterling's head but Sterling sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sterling uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Davis.
Davis swinging wildly here.
Davis cracks Sterling with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Davis throws a one two combo.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Sterling might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Davis throws a poor cross that misses
and Sterling counters with a straight right hand.
Sterling ducks right into an uppercut from Davis.
Davis takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sterling throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sterling throws a big shot that misses.
Sterling looks to score with a jab to the body but Davis is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Davis cracks Sterling with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Sterling looks to land a right hand but Davis moved out of range.
Sterling throws a hook but Davis blocks it.
Davis takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Davis lands an overhand right.
Sterling just misses with a punch to the body.
Davis looks to score with a jab to the body but Sterling is just out of range.

Sterling closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Davis quickly recovers to half guard.
Sterling with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Davis wants to improve his position but Sterling is controlling well.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Davis moves into full guard.
Sterling wants to control from the top but Davis keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sterling wants to control from the top but Davis keeps moving.

Sterling is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sterling wants to pass the guard but Davis is keeping the position.
Sterling is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Davis has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis wants to sweep here but Sterling controlling him for the moment.
Davis can't keep his opponent in guard - Sterling advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The fighters are battling for position here. Davis manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sterling stopping the sweep attempt from Davis.
Sterling passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Davis is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davis taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sterling wants to control but Davis is keeping him busy.
Davis holds on to Sterling's head and controls the position momentarily.

Sterling tries for a kimura but Davis is defending well.

Sterling is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Davis knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Sterling is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Davis has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aljamain Sterling will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sterling closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Davis throws Sterling to one side and escapes!
Sterling changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Davis tries to avoid it but Sterling manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Davis to the ground. Davis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Davis throws out a counter right but Sterling avoids it with no problem.
Sterling slips a jab and a cross from Davis.
Sterling slips under a jab from Davis.
Jackson Davis seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Sterling drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Davis keeping moving, preventing Sterling from controlling successfully.
Davis 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 fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Davis frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Davis lands with some strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sterling is bucking up trying to escape but Davis cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Davis avoids the attempt from Sterling to control.
Sterling is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sterling regains half guard.
Davis prevents Sterling from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Davis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davis is pressing down on Sterling's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sterling is holding on for now.
Davis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Davis works his foot free and advances to mount.
Davis scoring with strikes but Sterling is staying in there.
Sterling sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sterling tries to roll over but Davis keeps him under control.
Sterling is trying to control but can't.
Davis keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterling is staying active underneath Davis, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Davis working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Sterling's thigh. Sterling counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Davis pushing down on Sterling's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sterling is looking to control Davis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sterling avoid being mounted?
Sterling is trying to get back to full guard.
Davis wants to take a breather but Sterling is having none of it.
Davis looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davis is trying to control the action in half guard but Sterling is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sterling wants to improve his position but Davis is controlling well.
Davis wants to control but Sterling is keeping him busy.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sterling manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Davis postures up.

Sterling has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Davis can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Davis forces his way into half guard.
Jackson Davis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Davis is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Davis lands a heavy elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Davis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Davis has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jackson Davis!
An out of breath Jackson Davis thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
Aljamain Sterling was interviewed post fight and said 'Whether it's Bellator, OneFC, World Series, whatever, the door's open for me. Financial stability is the most important thing for me'.