PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roman Stalenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Stalenko might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to TATU - Nas ne dogonyat. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Stalenko
vs
Henderson

175 cm
19
196 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Roman Stalenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dan Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stalenko has closed the distance and engaged Henderson in a clinch.
Stalenko stops a takedown attempt from Henderson.
Stalenko lands a nice elbow.
Stalenko is pressed up against the cage. Henderson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Stalenko down to the mat. Stalenko avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Henderson looks for a takedown but Stalenko sprawls well.
Roman Stalenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Henderson.
Stalenko tries to clinch there but Henderson circles away.

Stalenko moves into the clinch.
Henderson blocking some punches.

Stalenko manages to break the clinch.
Stalenko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stalenko throws a head kick that misses.
Stalenko displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Henderson.
Stalenko looks for a takedown but Henderson sprawls well.
Stalenko takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Stalenko tries to clinch up.
Henderson keeps the fight on the outside.

Henderson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Henderson showed some decent athleticism there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalenko tries to roll over but Henderson keeps him under control.
Henderson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Henderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Henderson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Stalenko wants to get back to his feet.
Stalenko is trying to control but can't.
Henderson thows a huge punch but Stalenko dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Henderson stops Stalenko from getting back to his feet.
Henderson slips a nice elbow through Stalenko's hands, connecting with Stalenko's forehead.
Henderson drops an elbow to the side of Stalenko's head.
Stalenko is looking to escape.
Henderson slips a nice elbow through Stalenko's hands, connecting with Stalenko's forehead.
Henderson wants to take a breather but Stalenko is having none of it.
Stalenko on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Henderson is looking to take a break and control but Stalenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Henderson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Henderson looks gassed!
Stalenko looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalenko regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Henderson.
Henderson throwing strikes but missing.
Henderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Stalenko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Henderson working some strikes from top position.
Stalenko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stalenko keeping moving, preventing Henderson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Henderson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Henderson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Henderson stands up over Stalenko, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stalenko is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Henderson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Henderson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Henderson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Henderson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Henderson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Henderson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Stalenko counters with a stiff right hand.
Henderson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Stalenko counters with a left to the body.
Stalenko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Stalenko will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Stalenko 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.
Stalenko trying to control the position.
Henderson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Henderson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalenko striking off his back, scoring a few points.

Stalenko has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Henderson off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Henderson with a lazy takedown attempt

and Stalenko counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Roman Stalenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Henderson.

Stalenko seems to be working for a kimura but Henderson defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henderson is trying to stand.
Stalenko looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Stalenko decides to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson with a poor takedown

and Stalenko moves into the clinch.
Stalenko has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Henderson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Stalenko manages to break the clinch.
Stalenko wants to clinch.
Henderson with a poor takedown

and Stalenko counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Stalenko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Roman Stalenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stalenko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Henderson paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Stalenko with the active half guard here but Henderson passes nicely into side control.
Stalenko is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson working the ground and pound.
Stalenko is working to avoid the ground and pound but Henderson connects with a decent elbow.
Henderson lands some shots froms side control.
Stalenko could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Stalenko defending against the ground and pound.
Stalenko wants to control but Henderson postures up.
Henderson working the strikes but Stalenko uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Henderson thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Stalenko to regain full guard.
Stalenko has momentary wrist control but Henderson slips an elbow through the middle.
Henderson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stalenko bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Henderson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stalenko trying to control but Henderson is working from the bottom.
Stalenko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Stalenko in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Stalenko is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Stalenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Henderson has momentary wrist control but Stalenko slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roman Stalenko will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stalenko tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.

Stalenko gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Henderson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Henderson stopping the sweep attempt from Stalenko.
Stalenko utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Henderson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stalenko is trying to keep Henderson in close.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henderson landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalenko will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Stalenko utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Stalenko keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Henderson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Stalenko counters with a one-two to the body.
Stalenko turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Stalenko rushes Henderson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Stalenko pulls Henderson into guard.
Henderson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stalenko trying to control the position.
Stalenko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stalenko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stalenko wants to stand and escape but Henderson is having none of it.
Stalenko throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Henderson preventing the sweep.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A head kick from Stalenko lands but Henderson takes it in his stride.
Henderson with a poor takedown

and Stalenko counters with a shoot takedown. Henderson fights it but they end up in guard.
Stalenko throwing strikes from guard but Henderson blocks nicely.
Stalenko looking to sit in guard and control but Henderson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Stalenko is looking for a triangle but Henderson pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson trying to control but Stalenko is working from the bottom.
Stalenko tries to strike from the bottom.
Henderson scoring with some ground and pound.
Stalenko controls Henderson momentarily but Henderson frees himself.
Stalenko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Henderson.
Henderson throwing strikes from guard but Stalenko blocks nicely.
Dan Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Henderson trying to control but Stalenko is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henderson misses with a takedown attempt

and Stalenko counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Roman Stalenko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Henderson.
Stalenko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Henderson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stalenko lands a couple of elbows.
Stalenko postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stalenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Henderson pushes Stalenko off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Stalenko showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stalenko has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Stalenko!