PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gray Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Starkey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Davis comes to the cage accompanied by DMX - Aint No Sunshine. Starkey comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Cock Sparrer - England Belongs To Me kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Davis
vs
Starkey

170 cm
20
134 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

185 cm
20
146 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Fossington & Blythe: Gentlemen's Fight Attire
Bloodsport Nutrition

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Gray Davis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, George Starkey!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Donald Grub and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starkey misses with a left hand
and Davis counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The fighters circling - Starkey throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Starkey closes the distance and pushes Davis back into the cage.
Davis fails to pull guard.

Starkey breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
George Starkey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starkey scores with a head kick.
Starkey throws a combination that misses
and Davis connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Starkey scores with a head kick. Davis tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Starkey pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Davis closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starkey won't allow Davis to pass to mount.
Starkey looks like he's trying to stand up.
Starkey blocking the ground and pound attempt from Davis.
Davis works his way into full mount!
Davis looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Starkey is looking to escape.
Starkey is in a horrible position here. Davis smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Davis tries to control but Starkey wriggling away.
Starkey keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Starkey is trying to stand.

Starkey defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Davis.
Davis working the ground and pound effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Davis wants to finish this one by submission but Starkey is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Davis.
Davis wants to take his opponent's back but Starkey doesn't allow it.
Starkey is trying to stand up.
Starkey is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Starkey has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Starkey is keeping busy.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Starkey wants to escape the position.

Davis is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Davis has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Starkey has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Davis has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Starkey is trying to get back to his feet but Davis has full control of the position and if anything, Starkey has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Starkey looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Starkey tries to roll but Davis sticks to his back.
Will Davis go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Starkey wants to get back to his feet.

Davis is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Davis has the hooks in. Starkey is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Starkey staying busy and making it hard for Davis to control.
Davis doesn't have the hooks in and Starkey manages to turn into his guard.
Davis looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Starkey puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Starkey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Davis shoots for a takedown but Starkey saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Starkey throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Davis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Starkey looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Starkey stops Davis from passing to mount.
Starkey wants to control but Davis postures up.
Starkey prevents Davis from moving into mount.
Davis is looking to take a break and control but Starkey is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Davis tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Starkey sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Starkey keeps working.
Starkey won't allow Davis to pass to mount.
Starkey is trying to stand up here but Davis is controlling him well.

Davis is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Starkey regains full guard. Nicely done.

Starkey looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Davis has picked Starkey up and slammed him! Starkey can't keep hold of the triangle and Davis manages to pass to side control!
Starkey is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Davis is controlling him well.
Starkey is breathing heavily.
Davis scores with punches from side control.
Davis wants to control but Starkey is keeping him busy.
Davis tries to move into full mount but can't pass Starkey's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starkey is pushing Davis's head away, looking to escape. Davis manages to hold on to the position though.
Starkey gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Starkey really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Davis wants to take Starkey's back here but Starkey is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Davis misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Starkey is squirming around, avoiding Davis's attempts to control the action.
Davis controlling from mount.

Davis looking for a guillotine from mount but Starkey is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davis throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Starkey is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Davis lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Starkey can't escape the position.
Starkey is trying to stand.
Davis tries to control but Starkey wriggling away.
Davis is trying to control here but Starkey has managed to regain half guard.
Davis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Davis looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Starkey is trying to stand up here but Davis is controlling him well.
Starkey is not content to let Davis control the position.
Davis wants to advance to full mount but Starkey doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Starkey looking to control.
Davis wants to control from the top but Starkey keeps moving.
Davis passes into half guard.
Davis working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Starkey's thigh. Starkey counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Starkey is looking to stand up but Davis isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gray Davis dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Starkey gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Davis counters with a takedown into side control.
Davis tries to move into full mount but can't pass Starkey's legs.
Starkey wants to get back to his feet.
Starkey is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Davis controls the position.
Starkey gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Davis can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Starkey is looking to escape.
Starkey takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davis forces the positional change into back control.
Davis trying to control.
Davis throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Davis tries to get the hooks in deep but Starkey pushed the leg off.

Starkey is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Davis tightening his grip on Starkey, looking for the choke.
Starkey holding both Davis 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Davis looking for the choke from the back.
Starkey is really stuck here.
Will Davis go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Davis has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Davis biding his time, controlling Starkey.

Davis is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Starkey defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkey is trying to stand back up.
Davis scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Starkey is looking for a way out.

Starkey defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Davis's arms.
Starkey wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Davis has his opponent's back but Starkey is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Davis.
Starkey throws an off balance right hand

and Davis counters with a single leg into guard. Starkey didn't expect that.
Gray Davis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Davis trying to control but Starkey is working from the bottom.

Starkey is looking for a triangle but Davis pushes his legs off easily.
George Starkey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Davis wants to control from the top but Starkey keeps moving.
Davis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Starkey swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Davis is working hard here to advance position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Davis accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gray Davis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Davis, 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Gray Davis!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Gray Davis!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Gray Davis!

Gray Davis wins by unanimous decision!