PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Moses (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Starkweather (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Moses comes to the cage accompanied by Black Label Society - too tough to die. Starkweather has chosen I'm On a Boat as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Moses
vs
Starkweather

176 cm
25
166 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

177 cm
22
166 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Moses!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Starkweather!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Chad Campbell and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moses tries to clinch up.
A combination from Starkweather does no damage.
Starkweather moves into range and connects with a jab.
A shot to the body from Moses misses
and Starkweather counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Moses on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Starkweather wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Moses rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Starkweather cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Starkweather lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A combination from Moses does no damage.
Moses attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Starkweather just misses with a punch to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Moses checks a leg kick.
Starkweather takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Moses looks to throw the jab but Starkweather is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moses thuds his right hand into Starkweather's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Moses punishes Starkweather's body with a nice straight punch.
Ricky Moses seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starkweather throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Moses blocks a low kick nicely.
Starkweather tries to work over Moses's front leg with a kick but Moses checks it.
Starkweather cracks a nice hook into Moses's ribs.
Starkweather misses the jab.
Moses keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Starkweather chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Moses can pounce on him.
Starkweather loads up on a big right hand but Moses slips the punch.
Moses throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moses throws a body punch but Starkweather moves out of range.
Moses shoots in and drives through. Starkweather sprawls well.
Starkweather jabs at Moses's body.
Moses misses with a double jab
and Starkweather counters with a nice leg kick.
Starkweather misses with a lunging right hand
and Moses counters with a straight right hand.
Moses scores with a head kick. Starkweather tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Starkweather throws a sloppy body shot
and Moses connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Moses throws a leg kick
and Starkweather connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Moses misses with a right hand
and Starkweather counters with a stiff right hand.
Moses wants to clinch
and Starkweather counters with a series of strikes. Moses will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moses misses with a right hand
and Starkweather counters with a straight right hand.
Starkweather throws a series of punches but Moses avoids them all with ease.
Moses misses with a left hand
and Starkweather counters with a low kick, right behind Moses 's knee.
Starkweather throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Moses stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Moses drops his hands momentarily and Starkweather takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Moses misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Starkweather counters with an inside leg kick.
Starkweather looks to land a left hand but Moses moved out of range nicely.
Moses fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Moses throws a jab when Starkweather was well out of range.
Steve Starkweather is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Starkweather closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Moses gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Starkweather counters with a good low kick that Moses was not able to check.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather avoids the body shot from Moses.
Moses throws a predictable looking body shot
and Starkweather cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A decent looking cross lands there for Starkweather.
Moses throws a low kick but Starkweather avoids it.
Starkweather motions for Moses to come forward. Starkweather throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Moses takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Starkweather throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Moses fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Starkweather manages to avoid it.
Donk. Starkweather catches Moses right on the button with a cross.
Starkweather throws a lazy uppercut
and Moses counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Starkweather thinking.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Moses throws an off balance right hand
and Starkweather counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Moses misses the shot to the body.
Starkweather swings widly with a right hand
and Moses counters with a nice uppercut.
Starkweather misses with a hook to the body

and Moses counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Starkweather!
Moses controlling from the full mount.
Starkweather 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.
Starkweather wants to improve his position but Moses is controlling well.
Moses wants to pass the guard but Starkweather is defending well.

Moses is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
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.
Moses trying to pass the guard but Starkweather defending well.
Starkweather is looking to control Moses's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Starkweather avoid being mounted?
Moses thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Starkweather's head.
Still in half guard, Moses seems content to control.

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.
Moses wants to pass the guard but Starkweather is defending well.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Starkweather trying to control but Moses postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Moses has his takedown stuffed
and Starkweather makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Starkweather looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Moses misses with a body shot
and Starkweather counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather misses the shot to the body.
Starkweather throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Steve Starkweather seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Starkweather avoids the head kick by Moses.
Starkweather pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Starkweather moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Starkweather throws a lazy uppercut

and Moses decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Starkweather's guard.
Starkweather wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Starkweather looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Starkweather pulls Moses in to control the position.
Moses trying to control but Starkweather is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Starkweather preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Starkweather is looking to stand up but Moses isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Starkweather moves out of range as Moses strikes.
Starkweather blocks a leg kick.
Moses checks the leg kick.
Moses misses with a jab to the body
and Starkweather cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Starkweather fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Moses swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Starkweather counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Moses dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Moses fails with an attempt to clinch.
Starkweather tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Moses scores with a kick to the midsection.
Moses misses with an uppercut. Starkweather saw that one coming.
Moses swings widly with a right hand
and Starkweather counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Starkweather throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Moses sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Starkweather lands a slapping body shot.
Jab from Moses.
Moses swings widly with a right hand
and Starkweather counters with a stiff right hand.
Starkweather throws a quick inside leg kick.

Moses shoots in and gets a takedown into Starkweather's guard.
Starkweather 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starkweather manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Moses tries to control the position but Starkweather now has his back.
Starkweather is trying to stick to Moses's back but Moses is turning into Starkweather. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Starkweather's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Moses.
Moses stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Starkweather swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Moses scoring with some ground and pound.
Moses looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moses throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Starkweather works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Moses looking to sit in guard and control but Starkweather gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Starkweather trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Moses manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Starkweather keeping moving, preventing Moses from controlling successfully.
Starkweather looking to hit a scissor sweep but Moses is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather trying to keep a closed guard but Moses is proving a slippery customer.
Moses trying to control but Starkweather is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ricky Moses wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Moses throws an off balance right hand
and Starkweather counters with a nice low kick that buckles Moses's knee momentarily.
Moses throws a body punch but Starkweather moves out of range.
Moses rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Starkweather to counter with a crisp jab.
A jab from Moses misses.
Starkweather misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Moses to counter with a crisp jab.
Starkweather stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Moses.
Starkweather takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Moses throws a right and a left that both miss.
Starkweather throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Moses misses with a hook
and Starkweather cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Moses fails with the takedown
and Starkweather counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Moses clearly takes that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Moses lands a right hook to the body.
Moses tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Starkweather was well out of range. Poor timing from Moses.
Moses looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Starkweather scores with a nice strike.
Nice defenses there by Starkweather.
Starkweather avoids the body shot from Moses.
Moses changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Starkweather bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Moses's head backwards.
Moses drops his hands momentarily and Starkweather takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Moses misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Starkweather.
Moses jabs at Starkweather's body.
Starkweather uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Moses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starkweather ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Moses throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Starkweather connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Moses takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Moses darts in trying to clinch
letting Starkweather counter with a right hand.
Moses looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Starkweather throws a poor cross that misses
and Moses counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Starkweather misses with a wild body shot.
Starkweather scoring well with a low kick there.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Starkweather lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Moses has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Moses and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moses waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Starkweather.
Moses swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Starkweather counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Moses is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Starkweather misses with a jab to the body
and Moses counters with a left to the body.
Starkweather lands a really nice looking cross but Moses seems unphased.
Starkweather lands a jab-cross combination.
Nice sprawl there from Starkweather as Moses shoots in.
Starkweather swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Moses counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Moses takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Some wild striking there from Starkweather.
Starkweather misses with a hook
and Moses counters with an inside leg kick.
Starkweather throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Moses sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather lands a really nice looking cross but Moses seems unphased.
Moses misses with the combination.
Moses misses the body punch
and Starkweather connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Starkweather checks a leg kick.
Moses misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Starkweather cracks Moses with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Moses takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Starkweather connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Moses momentarily.
That kick from Starkweather tenderised Moses's leg. Moses is trying to keep his angry face on.
Starkweather scores with a leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Moses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moses dodges the punch combination from Starkweather.
Moses on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Starkweather lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Moses tries for a takedown but Starkweather circles away easily
and Starkweather counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Moses. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starkweather takes a swing at Moses's ribcage but misses.
Moses fails in his attempt to clinch.
Starkweather ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Moses moves away.
Starkweather swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Moses.
Moses misses with a jab to the body
and Starkweather counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Moses thinking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Starkweather dominated that fourth round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Starkweather misses with an uppercut. Moses saw that one coming.
Moses misses with a shot to the body
and Starkweather cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Starkweather scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Starkweather lands a really nice looking cross but Moses seems unphased.
Moses lands a nice hook to Starkweather's body. Starkweather takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Moses uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Starkweather.
Starkweather fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Starkweather lands a jab to the head.
Moses takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Starkweather scores with a sloppy right hand. Moses should have avoided that one.
Nice body punch from Moses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moses throws a right and a left that Starkweather avoids nicely.
Moses is looking to wear down Starkweather with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Moses misses with a takedown attempt
and Starkweather counters with a low kick, right behind Moses 's knee.
Moses moves away from the strike by Starkweather.
Starkweather misses with an uppercut

so Moses counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Starkweather manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Starkweather avoids the attempt from Moses to control.
Moses can't escape the position.
Starkweather working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The referee warns Moses that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moses is trying to escape the mount.
Starkweather with good strikes from the mount here!
Moses is desperately trying to improve his position but Starkweather has a good base and remains in mount.
Moses tries to hold on but Starkweather postures up.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Moses is wriggling around trying to escape.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Starkweather tries to control but Moses wriggling away.

Starkweather is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Moses to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Moses shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Moses looks a forlorn figure.
Moses keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Starkweather controlling the pace for now.
Starkweather putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Starkweather landing strikes from the mount.
Moses regains half guard.

Starkweather is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Moses doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Starkweather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starkweather is thwarting Moses's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Moses manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Moses working for a triangle but Starkweather defends it easily.
Starkweather won't allow Moses to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Starkweather comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Starkweather has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 47:48
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 47:48
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Starkweather!
Steve Starkweather is the new lightweight champion!