PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mano Soares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendrick Stagliano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kendrick Stagliano will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Soares
vs
Stagliano

163 cm
29
130 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

173 cm
28
135 lbs
4 - 11 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Determined

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mano Soares!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Kendrick Stagliano!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Paul Gruel and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch but Soares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stagliano cracks Soares with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Soares has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Stagliano finds it's way round the side to connect with Soares's head.
Stagliano works the jab nicely.
Stagliano lands a body shot.
A head kick from Stagliano lands but Soares takes it in his stride.
A jab from Stagliano finds it's way through Soares's defenses.
Soares misses with a series of wild punches.
A left and a right from Stagliano both land. Nice combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Soares tries to keep at a distance but Stagliano has taken the fight into the clinch.

Stagliano breaks the clinch.
Soares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Stagliano moves into the clinch.
Stagliano is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Soares is defending well for now.

Stagliano manages to break the clinch.
Stagliano throws a nice looking combination but Soares bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stagliano throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stagliano is looking to clinch.
Stagliano connects with a looping right hand.
Kendrick Stagliano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some wild striking there from Soares.
Stagliano lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Soares tries to bum rush Stagliano with a series of wild strikes but Stagliano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Soares checks a low kick from Stagliano.
Stagliano connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Soares momentarily.
Stagliano throws a good cross that connects.
Stagliano misses with a series of wild punches.
A head kick misses from Stagliano.
Stagliano lands a two punch combo.
A left and a right from Stagliano both land. Nice combination.
Stagliano is looking to clinch but Soares is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano connects with a right hand. Soares shakes it off.
Stagliano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Stagliano takes one on the chin but seems OK.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Soares keeps the fight on the outside.
Stagliano getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Stagliano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Soares.
Soares misses with a looping right.
Stagliano lands a lovely overhand right.
Stagliano tries to clinch up.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Stagliano, as that shot connected.
Soares lands a head shot.
Stagliano lands with a nice body punch.
Soares cracks Stagliano with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Soares throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Soares scores with a jab.
Stagliano scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A nice combination there by Stagliano.

Stagliano closes the distance and clinches.
Soares jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stagliano walks away with a smile on his face. Soares gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stagliano fails to land with a series of punches.
Soares circles away from the clinch attempt.
A big left from Soares misses.
Stagliano slips a jab from Soares.
Stagliano throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Soares stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Stagliano is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Soares had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Stagliano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stagliano is looking to slow Soares down with leg kicks.
Soares slips a jab and a cross from Stagliano.
Soares throws a shot from downtown. Stagliano moves away and avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Stagliano both land. Nice combination.
Soares takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Stagliano.
Stagliano throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Soares on the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Soares takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Stagliano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stagliano works over Soares's head and body with a nice combination.
Soares throws out a loose jab but Stagliano uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stagliano keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Soares.
Soares misses with a wild combination.
Soares is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Stagliano closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Stagliano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stagliano scores with a decent looking hook.
Soares takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kendrick Stagliano dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stagliano connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Soares has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Stagliano throws a nice looking combination but Soares bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Soares scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Soares looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Stagliano swinging wildly here.

Stagliano instigates a clinch.

Stagliano manages to break the clinch.
Stagliano moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Stagliano connects with a good right hand that stumbles Soares. Soares circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Soares misses with an uppercut. Stagliano saw that one coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stagliano. Soares does a little dance to reset his feet.
Soares misses with a straight right.
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch but Soares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stagliano moves out of range as Soares strikes.
Stagliano bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Soares's head.
Stagliano looks to land a combination. Soares sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Soares misses.
Stagliano moves away from the strike by Soares.
Stagliano connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Stagliano throws a head kick but Soares moves out of range.
Stagliano lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Soares circles away quickly and effectively.
Kendrick Stagliano seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A head kick from Stagliano lands but Soares takes it in his stride.
Stagliano has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Soares misses with a looping right.
Stagliano fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stagliano connects with the punch.
Jab by Stagliano.
A big left from Soares misses.
Stagliano sizes up Soares with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Stagliano ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stagliano throws a head kick that misses.
Soares circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Soares was well out of range. Poor timing from Stagliano.
Stagliano fails to land with a series of punches.
Stagliano throws a predictable looking body shot
and Soares counters with a left and a right that stings Stagliano.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Stagliano moves into range and clinches up with Soares.
Stagliano is looking to control Soares's arms but Soares gets an underhook and turns him. Now Stagliano has his back to the cage.

Stagliano manages to break the clinch.
Stagliano sizes up Soares with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Soares misses with a hook
and Stagliano counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A jab from Soares misses.
A big right from Soares misses.
Soares walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Stagliano digs a good body shot into Soares's ribs.
Stagliano fails to land with a series of punches.
Soares throws a hook to the side of Stagliano's head but Stagliano sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Stagliano's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Stagliano duly obliges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stagliano tries a head kick but it misses.
Stagliano is breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stagliano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A telegraphed right hand from Soares misses the target.
A left and a right from Stagliano both land. Nice combination.
Soares throws an overhand right that lands on Stagliano's shoulder, as Stagliano tries to avoid the shot.
Soares swats away the attempt to clinch by Stagliano.
Stagliano lunges at Soares with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Soares's hand.
Soares walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Stagliano's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Stagliano duly obliges.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
A right-left combo lands from Stagliano.
Stagliano throws a head kick but Soares moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano throws a series of punches but Soares avoids them all with ease.
Soares throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stagliano throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Soares slips a jab and a cross from Stagliano.
Soares is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Stagliano scores with a jab to the jaw.
Stagliano just misses with a punch to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Soares keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stagliano swinging wildly here.
Stagliano throws a hook to the side of Soares's head but Soares sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soares uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stagliano.
Soares takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Stagliano throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kendrick Stagliano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stagliano swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stagliano has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Soares misses with an uppercut. Stagliano saw that one coming.
Soares ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch but Soares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Soares throws a jab when Stagliano was well out of range.
Stagliano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Soares throws out the jab.
Mano Soares is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stagliano smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Soares scores with a nice head shot.
Stagliano throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Soares to counter with a crisp jab.
Stagliano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Soares is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stagliano.
Stagliano misses with a kick to the body.
Stagliano scores with a three punch combo!
Stagliano scores with a crisp jab that stopped Soares in his tracks.
Stagliano tries to clinch but Soares is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soares drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Stagliano tests Soares's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Stagliano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stagliano throws a sloppy head kick and Soares moves out of range easily.
A swing and a miss from Stagliano.
Stagliano scores with the left hand. Soares knows he should have avoided that one.
Stagliano is working the combinations to good effect here.
A big left from Soares misses.
Soares avoids a kick to the body.
Nice shot by Soares.
Soares gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Stagliano.
Soares tries to move into range but Stagliano moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Stagliano throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Stagliano scores with a jab to the body.
Soares stalks Stagliano and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Stagliano's face. Stagliano staggers backwards, shaken.

Stagliano is rocked!
A jab from Soares misses.
Stagliano is still on wobbly legs! Can Soares finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano ducks under a wild hook from Soares.
Stagliano seems to have recovered his senses.
Stagliano paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Left hook, right uppercut from Stagliano.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stagliano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Soares is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stagliano.
Stagliano lands a right hook to the body.

Stagliano closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Soares is trying to pull guard but Stagliano turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Soares fails to pull guard.
Soares tries to pull guard but Stagliano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mano Soares. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stagliano manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Soares tries to pull guard but Stagliano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Soares jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stagliano walks away with a smile on his face. Soares gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soares takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Stagliano throws a sloppy head kick and Soares moves out of range easily.
Stagliano avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Jab, jab by Stagliano - just one landing.
Soares avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A big left from Soares misses.
Stagliano tries to clinch but Soares moves out of range.
Kendrick Stagliano is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Stagliano lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A clash of legs there as Soares blocks the low kick.
Soares takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Stagliano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stagliano staying out of range there.
Soares is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Stagliano's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

Stagliano closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Soares tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soares is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Stagliano to keep the fight standing.
Soares tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Soares jumps guard but Stagliano turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Soares jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stagliano walks away with a smile on his face. Soares gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A swing and a miss from Soares.
Stagliano scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Soares paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Soares takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Stagliano fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stagliano takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Stagliano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Soares jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stagliano walks away with a smile on his face. Soares gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mano Soares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Soares takes one to the chin there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kendrick Stagliano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stagliano 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kendrick Stagliano!
Kendrick Stagliano decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.