PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hiranuka Stakanu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Jacobs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stakanu comes to the cage accompanied by Oy, To Ne Vecher. Jacobs has chosen Till I Collapse as his entrance music. Hiranuka Stakanu has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stakanu
vs
Jacobs

184 cm
34
280 lbs
26 - 16 - 0

190 cm
32
259 lbs
24 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Untouchable Fight Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hiranuka Stakanu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Russell Jacobs!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Dean Styles and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stakanu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Jacobs.
Jacobs takes one to the chin there.
Jacobs lands the left hand.
Stakanu lands a jab to Jacobs's midsection.
Jacobs works the jab nicely.
Jacobs tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jacobs fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jacobs slips under a jab.
Jacobs 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jacobs slips a straight right by Stakanu.
Jacobs doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Stakanu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Stakanu.
Stakanu wants to pass the guard but Jacobs is keeping the position.
Stakanu distracts Jacobs with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Jacobs 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.
Jacobs trying to keep a closed guard but Stakanu is proving a slippery customer.
Stakanu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stakanu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jacobs can't keep his opponent in guard - Stakanu advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Stakanu is trying to work for a kimura but Jacobs is defending well.
Jacobs is looking to improve his position.

Stakanu is working for a submission of some sort.
Jacobs moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stakanu throwing strikes from guard but Jacobs blocks nicely.
Stakanu scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stakanu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Stakanu stops Jacobs from standing up.

Jacobs is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Stakanu defends well.
Stakanu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jacobs works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stakanu throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jacobs looking for a sweep. Not yet Jacobs, not yet.
Stakanu stands and throws Jacobs's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Jacobs is looking to regain half guard here but Stakanu keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Jacobs's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Check out the look on Stakanu's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Jacobs takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Stakanu tries to score with some ground and pound. Jacobs controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Stakanu misses with the ground and pound.
Stakanu sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Jacobs is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Jacobs is looking for a sweep.
Jacobs is working to avoid the ground and pound but Stakanu connects with a decent elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stakanu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Jacobs can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Stakanu crashes against the mat.

Stakanu goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Jacobs has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Stakanu but great work by Jacobs.
Stakanu sneaks back into half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Stakanu is trying to get back to full guard.

Stakanu actively working from the bottom here.
Stakanu wants to get back to full guard.
Jacobs not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Stakanu is defending against the submission attempts here by Jacobs.

Jacobs is working for a submission of some sort.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Stakanu gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jacobs shoots in but no luck this time.

Jacobs closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Stakanu regains full guard. Nicely done.
Stakanu throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Stakanu striking off his back but it's not causing Jacobs any problems.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jacobs trying to control the position from guard on top but Stakanu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Stakanu is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Stakanu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stakanu lands a decent shot there.

Stakanu throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stakanu looking for a sweep. Not yet Stakanu, not yet.
Stakanu is working hard here to advance position.
Jacobs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stakanu is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stakanu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stakanu is trying to control the position but Jacobs postures up.
Jacobs throwing strikes but missing.
Stakanu bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Jacobs's guard.
Jacobs wants to improve his position but instead Stakanu has moved into half guard.
Stakanu wants to pass to mount but Jacobs is defending the position.
Stakanu working over Jacobs with some ground and pound. Jacobs looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Stakanu takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Jacobs looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Stakanu sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jacobs defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stakanu lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jacobs taking some punishment here, with Stakanu in his half guard.
Stakanu missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Stakanu drops an elbow to the side of Jacobs's head.
Jacobs regains full guard. Nicely done.
Stakanu is pushing down on Jacobs's leg trying to pass to half guard. Jacobs is fighting to maintain full guard but Stakanu has managed to sneak the leg through.
Stakanu works his way into side control.
Jacobs tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stakanu wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Stakanu works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stakanu in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Jacobs tries to buck Stakanu off but Stakanu is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stakanu looks up at the clock and then as Jacobs takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Stakanu smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Jacobs is rocked!
Jacobs gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Jacobs is still in real trouble! Can Stakanu finish him?
Stakanu is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Jacobs!
Jacobs working to try and regain half guard.
Stakanu lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stakanu softens up his opponent with a couple of shots there and then CRACK! One massive shot lands there and Jacobs is out cold! Stakanu jumps to his feet and celebrates on the cage with the fans, who are, quite frankly, going absolutely mental!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hiranuka Stakanu!