PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ash Stoner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Kearns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Stoner
vs
Kearns

180 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ash Stoner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Josh Kearns!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stoner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kearns takes one on the button.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Stoner!

Kearns is rocked!

It looks like Josh Kearns has been cut.
Stoner throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Stoner swats away the attempt to clinch by Kearns.
Stoner lands a nice hook to Kearns's body. Kearns takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kearns misses with a two punch combination.
Stoner lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Stoner throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kearns counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Stoner wants to clinch up but Kearns keeps it at a distance.
Kearns tries to clinch but Stoner moves away
and Stoner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stoner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stoner misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kearns thows a leg kick but Stoner checks it

and Stoner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Stoner creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stoner scores with a shoulder strike.
A right hand to the body from Stoner.

Kearns pulls Stoner into guard.

Stoner stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Stoner misses with the combination.
Kearns scores with a jab to the body.
Stoner circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stoner counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kearns misses with a double jab.
Kearns showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stoner.
Stoner throws a combination that misses
enabling Kearns to counter with a crisp jab.
Stoner lands with a shot to the body.
Kearns throws a right hand that Stoner ducks under and follows up with a left that Stoner also avoids with ease.
Kearns tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Stoner counters with a nice body shot.
Stoner scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Stoner clinches up with Kearns and pushes him back against the cage.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Kearns throws a leg kick that is checked
and Stoner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kearns fails with the takedown
and Stoner counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ash Stoner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kearns shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stoner moves into the clinch.
Kearns looks gassed!
Kearns wants to get back to striking at distance but Stoner won't allow it.
Stoner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kearns backwards.
Kearns wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stoner lands a right hand.

Stoner breaks from the clinch.
Stoner cracks Kearns with an open hand slap.
Kearns fails with the takedown
and Stoner counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ash Stoner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Kearns.
Kearns throws a leg kick that is checked

and Stoner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stoner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoner manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stoner is looking to wear down Kearns with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Stoner misses with a double jab
and Kearns counters with a nice uppercut.

Stoner fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kearns, pushing him back against the cage.

Stoner breaks from the clinch.
A left lands for Stoner.

Stoner moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Stoner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kearns throws a combination that misses

and Stoner counters by clinching up.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Stoner throws a right hand that Kearns ducks under and follows up with a left that Kearns also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Stoner dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Josh Kearns's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stoner tries to bum rush Kearns with a series of wild strikes but Kearns uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Stoner throws a combination that misses
and Kearns counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice defenses there by Kearns.
Stoner scores with a three punch combo!
Stoner lands a jab-cross combination.

Stoner rushes Kearns and presses him up against the cage.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for Stoner. That snapped Kearns's head back.
Stoner slips a jab and a cross from Kearns.
Kearns moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Kearns swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Stoner counters with a nice body kick.
Ash Stoner is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kearns closes the distance but Stoner moves to the side

and Stoner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kearns is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Stoner lands a left hand.
Kearns tries to break the clinch but Stoner is controlling the position.
A shot in the inside from Stoner.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stoner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stoner lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kearns backwards.
Stoner lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kearns backwards.

Stoner manages to break the clinch.

Stoner moves into the clinch successfully.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stoner fails to land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stoner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice defenses there by Stoner.
Kearns falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stoner counters with an outside leg kick.

Stoner closes the distance and clinches.
Kearns tries for a takedown but Stoner manages to get underhooks.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kearns doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Stoner counters by moving into the clinch.
Kearns misses with the head strike.
Stoner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kearns is looking to break free of the clinch but Stoner has double underhooks.
Stoner lands with a light punch inside.
Stoner lands a right hand.
Kearns is trying to break the clinch but Stoner has him pressed against the cage.
A short right from Kearns.

Stoner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ash Stoner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kearns tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Stoner counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Stoner tries to clinch there but Kearns circles away.
Jab by Stoner.
Kearns throws a combination that misses
and Stoner counters with a three punch combo that has Kearns backing up. Kearns nods at Stoner to acknowledge the strikes.
Stoner lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stoner throws a lazy right hand but Kearns sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stoner swinging wilding here.
Some wild striking there from Kearns.
Kearns misses with a double jab

and Stoner counters by clinching up.
Stoner lands with a left to the head.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kearns clinches but Stoner breaks the clinch
and Stoner counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Stoner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Josh Kearns's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kearns wants to clinch.
Stoner tries to clinch up.
Stoner moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kearns throws a right and a left that Stoner avoids nicely.
A combination from Stoner does no damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stoner throws a combination that misses
and Kearns counters with a left and a right that stings Stoner.
Stoner goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Stoner rushes Kearns and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Stoner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Stoner.
A nice right hand lands inside from Stoner.
Kearns doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kearns.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Stoner connects with a high kick.
Kearns closes the distance looking to clinch

and Stoner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Stoner misses with a series of wild punches.
Kearns doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kearns takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kearns shoots and misses

and Stoner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stoner.
Stoner pushes Kearns back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Stoner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Stoner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Stoner breaks the clinch.
Kearns tries to clinch but Stoner is having none of it.
Kearns throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Stoner counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stoner.
Stoner swings wildly with an uppercut but Kearns uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Stoner - that landed with a thud.

Stoner breaks from the clinch.
A slapping leg kick lands for Stoner.
Kearns swinging wilding here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kearns attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kearns gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Stoner counters with a left and a right that stings Kearns.
Ash Stoner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Kearns.
Kearns fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Stoner on the side of the head.
Stoner misses with a double jab
and Kearns counters with a one-two to the body.
Stoner will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stoner lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Stoner moves into range and clinches up with Kearns.
Josh Kearns has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A short left from Stoner.
Kearns wants to get back to striking at distance but Stoner won't allow it.
Kearns fails to pull guard.
Stoner lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Stoner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Kearns misses.
Stoner misses with a double jab

so Kearns counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Stoner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kearns throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ash Stoner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stoner, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ash Stoner!