PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shawn Stanley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mika Verkko (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.

Stanley
vs
Verkko

178 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shawn Stanley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mika Verkko!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, David Schapiro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stanley looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Verkko!

Stanley working for a submission but Verkko is keeping him at bay.
Stanley lands a nice shot to the head.
Verkko tries to lock up and control but Stanley gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Verkko is squirming around, avoiding Stanley's attempts to control the action.
Stanley with the ground and pound from mount.
Verkko is in a horrible position here. Stanley smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verkko is squirming around, avoiding Stanley's attempts to control the action.
Verkko tries to hold on but Stanley postures up.
Stanley thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Stanley trying to control but Verkko is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stanley throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Stanley looking to ground and pound but Verkko is blocking nicely.
Stanley throwing strikes here but Verkko is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Verkko is looking to get to half guard.
Stanley throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Verkko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stanley. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stanley wants to control the pace but Verkko is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stanley throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Stanley thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Stanley tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Stanley is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Verkko is surviving well by controlling Stanley's body position as best he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stanley looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stanley punching from mount but Verkko doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Verkko is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Verkko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stanley punching from mount but Verkko doing a good job of avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn Stanley dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

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

Stanley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Verkko throws a nice looking combination but Stanley bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stanley looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stanley dodges the punch combination from Verkko.
Verkko looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Stanley shoots in looking for a takedown. Verkko tries to sprawl out of it but Stanley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Verkko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stanley shoots in for a takedown but Verkko shows good takedown defense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Verkko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Verkko misses with a wild combination.
Stanley looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Verkko is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanley moves in looking to clinch but Verkko pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Verkko as Stanley shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Stanley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stanley fails with a takedown attempt.
A combination from Verkko does no damage.
Verkko throws a combination. Stanley tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Stanley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Verkko's waist but Verkko gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stanley off to one side.
Verkko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stanley moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley looks for a takedown but Verkko sprawls well.
Verkko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stanley moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stanley fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Verkko takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verkko is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Stanley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Verkko gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Stanley tries to land knees in the clinch but Verkko avoids the damage to the body.
Verkko prevents the takedown attempt.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice sprawl there from Verkko as Stanley shoots in.
Verkko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stanley moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Verkko looks for a takedown but Stanley sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Stanley with that takedown attempt.
Verkko doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Stanley counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Stanley.
Stanley 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.
Stanley slips nicely into half guard.
Stanley wants to take a breather but Verkko is having none of it.
Verkko is trying to stand up here but Stanley is controlling him well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Verkko can do anything to dispel that myth.
Stanley tries to pass the half guard into mount. Verkko knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Stanley scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stanley content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Verkko is not content to let Stanley control the position.

Stanley wants to work for an arm triangle but Verkko is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Shawn Stanley will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A combination from Verkko does no damage.
Verkko throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Stanley throws a quick inside leg kick.

Stanley moves into the clinch successfully.
Stanley wants a takedown.
Verkko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stanley can't get the takedown.
Stanley misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stanley misses with an elbow over the top.
Verkko using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stanley has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Stanley breaks from the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Verkko looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stanley misses with an attempted mid kick.
Verkko throws a head kick that misses

and Stanley counters with a single leg into guard. Verkko didn't expect that.
Verkko keeping moving, preventing Stanley from controlling successfully.

Verkko manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Verkko throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Stanley decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Verkko's guard.
Stanley stopping the sweep attempt from Verkko.
Stanley stands and throws Verkko's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Stanley looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Shawn Stanley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Verkko is trying to buck Stanley off.

Stanley stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verkko stuffs the takedown.
Mika Verkko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shawn Stanley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Verkko wants to clinch but Stanley slips to the side

and Stanley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

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

Stanley rushes Verkko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Stanley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Verkko pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Verkko is trying to break the clinch but Stanley has him pressed against the cage.
Verkko tries to break the clinch but Stanley is controlling the position.
Verkko is trying to break the clinch but Stanley has him pressed against the cage.

Stanley pulls guard effortlessly.
Stanley wants to sweep here but Verkko controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stanley pulls Verkko in to control the position.
Stanley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Stanley works his way into full mount!
Stanley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Verkko is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shawn Stanley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stanley, 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shawn Stanley!