PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mike Massa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendrick Stagliano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Massa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Massa
vs
Stagliano

180 cm
22
135 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

173 cm
31
135 lbs
8 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Determined

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Massa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Kendrick Stagliano!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stagliano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stagliano has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Massa is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Stagliano rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Massa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stagliano swings away with a body shot that misses
and Massa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Massa has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Massa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Stagliano looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Kendrick Stagliano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stagliano throws a series of punches but Massa avoids them all with ease.
Stagliano thows a body shot but no joy.
Stagliano moves into range and connects with a jab.
A combination from Stagliano does no damage.
Stagliano throws a head kick but Massa moves out of range.
The crowd cheers as Stagliano lands an impressive looking overhand right. Massa doesn't seem phased though.
Massa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stagliano misses with an uppercut. Massa saw that one coming.
Stagliano swings for the body but Massa moves out of range.
Massa moves out of range as Stagliano throws a body kick.
Stagliano falls off balance throwing a combination
and Massa counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Massa scores with a hook.
Stagliano moves out of range of the body kick from Massa.
Massa lands a really nice looking cross but Stagliano seems unphased.
Sloppy strikes from Stagliano. Those never looked like landing.
Stagliano connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Massa's hands.
Stagliano lands a jab to Massa's midsection.
Massa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Massa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Stagliano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Massa.
Stagliano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stagliano scores with the left hand. Massa knows he should have avoided that one.
Stagliano throws a combination that misses
and Massa counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Massa swats away the attempt to clinch by Stagliano.
Stagliano tries to clinch there but Massa circles away.
Massa misses with a wild combination.
Massa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Massa swats away the attempt to clinch by Stagliano.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stagliano tries to clinch up
and Massa counters with a left and a right that stings Stagliano.
Stagliano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Massa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stagliano jabs Massa to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Massa counters with a one-two to the body.
Massa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stagliano tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Massa counters with a straight right hand.
Stagliano lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch up but Massa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stagliano throws a head kick but Massa moves out of range.
Massa throws a low kick, looking for Stagliano's leg but Stagliano calmly moves out of range.
A slow jab from Stagliano misses its intended target.
Stagliano lands the left hand.
Massa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stagliano misses with a body shot
and Massa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Massa loads up on a big right hand but Stagliano slips the punch.
Stagliano throws a sloppy head kick and Massa moves out of range easily.
Nice straight punches there by Massa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Massa.
Nice uppercut there from Stagliano.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano thows a body shot but no joy.
Stagliano doesn't manage to clinch there - Massa circles away.
Massa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stagliano.
Nice cross by Massa.
Stagliano closes the distance but Massa moves to the side
and Massa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Massa is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Massa scores with a jab to the jaw.

Stagliano is rocked!
Massa throws a jab but it's blocked by Stagliano.
Stagliano is still on wobbly legs! Can Massa finish him?
Massa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stagliano seems to have recovered his senses.
Stagliano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Massa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stagliano.
Stagliano tries to clinch but Massa moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kendrick Stagliano will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stagliano on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Stagliano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Massa takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Stagliano fails in his attempt to clinch.
Massa is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
A jab from Stagliano misses.
Stagliano wants to clinch
and Massa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Massa looks to land a right hand but Stagliano moved out of range.
Massa lands a slapping body shot.
Stagliano throws a lazy right hand but Massa sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stagliano checks a low kick from Massa.
Massa steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stagliano.
Massa 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 tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Massa counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Stagliano!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Stagliano seems a little lost for a moment, as Massa dominates the positioning.
Massa moves into full mount!
Massa controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Massa's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Massa wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Stagliano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Massa manages to avoid it.
Massa lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Kendrick Stagliano has been cut.
Stagliano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Massa moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Massa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Massa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stagliano.
Stagliano cracks a nice hook into Massa's ribs.
Massa throws a big shot that misses.
Stagliano misses with a two punch combination.
Stagliano is looking to clinch.
Stagliano swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Massa counters with a straight right hand.
Massa keeps the fight on the outside.
Massa lands a nice shot that snaps Stagliano's head back.
Stagliano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stagliano digs a good hook to Massa's body.
Stagliano misses with a few strikes there.
Stagliano moves out of range of the body kick from Massa.
Stagliano misses with a hook to the body
and Massa counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Massa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kendrick Stagliano's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Massa throws a jab but it's blocked by Stagliano.
Massa ducks under a wild hook from Stagliano.
Stagliano misses with a right hand
and Massa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stagliano has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Stagliano throws a shot from downtown. Massa moves away and avoids it.
Stagliano lands with a hook. Massa tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Massa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stagliano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Massa.
Stagliano bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Massa's head backwards.
Massa throws a hook to the side of Stagliano's head but Stagliano sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Stagliano throws a series of punches but Massa avoids them all with ease.
Stagliano throws an overhand right that lands on Massa's shoulder, as Massa tries to avoid the shot.
Massa throws a hook to the side of Stagliano's head but Stagliano sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Stagliano fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stagliano scores with a punch to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Massa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stagliano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Stagliano throws a jab but it's blocked by Massa.
Stagliano defending well as Massa loads up on a big left hand.
Stagliano fails to land with a series of punches.
Stagliano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Massa fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Stagliano looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Massa throws a head kick that misses.
Massa throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stagliano lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Stagliano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Massa.
Stagliano blocks a jab.
Massa swings for the body but Stagliano moves out of range.
Massa ducks under a wild hook from Stagliano.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Massa misses with a head kick.
Stagliano closes the distance but Massa moves to the side

and Massa counters by clinching up.
Stagliano misses with an elbow over the top.
Stagliano has had enough of the clinch but Massa keeps him there for the moment.
Massa goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Massa lands a left hand.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Massa.
Massa lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Stagliano or not.
Stagliano takes a shot to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Massa blocking some punches.
Massa works on Stagliano's body with a couple of short punches.
Stagliano being controlled against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Massa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Massa is trying to break the clinch but Stagliano is controlling him.
Stagliano looking to stall.
Stagliano is trying to break the clinch but Massa has him pressed against the cage.
Massa is looking to break free of the clinch but Stagliano has double underhooks.

Massa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Massa takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Stagliano tries to clinch up but Massa circles away and keeps his distance.
Stagliano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Massa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stagliano throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Massa.
Massa takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stagliano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Massa manages to avoid it.
Good standup being displayed there by Massa as he connects with a hook.
Stagliano misses with an attempted mid kick.
Stagliano gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Stagliano digs a good body shot into Massa's ribs.
Stagliano defending well as Massa loads up on a big left hand.
Massa slips under a jab.
Massa throws a hook to the side of Stagliano's head but Stagliano sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Massa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Massa throws a hook but Stagliano blocks it.
A telegraphed right hand from Stagliano misses the target.
Stagliano tries to clinch but Massa moves away
and Massa counters with a left to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Stagliano throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mike Massa.
I think Massa has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Massa!