PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Athan Stamatis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Attilius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stamatis comes to the cage accompanied by Lose Yourself. Marcus Attilius has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stamatis
vs
Attilius

176 cm
36
184 lbs
40 - 23 - 0

200 cm
34
285 lbs
17 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 40 - 23 - 0, fighting out of New York, Athan Stamatis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 22 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Attilius!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stamatis swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Attilius counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Stamatis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stamatis.
Stamatis takes a swing at Attilius's ribcage but misses.
Stamatis misses the shot to the body.
Stamatis throws a body punch but Attilius moves out of range.
Athan Stamatis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Attilius blocks the body kick.
Nice defenses there by Attilius.
Attilius on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Attilius uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stamatis.
Stamatis throws a hook but Attilius blocks it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Stamatis.
Stamatis throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stamatis misses with a looping right.
Stamatis misses with a double jab.

Attilius gets caught napping as Stamatis dives in and scores a takedown. Attilius manages to retain guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Stamatis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Attilius works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stamatis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Attilius is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Stamatis dives into side control.
Attilius wants to get back to his feet but Stamatis drags him back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stamatis in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Attilius is trying to buck Stamatis off.

Stamatis decides to take the fight back to the feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stamatis tries a head kick but it misses.
Stamatis misses with an uppercut. Attilius saw that one coming.

Stamatis closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Attilius pushes Stamatis away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Stamatis gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Attilius is not content to let Stamatis control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Attilius is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Stamatis grinds an elbow into Attilius's temple.
Attilius is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Stamatis takes a little break here. Attilius wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Attilius tries to escape but Stamatis is in control.
Stamatis 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stamatis throws an elbow but Attilius slips to the side and avoids it well.
Stamatis in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Attilius is pushing Stamatis's head away, looking to escape. Stamatis manages to hold on to the position though.
Stamatis scoring with punches from side control.
Stamatis lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Attilius down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Attilius is pushing Stamatis's head away, looking to escape. Stamatis manages to hold on to the position though.
Stamatis happy to just control the position for now.
Attilius avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stamatis.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Attilius pushes Stamatis away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Stamatis gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Stamatis throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Athan Stamatis dominated that round.
That's time! Stamatis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stamatis cracks the inside of Attilius's front leg.
Stamatis thuds his shin into the meat of Attilius's side.
Stamatis lands a jab.
A lazy body kick from Stamatis
and Attilius counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Stamatis thinking.
Stamatis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Stamatis lands with a shot to the body.
Stamatis misses with the body kick
and Attilius counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Stamatis is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Stamatis tries to land a front kick but Attilius steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Stamatis moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Attilius is breathing heavily.
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!
Attilius takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stamatis scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Stamatis ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Attilius moves away.
Stamatis is looking to wear down Attilius with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Stamatis shoots in looking for a takedown. Attilius tries to sprawl out of it but Stamatis keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Attilius manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stamatis throws a sloppy head kick and Attilius moves out of range easily.
Stamatis looks for the body kick but Attilius saw that one coming.
Stamatis lands a right hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stamatis looks for the body kick but Attilius saw that one coming.
Attilius moves out of range of the body kick.

Stamatis feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Stamatis stops Attilius from standing up.
Stamatis sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stamatis wants to control from the top but Attilius keeps moving.
Stamatis prevents Attilius from getting back to his feet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Attilius keeping moving, preventing Stamatis from controlling successfully.
Athan Stamatis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Athan Stamatis just wasn't active enough.
Stamatis tries a head kick but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stamatis looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Stamatis thows a left - swing and a miss!
Stamatis looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Attilius is fending him off so far but Stamatis persists. Nope, Attilius circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Athan Stamatis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stamatis scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Stamatis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Attilius uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stamatis.
Nice cross by Stamatis.
Stamatis shoots in looking for a takedown but Attilius manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stamatis's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Attilius keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stamatis.
Marcus Attilius is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stamatis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stamatis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Attilius.
Stamatis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Attilius.
Stamatis throws a nice outside leg kick.
Attilius moves out of range of the body kick from Stamatis.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stamatis throws a lazy uppercut
and Attilius counters with a two punch combo.
Stamatis swings for the body but Attilius moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Athan Stamatis dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Stamatis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Attilius.
Athan Stamatis is winning the standup battle so far.
Stamatis throws a nice inside leg kick.
Stamatis misses with an uppercut.
Stamatis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stamatis misses with a low kick as Attilius jumps back.
Stamatis throws a low kick but Attilius avoids it.
Stamatis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Stamatis takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stamatis is looking to slow Attilius down with leg kicks.
Attilius takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Attilius avoids the head kick by Stamatis.
Stamatis is looking to slow Attilius down with leg kicks.
Stamatis scoring well with a low kick there.

Stamatis gets a double leg takedown into Attilius's guard.
Stamatis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Attilius wants to get back to his feet but Stamatis passes into half guard.
Stamatis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Attilius defending well though.
Marcus Attilius has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Stamatis connects with a nice short shot to Attilius's temple.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stamatis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stamatis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stamatis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Attilius defending well though.
Attilius tries to kick Stamatis off but Stamatis keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Stamatis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Attilius is trying to stand.
Attilius takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stamatis is pressing down on Attilius's thigh, looking to free his foot. Attilius is holding on for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stamatis prevents Attilius from standing back up.
Stamatis is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Attilius can do to turn this around?
Attilius is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Stamatis scores with a couple of nice shots.
Attilius tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Stamatis manages to move to mount!
Stamatis with the ground and pound from mount.
Stamatis looking to control but Attilius is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Attilius is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stamatis has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Attilius's face.
Attilius wants to get back to his feet.
Stamatis has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Attilius's face.
Athan Stamatis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Attilius is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Stamatis content just to control the position here.
Stamatis seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Attilius for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Attilius is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Stamatis controlling the position easily from mount.
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!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Athan Stamatis.
Attilius gets cracked there but stands up to it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stamatis bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Attilius's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Athan Stamatis showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stamatis has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Athan Stamatis!
Athan Stamatis spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.