PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Dinapoli (ranked 40 p4p, 99 weight class) and Tony Stark (ranked 6 p4p, 17 weight class). Tony Stark acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Dinapoli
vs
Stark

195 cm
30
207
30 - 8 - 0

191 cm
33
218
27 - 17 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Urban Fighter
Un-Kaged Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Dinapoli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 17 - 0, fighting out of London, Tony Stark!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Chris Edwards and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stark shoots in and drives through. Dinapoli sprawls well.
Dinapoli swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A slow jab from Dinapoli misses its intended target.
Stark shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dinapoli as he jumps to the side.
A swing and a miss from Dinapoli.
Stark shoots in looking for a takedown but Dinapoli manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stark's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Joe Dinapoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Stark.

Stark manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Dinapoli on his heels. He'll look to pass Dinapoli's guard now, I'm sure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dinapoli keeping full guard, as Stark tries to pass.
Dinapoli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stark.
Dinapoli wants to stand but Stark is controlling the position.
Stark with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark tries to free his leg and advance position but Dinapoli is retaining full guard.
Stark has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dinapoli avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Stark drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dinapoli dives on top into guard.

Dinapoli with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Dinapoli's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Dinapoli has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Stark looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Stark preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Stark has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Dinapoli is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Stark.
Stark is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Stark defending against the ground and pound.
Dinapoli sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Stark is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Dinapoli looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stark is avoiding damage well.
Dinapoli trying to control the action but Stark is working from the bottom.
Stark tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dinapoli wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Dinapoli wants to control but Stark is keeping him busy.
Stark tries to buck Dinapoli off but Dinapoli is having none of it.
Dinapoli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stark keeps working.
Stark is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Stark is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Dinapoli trying to control the position but Stark is working away.
Stark throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Dinapoli cracks Stark with a big right hand but Stark just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Stark is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Dinapoli off and has taken his back!

Dinapoli defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

Stark looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Dinapoli passes into half guard.
Stark avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dinapoli.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark is looking to improve his position.
Dinapoli is trying to control. Stark wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Stark wants to improve his position but Dinapoli is controlling well.
Dinapoli is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Stark looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Stark wants to sweep but Dinapoli has passed to side control!
Stark is looking to reverse the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dinapoli in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Stark dodges the ground and pound from Dinapoli.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Dinapoli dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Stark fails with the takedown
and Dinapoli counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Stark shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dinapoli throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Tony Stark has been cut.
Stark fails with the takedown
and Dinapoli counters with a nice uppercut.
Joe Dinapoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Stark.
Dinapoli ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stark moves away.
Stark feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dinapoli misses with a shot to the body

and Stark counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stark.
Stark is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dinapoli to keep the fight standing.
Dinapoli softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dinapoli softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dinapoli lands an uppercut.
Dinapoli working aggressively here.
Stark drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stark goes for a takedown attempt but Dinapoli pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Dinapoli misses with a wild body shot.
Joe Dinapoli is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dinapoli looks to score with a jab to the body but Stark is just out of range.
Dinapoli lands with a slapping head kick.
Dinapoli scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Stark doesn't seem bothered though.
Stark avoids the body shot from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli is looking to wear down Stark with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Dinapoli throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark shoots in looking for a takedown but Dinapoli manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stark's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Dinapoli was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Dinapoli throws a jab but it's blocked by Stark.
Dinapoli looks to land a right hand but Stark moved out of range.
Dinapoli sets himself, and Stark steps forward looking for the clinch! Dinapoli avoids it this time.
Dinapoli with the inside leg kick.
Stark defending well as Dinapoli loads up on a big left hand.
Stark steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli swings widly with a right hand

and Stark holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Stark has Dinapoli pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Stark pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Dinapoli tumbling to the mat - Stark dives into Dinapoli's guard.
Dinapoli working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stark.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli controlling Stark's posture.
Stark pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dinapoli is keeping the position for now.
Stark loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dinapoli 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.
Stark tries to free his leg and advance position but Dinapoli is retaining full guard.
Stark in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Stark drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Dinapoli manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Stark has Dinapoli in his guard.

Dinapoli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stark has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Dinapoli can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Dinapoli looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dinapoli looking to pass the guard.

Stark looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Dinapoli passes into side control.
Stark is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Dinapoli dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tony Stark's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Dinapoli lands a right hook to the body.
Dinapoli looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Stark uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dinapoli.
Nice takedown defense from Dinapoli. No joy for Stark on that attempt.
Dinapoli cracks Stark with an open hand slap.
Stark shoots in but Dinapoli avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stark with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dinapoli counters with a nice right hand that sends Stark toppling to the canvas! Stark scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Dinapoli finish him?!
Joe Dinapoli has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Stark.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stark fails to land the takedown.
Dinapoli misses with a hook. Stark ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Dinapoli as he connects with a hook.
An inside leg kick lands from Dinapoli.
Stark shoots in and drives through. Dinapoli sprawls well.

Dinapoli lands a big uppercut and Stark crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Stark looks OK. Dinapoli waves Stark back to his feet!

Stark is rocked!
Stark shoots in for a takedown but Dinapoli shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dinapoli half committed to a counter leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dinapoli steps in with a hook that catches Stark right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Dinapoli follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Stark looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joe Dinapoli!
A victorious Joe Dinapoli thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.