PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Driver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavlos Stathis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Driver comes to the cage accompanied by Enter Sandman - by Metallica. This should be a great matchup!

Driver
vs
Stathis

190 cm
23
195 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Driver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pavlos Stathis!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stathis misses with a two punch combination.
Driver scores with a decent looking hook.
Driver misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stathis tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Stathis misses with a wild combination.
Stathis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Driver counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Driver is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver is looking to slow Stathis down with leg kicks.
Driver uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Stathis.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Stathis takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Mike Driver seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stathis displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Driver throws out the jab.
Driver misses with a straight right.

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.
Driver throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Stathis throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice takedown defense from Stathis. No joy for Driver on that attempt.
Driver attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A big right from Stathis misses.
Stathis throws a combination that misses

and Driver counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Stathis's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver looking to pass the guard.
Driver trying to control but Stathis is working from the bottom.

Driver is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Stathis working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Driver.
Driver postures up and lands a big shot to Stathis's brow.
Stathis is looking to stand up but Driver isn't so interested in that idea.
Driver wants to control from the top but Stathis keeps moving.
Stathis is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Driver dives into side control.
Driver throws an elbow but Stathis slips to the side and avoids it well.

Driver looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Driver thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Stathis really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Driver. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stathis wants to get back to his feet but Driver drags him back down.

Driver is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stathis knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Driver creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Stathis sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Stathis is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Driver is controlling him well.
Stathis stops Driver from passing to mount.

Driver is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Stathis has escaped the position, nice work there.
Driver is breathing heavily.
Stathis is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Driver has just dragged him back down to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Driver dominated that round.
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.

Driver tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A swing and a miss from Driver.
Driver connects with a body shot.
Driver looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Driver misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Pavlos Stathis has been cut.
Driver misses with an uppercut.
Stathis swats away the attempt to clinch by Driver.
Driver tries a head kick but it misses.
A jab lands there for Driver.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stathis is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Driver.
Driver connects with a high kick.
Driver fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Driver misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Driver throws a sloppy head kick and Stathis moves out of range easily.
Pavlos Stathis is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Decent striking displayed by Driver there.
Stathis misses with a double jab

and Driver counters with a takedown into side control.
Stathis wants to get back to his feet.
Driver trying to control the action but Stathis is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stathis wants to get back to his feet.

Driver tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stathis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Driver is working Stathis over with some ground and pound from side control.
Driver wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stathis keeps working.

Stathis bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Driver slips a jab from Stathis.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Driver dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pavlos Stathis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stathis misses with the combination.
Stathis connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Stathis moves away from the strike by Driver.
Driver throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The fighters circling - Stathis throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Driver lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stathis circles away quickly and effectively.
Driver pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Stathis keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Driver swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pavlos Stathis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stathis scores with a crisp jab that stopped Driver in his tracks.
Driver throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mike Driver is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A combination from Driver does no damage.
Driver works over Stathis's head and body with a nice combination.
Stathis keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stathis falls off balance throwing a combination
and Driver cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Driver throws a hook but Stathis avoids it easily.
Mike Driver is winning the standup battle so far.
Stathis misses with a hook.
Driver ducks under a wild hook from Stathis.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Driver shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Stathis as he jumps to the side.
Stathis on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Driver throws a head kick that Stathis semi-blocks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stathis defending well as Driver loads up on a big left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pavlos Stathis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Driver 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28

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