PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Focker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stefan Struve (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stefan Struve is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Focker
vs
Struve

184 cm
19
230 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

211 cm
24
243 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Focker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stefan Struve!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, David Schapiro and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Focker tries to clinch there but Struve circles away.
Focker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Struve shoots in but Focker avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Focker is looking to clinch but Struve is avoiding it.
Struve misses with a wild body shot.
Struve swats away the attempt to clinch by Focker.
Struve fails to land the takedown.
Focker tries to clinch up.
Focker wants to clinch.
Struve closes the distance and clinches up with Focker, looking for a takedown. Struve pushes Focker against the cage but Focker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
John Focker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stefan Struve.
Focker tries to clinch but Struve is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Focker takes the fight into the clinch.
Struve tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Struve dodges an elbow strike from Focker.
Focker lands an elbow inside that Struve shrugs off.

It looks like Stefan Struve has been cut.
Focker's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Struve is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Focker can't fight it off and eventually Struve manages to take the fight to the floor. Focker looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Struve trying to control but Focker is working from the bottom.
Focker wants to get back to his feet but Struve is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Focker wriggles free and stands up.

Focker gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Focker throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Focker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Struve dodges an elbow strike from Focker.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Focker just misses with a elbow thrown towards Struve's brow.
Focker throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Struve blocks an elbow strike from Focker.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Focker.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Focker.
Focker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Focker.

Struve gets control of Focker's arms and successfully pulls guard. Struve will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struve pulls Focker in close to his closed guard and prevents Focker from doing any damage or advancing position.

Struve has his feet on Focker's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Focker tries to clinch up but Struve circles away and keeps his distance.
Focker is looking to clinch but Struve is avoiding it.
Focker wants to clinch up but Struve keeps it at a distance.
Focker slaps away a takedown attempt from Struve, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Struve shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Focker as he avoids it easily.
Focker tries to close the distance and clinch but Struve swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Focker doesn't manage to clinch there - Struve circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Focker as Struve shoots in.
Struve closes this distance looking for a takedown but Focker circles away.
Struve looks gassed!
Focker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Struve paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Focker moves in looking to clinch but Struve pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Focker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Struve circles away from the clinch attempt.
Focker tries to clinch but Struve is having none of it.
Focker is looking to clinch.
Focker tries to clinch but Struve is having none of it.
Struve throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Focker's waist but Focker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Struve off to one side.

Focker has taken the fight to the clinch.
Focker pushes off an throws an elbow but Struve leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Focker just misses with a elbow thrown towards Struve's brow.
Struve avoids the elbow strike from Focker, against the cage.
Focker lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Focker takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
With the fighters up against the cage, Focker throws an elbow but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Focker.
Focker's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Focker is pressed up against the cage. Struve has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Focker down to the mat. Focker avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Focker doesn't manage to clinch there - Struve circles away.
Focker fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Focker tries to clinch up.

Focker closes the distance and pushes Struve back into the cage.
Focker misses with an elbow over the top.
Focker holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Focker misses with an elbow strike.
Focker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Focker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Struve has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Focker throws an elbow but it misses.
Struve trying to stall but Focker improves his position.

Struve has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Focker regains guard immediately.
Struve won't allow Focker to get back to his feet.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

Struve drops back, looking for a kneebar! Focker looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Focker looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Focker!

Focker has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Focker dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stefan Struve's cut.
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.

Focker wants to clinch.
Struve swats away the attempt to clinch by Focker.
Focker wants to clinch up but Struve keeps it at a distance.
Focker is looking to clinch but Struve is avoiding it.

Focker gets caught flat footed, as Struve shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Focker has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Struve off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Struve is defended easily by Focker.

Focker gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Focker throws an elbow that misses.
Struve avoids the elbow strike from Focker, against the cage.
Struve is breathing heavily.
Struve can't get the takedown.
Focker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Focker throws an elbow that misses.
Focker prevents Struve from breaking the clinch.
Struve dodges an elbow strike from Focker.
Struve tries for a takedown but Focker manages to get underhooks.
John Focker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stefan Struve.
Struve fails to pull guard.
Focker misses with an elbow over the top.
Focker looking to throw knees to the head but Struve is blocking nicely.
Focker avoiding damage.
Struve has Focker pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Focker manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Focker with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Focker.
Focker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Focker pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Focker comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Struve wants to break the clinch but can't.
Focker throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Focker comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Focker looking to throw knees to the head but Struve is blocking nicely.
Focker stalls.
With the fighters up against the cage, Focker throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Struve has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Focker is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Focker lands an elbow inside that Struve shrugs off.

That has opened up Stefan Struve's cut even more.
Focker throws an elbow but it misses.
Focker lands a damaging elbow.
Focker throws an elbow that misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Focker throws an elbow but misses.
Focker lands a nice elbow.
Nice elbow from Focker.

The cut above Stefan Struve's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Struve dodges an elbow strike from Focker.
Struve avoids a wild elbow strike from Focker.
Focker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Struve has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Focker connects with a nasty looking knee right to Struve's face.

Stefan Struve's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
With the fighters up against the cage, Focker throws an elbow but misses.
Focker lands an elbow inside that Struve shrugs off.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Stefan Struve's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). John Focker!