PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Piano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeremy Staton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piano kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is "Scatman" by Scatman John . This should be fireworks!

Piano
vs
Staton

210 cm
23
270 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

190 cm
28
277 lbs
20 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Don Piano!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jeremy Staton!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piano lands a body shot.
Piano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A punch combination from Piano misses.
Piano ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Staton pivots, looking for a leg kick but Piano is out of range and Staton settles back down.
Piano swings for the body but Staton moves out of range.
Staton throws a looping overhand right but Piano ducks down to avoid it.
Staton throws a jab but it's blocked by Piano.
Staton takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Staton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Staton jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
No joy there for Staton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Piano closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staton trying to control the position but instead, Piano has worked for underhooks and has pushed Staton into the cage.
Staton misses with the head strike.
Piano leaning against his opponent.
Staton keeps control of Piano as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Staton looking to slow down the pace here.
A right handed body shot lands from Piano.
Staton is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Piano makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Piano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Staton's elbow.
Piano working hard to break the clinch.
A short uppercut from Piano.
Staton is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Staton trying to stall but Piano improves his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Staton manages to break the clinch.
Staton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Piano.
Piano missing with a left hand there. Staton was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Staton takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Staton lands a nice shot that snaps Piano's head back.
Staton swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Piano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Piano throws out a leg kick but Staton moves out of range and Piano only half commits.
Piano thows a body shot but no joy.
Piano uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Staton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piano fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Staton scoring well with a low kick there.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
Staton falls off balance throwing a combination
and Piano counters with a stiff right hand.
Piano lands a body shot.
Piano blocks a leg kick.
Piano moves out of range of the strikes.
Piano lands with a hook. Staton tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Staton loads up on a big right hand but Piano slips the punch.
Piano ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Staton looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano lunges at Staton with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Staton's hand.
Donk. Staton catches Piano right on the button with a cross.
Piano throws a series of punches but Staton avoids them all with ease.
Piano lands a lovely overhand right.
Piano misses with a looping left.
Piano moves forwards but Staton connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Piano looks to score with a jab to the body but Staton is just out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Staton misses the target.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Piano.
Staton drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Piano dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Piano misses the jab.
Piano moves out of range of the body kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Staton.
A looping hook to the body misses from Piano. Staton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Piano swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Piano drives through and clinches with Staton against the cage.
Piano gets underhooks to prevent Staton's takedown attempt.
Piano is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A right hook to the body lands for Piano.
Piano holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Staton taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Staton looking to stall.
Piano holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staton prevents a body shot from Piano.
Staton blocks an uppercut.
Piano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Piano drops down looking for an ankle pick but Staton pulls his leg out and moves away.
Staton takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A good leg kick by Staton.
Piano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Piano just misses with a punch to the body.
Staton waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Piano.
Piano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Staton was well out of range. Poor timing from Piano.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Piano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Piano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Staton prevents a body shot from Piano.
A head punch on the inside from Piano fails to land.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Staton is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Piano is keeping busy.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Piano has a couple of punches blocked by Staton.
Staton lands a body shot in the clinch.
Staton lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Staton tries to circle away but Piano has him pinned against the cage.
Piano lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staton wants a takedown but no success here.

Staton breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Staton uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Piano.
Staton throws the kick towards the body but Piano avoids it.
Staton throws a jab when Piano was well out of range.
Piano lands a slapping body shot.
Piano keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Piano ducks under a wild hook from Staton.
Piano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Staton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Staton lands a glancing blow to the side of Piano's head.
Piano scores with a sloppy right hand. Staton should have avoided that one.
Don Piano is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Staton cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Piano throws a right hand that misses
and Staton counters with a one-two to the body.
Piano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Piano tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Staton is able to avoid easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Staton. That's going to slow Piano down.
Piano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Staton throws out the jab.
Piano keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Staton misses with a straight right.
Piano misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Don Piano will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Staton lands a front kick.
Staton moves out of range of the strikes.
Piano throws a leg kick
and Staton makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Piano is looking to wear down Staton with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Piano thows a body shot but no joy.
Piano throws a lazy uppercut
and Staton connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Staton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Piano moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Piano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staton manages to avoid it.
Staton fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Staton moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Staton works Piano's body with a nice hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staton checks a low kick from Piano.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Piano blocks a jab.
Piano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staton manages to avoid it.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
Piano tries to clinch there but Staton circles away.
Staton tries to land a leg kick but Piano saw it coming and moves away.
Staton throws a half hearted mid kick.
Piano will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Piano lands a jab to the nose.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano blocks a leg kick.
Piano tries to work over Staton's front leg with a kick but Staton checks it.
Piano gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice cross by Piano.
Piano shoots in looking for a takedown. Staton tries to sprawl out of it but Piano keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Staton manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Staton connects with the punch.
A jab lands there for Piano.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piano misses with a takedown
and Staton counters with a left to the body.
Staton scores with a nice strike.
Staton shoots and misses
and Piano counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Staton thinking.
Staton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Staton tries to bum rush Piano with a series of wild strikes but Piano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Staton swings for the body but Piano moves out of range.
Piano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Staton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Staton tried to score with a low kick but Piano checks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Staton.
Piano scores with the left hand. Staton knows he should have avoided that one.
Staton bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Staton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Staton stalks Piano and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Piano's face. Piano staggers backwards, shaken.
Staton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Piano was well out of range. Poor timing from Staton.
Staton on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Piano clinches with his opponent.
Staton blocks a body shot from Piano.
Piano misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Piano lands a body punch in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Don Piano did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Piano stuns Staton with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Piano takes a swing at Staton's ribcage but misses.
Piano throws a jab but it's blocked by Staton.
Staton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Staton slips under a jab from Piano.
A looping hook to the body misses from Piano. Staton does a little dance to reset his feet.
Piano with a hook.
Piano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staton manages to avoid it.
Staton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Staton wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Piano finds it's way through Staton's defenses.
Staton looks to throw the jab but Piano is out of range.
Piano just misses with a punch to the body.
Staton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Piano moves away.
A swing and a miss from Staton.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
Staton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Piano was well out of range. Poor timing from Staton.
Piano thows a body shot but no joy.
A slow jab from Staton misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano looks to score with a jab to the body but Staton is just out of range.

Piano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Don Piano has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Staton is looking to break free of the clinch but Piano has double underhooks.
Piano misses with a hook to the ribs.
Staton wants to break the clinch but can't.
Staton prevents a body shot from Piano.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Piano wants the takedown. Staton is fighting it off but Piano persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Staton's guard against the cage.
Staton is trying to keep Piano in close.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Staton avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staton looking for a sweep. Not yet Staton, not yet.
Staton trying to control the position here.
Piano is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Piano tries to free his leg and advance position but Staton is retaining full guard.
Piano wants to control from the top but Staton keeps moving.
Piano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Staton working a defensive guard but Piano passes into half guard.

Staton actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Piano 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.
Staton wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Staton wants to control the action here but instead Piano manages to pass to full mount!
Staton is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Staton tries to reverse the position but Piano maintains control.
Piano scores with a couple of good head shots there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Piano lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Piano pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
A nice elbow there by Piano.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Piano had his way with Jeremy Staton in that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Piano misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Staton counters with a nice body shot.
Piano connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Piano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Staton throws out the jab.
Staton leaves Piano with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Piano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Staton manages to avoid it.
Staton throws a leg kick but Piano checks it.
Staton looks to score with a jab to the body but Piano is just out of range.
Staton missing with a left hand there. Piano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Piano scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Piano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice uppercut lands for Staton. That snapped Piano's head back.
A jab from Piano misses.
Piano lands a nice hook to Staton's body. Staton takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Staton throws an off balance right hand
and Piano makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Staton is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Staton misses with a looping right.
Staton missing with a left hand there. Piano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Staton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Staton lands a leg kick that knocks Piano off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
Staton takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Staton uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Piano.
Piano will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Piano blocks a jab.
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!
Piano looks to throw the jab but Staton is out of range.
Piano connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Staton's hands.
Piano is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Staton takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Piano blocks a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piano gets the takedown into side control.

Piano goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Staton has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Piano but great work by Staton.
Staton throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Don Piano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Staton lands a few punches from side control.
Piano parries the strikes from Staton easily there. Staton is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Piano to escape.
Piano gets back to half guard.
Staton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Piano blocking the ground and pound attempt from Staton.
Piano avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Staton.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Piano is trying to control but can't.
Staton is looking to take a break and control but Piano is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Staton scoring with strikes to the body and head.
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!
Piano trying to hold on to Staton's head to control him but Staton postures up.
Staton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Piano trying to control from the bottom.
Staton with the ground and pound but Piano uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Piano looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Piano showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Piano 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 50:45
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 50:45
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Piano!
Don Piano retains his heavyweight title!