PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony Sparks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gang Starr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gang Starr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sparks
vs
Starr

182 cm
22
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
213 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Sparks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gang Starr!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sparks takes the fight into the clinch.
Sparks can't break the clinch.
Sparks has had enough of the clinch but Starr keeps him there for the moment.
Starr wants to stall.
Starr tries to throw a body punch but Sparks avoids it by throwing Starr back against the cage.
Starr looking for a takedown.

Sparks manages to break the clinch.
Sparks swats away the attempt to clinch by Starr.
Starr shoots for a takedown but Sparks saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sparks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Starr counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sparks!
Sparks could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Starr trying to control but Sparks is having none of it.
Starr scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Starr can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sparks is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Sparks regains full guard. Nicely done.
Starr trying to control but Sparks is working from the bottom.
Sparks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Starr is one step ahead there.

Sparks working for a triangle but Starr defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starr stands up over Sparks, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Sparks is looking for a triangle but Starr pushes his legs off easily.
Starr wants to pass the guard but Sparks is keeping the position.
Sparks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Sparks working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Starr doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Starr manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sparks is breathing heavily.
Starr wants to control from the top but Sparks keeps moving.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Starr controls from within his opponent's guard.

Sparks looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Starr's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Starr wants to get up but he can't break Sparks's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Starr won't allow Sparks to sweep him here.
Starr lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Starr looking to pass the guard.
Starr trying to control the position from guard on top but Sparks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparks trying to control the position.
Starr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sparks swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Starr closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sparks to the mat! Sparks manages to get full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Starr wants to control from the top but Sparks keeps moving.
Sparks trying to keep a closed guard but Starr is proving a slippery customer.
Starr must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Starr wants to stand but Sparks has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Starr trying to control but Sparks is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sparks is on top in guard.
Starr striking off his back but it's not causing Sparks any problems.
Starr trying to keep a closed guard but Sparks is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gang Starr will probably get the nod.
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.

Sparks stalks Starr and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Starr's face. Starr staggers backwards, shaken.
Sparks throws a series of punches but Starr moves out of range.
Sparks closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sparks keeps the fight on the outside.
Sparks tries to bum rush Starr with a series of wild strikes but Starr uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Starr misses with a looping left.
Sparks throws a combination. Starr tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Starr will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Starr tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Sparks paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sparks fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks tries for a takedown but Starr sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Sparks looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Starr wants to control but Sparks passes easily into half guard.
Sparks has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Starr is desperately trying to improve his position but Sparks has a good base and remains in mount.
Sparks scoring with strikes but Starr is staying in there.
Starr is working to get back to half guard.
Starr slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Sparks seems to be looking for submissions.
Starr tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starr is trying to maintain the position but Sparks is very close to passing his half guard.
Starr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Starr can do anything to dispel that myth.
Starr is in trouble now - Sparks has advanced to mount!

Sparks is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Sparks goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Starr.
Sparks moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Sparks scores with a punch to the head.
Sparks is looking to clinch but Starr is avoiding it.
Tony Sparks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sparks misses with a series of wild punches.
Sparks punishes Starr's body with a nice straight punch.
Sparks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Starr counters with a shoot takedown. Sparks fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starr passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sparks is trying to improve his position.
Starr in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Sparks is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Starr's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Gang Starr has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ground and pound from Starr.
Starr is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Sparks looking for submissions off his back.
Starr takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Starr scoring with strikes to the body and head.
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 Tony Sparks will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sparks fails with the takedown

and Starr counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Starr really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sparks. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sparks makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sparks.
Sparks keeping full guard, as Starr tries to pass.
Starr trying to control but Sparks is working from the bottom.
Sparks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Starr.

Sparks working for a triangle but Starr defends it easily.
Sparks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Starr is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sparks trying to keep a closed guard but Starr is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr stands and throws Sparks's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Starr working the ground and pound.
Sparks tries to buck Starr off but Starr is having none of it.

Starr is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sparks is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Starr is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sparks has escaped the position, nice work there.
Starr working the ground and pound from side control.
Starr works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Starr cracks Sparks with a big right hand but Sparks just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sparks gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Starr seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Starr lands with a punch from half guard.
Starr sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Starr is thwarting Sparks's attempts to control the position.

Starr wants to work for an arm triangle but Sparks is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Starr working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sparks blocking the ground and pound attempt from Starr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparks won't allow Starr to pass to mount.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sparks scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sparks misses with a two punch combination.
Sparks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Starr counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Starr decides to stand up.
Sparks throws a one two combo.
Sparks looks to score with a jab to the body but Starr is just out of range.
Sparks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sparks takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparks misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sparks misses with a takedown attempt

and Starr counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Sparks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sparks manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Starr manages to get himself to full guard.
Starr is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Starr keeping moving, preventing Sparks from controlling successfully.
Starr has Sparks pulled in close to control his posture.
Starr is trying to hold Sparks in close to prevent damage but Sparks has managed to pass into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sparks trying to control the action but Starr is working from the bottom.
Sparks tries to pass the half guard into mount. Starr knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gang Starr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Starr has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gang Starr!