PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Staal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Llewelyn Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Llewelyn Carter has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Staal
vs
Carter

195 cm
33
230 lbs
33 - 10 - 0

198 cm
32
264 lbs
29 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)
Merciless Gladiators

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 33 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Staal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Llewelyn Carter!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carter looks to score with a jab to the body but Staal is just out of range.

Carter has taken the fight to the clinch.
Carter missing with knees to the body.
Carter manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Carter avoiding damage as Staal throws knees to the body.
Carter misses with a knee to the head.
Staal scores a nice knee to the body.
Staal prevents a body shot from Carter.
Staal is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Carter is defending well for now.
Carter lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Carter leaning against his opponent.
Carter doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Staal is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Carter creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Staal's defenses.

It looks like John Staal has been cut.
Carter tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Staal's elbow.
Carter on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Staal.
Staal is trying to maintain a safe position but Carter gets an underhook and turns Staal into the cage.
Carter tries to land a knee to the head but Staal blocks with his arms.
Carter lands an elbow just above Staal 's eye.
Carter trying to control the position but instead, Staal has worked for underhooks and has pushed Carter into the cage.
Our sources have told us that Staal has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Staal is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Carter is defending well for now.
Staal managing to block the knees to the body from Carter.
Carter blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees to the body from Staal.
Staal trying to land knees to the body.
Carter lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Staal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Carter.
Carter misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter working aggressively here.
Staal takes a shot to the head.
Carter avoiding damage as Staal throws knees to the body.
Carter prevents a takedown attempt there.
Carter taking a breather.
Carter misses with a hook from the clinch.
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!
Staal tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carter lands a right hand that snaps the head of Staal backwards.
Carter lands a nice knee to the body.
Staal is breathing heavily.
Carter comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Carter content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Carter with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal being controlled against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Llewelyn Carter.
Staal misses with a right hand
and Carter counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Staal misses with a shot to the body

and Carter counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Carter.
Carter misses with a knee to the head.
Carter swings wildly with an uppercut but Staal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Staal misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Carter.
Staal missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter unloads a knee to the mid-section.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Staal tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Carter avoids it.
Carter landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Carter lands a shoulder strike.
Carter throws a head punch that misses.
Carter lands a shoulder strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Carter as Staal tries to tie him up.
Knees to the body from Carter.
Staal's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Carter scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Staal managing to block the knees to the body from Carter.
Carter lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Staal's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Carter tries to stall but Staal uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Llewelyn Carter dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Staal'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.

A looping hook to the body misses from Staal. Carter does a little dance to reset his feet.
Carter has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Staal is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Staal moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Staal has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Staal drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Staal uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Carter.
Carter scores with a spinning back kick!
Staal dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Carter. That did some damage!
Staal closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Staal tries a head kick but it misses.
The fighters circling - Staal throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Staal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Carter moves away.
Carter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Staal swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Staal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Carter moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Staal thows a body shot but no joy.
Staal thows a body shot but no joy.
Carter throws out a leg kick but Staal moves out of range and Carter only half commits.
Carter missing with a left hand there. Staal was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A low kick from Staal is predictable there
and Carter counters with a slapping leg kick.
Staal shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Carter eats them both and turns towards Staal to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Llewelyn Carter has been cut.
Carter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Staal paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Staal takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Carter has managed to clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Carter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter tries a knee to the head but Staal blocks it.
Staal tries a knee to the head but Carter blocks it.
Carter lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Carter cracks Staal with a nice body shot.
Carter lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Carter throws an elbow that misses.
Carter lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Carter tries to work over Staal's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Carter tries a knee to the head but Staal blocks it.
Staal blocks a body shot from Carter.
Staal misses with a punch to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Staal.
A right hand to the body from Carter.
Carter lands with a right to the head.
Carter fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter throws a punch but it's blocked by Staal.
Staal on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Staal tries to land a knee to the head but Carter blocks with his arms.
A short right from Carter on the inside.
Staal trying to land knees to the body.
Carter throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Staal blocks it with crossed arms.
A shot in the inside from Carter.
Carter tries to work over Staal's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Carter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carter tries a body shot but Staal blocks it.
Carter misses with a knee strike.
Carter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A head punch on the inside from Carter fails to land.
Carter unloads a knee to the mid-section. Staal lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Staal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter misses with a hook to the ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Staal's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Staal utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Carter avoiding damage.
Staal looking to throw knees to the head but Carter is blocking nicely.
Llewelyn Carter seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Carter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Staal blocks the elbow strike.
Staal scores a nice knee to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Carter pushes off an throws an elbow but Staal leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Staal.
Staal tries to land knees in the clinch but Carter avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Llewelyn Carter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Staal takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Staal throws a body kick that misses

and Carter counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Carter goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Carter lands a knee to the body.
Carter with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Carter swings wildly with an uppercut but Staal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Carter tries a body shot but Staal blocks it.
Staal using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Carter has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Carter obliges.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Carter lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Carter lands an uppercut.
Knees in the clinch landing for Carter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter tries to land knees in the clinch but Staal avoids the damage to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Carter.
Stalling in the clinch from Carter.
Staal tries to pull guard but Carter won't allow it.
Carter managing to block the knees to the body from Staal.
Carter cracks Staal with a nice body shot.
With the fighters up against the cage, Carter throws an elbow but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Carter.
Carter lands a hook that snaps the head of Staal backwards.
Carter unloads a knee to the mid-section. Staal lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Carter lands with a light punch inside.
Carter lands a damaging elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Carter lands a nice uppercut.
Carter lands a nice uppercut.

Staal is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Staal has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Oh Staal is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Carter tries to land knees in the clinch but Staal avoids the damage to the body.
Carter works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Carter using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Staal seems to have got his legs back now.
Carter is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Carter swings wildly with an uppercut but Staal uses good head movement to avoid it.
A body shot lands from Carter.
Carter softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Carter gets underhooks to prevent Staal's takedown attempt.
Carter tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Carter drops Staal with a big knee straight up the middle! Staal is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter scores with a nice body kick.
Carter closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Staal! Carter dives in looking to finish! Staal is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Llewelyn Carter!
A victorious Llewelyn Carter thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.