PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jon James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vito Starkard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think James might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Kanye West. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

James
vs
Starkard

195 cm
25
245 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

196 cm
19
242 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jon James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Vito Starkard!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Starkard pushes James up against the cage in a clinch.
Starkard is looking for a takedown.

James jumps guard and drags Starkard to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Starkard distracts James with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Starkard working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Starkard is looking to work some ground and pound but James has wrist control.
Starkard throws a big elbow that misses.
Starkard throws an elbow that misses. James uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Starkard's guard. Nice move by James!
Starkard trying to keep a closed guard but James is proving a slippery customer.
James's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Starkard keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starkard is looking to stand up but James isn't so interested in that idea.
James's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Starkard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jon James.
Starkard lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Jon James has been cut.
James tries a head kick but it misses.
James shoots in but no luck this time.
James is breathing heavily.
Starkard tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.
An inside leg kick lands from Starkard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Starkard tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and James counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to force a seperation but Starkard has the dominant position.
Starkard with an attempt at a knee that misses.
James is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Starkard gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starkard stops a takedown attempt from James.
James prevents the takedown attempt.
Starkard is stalling here.
James drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Starkard gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Starkard misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from James.
Starkard is working James over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Starkard walks away with a smile on his face. James gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Starkard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Starkard misses with an elbow over the top.
James on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Starkard pulls James into guard.
Starkard has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad The Island. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Starkard looking for a sweep. Not yet Starkard, not yet.
Starkard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst James is controlling him.
Starkard keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Starkard seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jon James just wasn't active enough.
Starkard scores with a spinning back kick!
Starkard tries to clinch but fails miserably
and James counters with a good low kick that Starkard was not able to check.
A combination from Starkard does no damage.
Starkard tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but James defends well and Starkard ends up having to push James into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Starkard missing with knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Starkard tries to land knees in the clinch but James avoids the damage to the body.
Starkard working hard to break the clinch.

Starkard has hold of one of James's legs. James is fighting the takedown attempt but Starkard gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vito Starkard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jon James's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

James clinches.
James stalling in the clinch but Starkard improves position.
Starkard is trying to drag James to the mat but James just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Starkard pushes off an throws an elbow but James leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
James drops down looking for an ankle pick but Starkard pulls his leg out and moves away.
Starkard tries to clinch but James moves away

and James counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
James moves nicely into side control.
You can see the frustration on Starkard's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Starkard tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starkard is trying to control James's posture but James avoids it.
James throws a strike aimed at the side of Starkard's head but Starkard avoids it well.
James wants to control but Starkard is keeping him busy.
Starkard tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Starkard is trying to control James's posture but James avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James controlling from side mount.
James lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Starkard down.
James working away.
James working the ground and pound but Starkard is defending the strikes.
Starkard is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked James off and has taken his back!
Starkard missing with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkard is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Starkard missing with strikes from the back.
James covering up well and avoiding damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Starkard scores with punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James is trying to stand back up.
Starkard is throwing shots to the body but James manages to wriggle free. Starkard pounces on him again and ends up in James's guard.
James preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starkard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Starkard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
James utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Starkard working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
James preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Starkard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Starkard drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and James dives on top into guard.
Vito Starkard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
James trying to stand up but can't free himself from Starkard's guard.
Starkard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vito Starkard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jon James's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

James throws a series of punches but Starkard avoids them all with ease.
Starkard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. James manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Starkard swinging wildly here.
Starkard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. James manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Starkard shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Starkard seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but James does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
James regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Starkard with a nice head shot there.
James wants to get back to his feet but Starkard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James looking for a sweep. Not yet James, not yet.
Starkard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of James's head.
James looking to hit a scissor sweep but Starkard is one step ahead there.
Starkard postures up in James's guard and throws a big left but James blocks it.
Starkard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
James has momentary wrist control but Starkard slips an elbow through the middle.
Starkard throws a strike but James rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

James drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Starkard manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now James has Starkard in his guard.
Jon James has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starkard with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Starkard trying to move into half guard but instead James has managed to sweep!
Starkard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
James manages to get to full guard.

Starkard decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starkard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Starkard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but James paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Starkard wants to clinch.

Starkard moves into the clinch successfully.
James is trying to pull guard but Starkard has him pressed against the cage.
James prevents the takedown attempt.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, James creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Starkard throws an elbow but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James jumps guard but Starkard turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
James misses with an elbow strike.
Starkard taking a breather.
Starkard tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
James jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Starkard walks away with a smile on his face. James gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon James. That's going to take a lot out of him.

James shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than James was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Starkard is looking to reverse the position.
Starkard keeps trying to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Starkard can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vito Starkard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Starkard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vito Starkard!
The defeated Jon James had this to say: 'I tried my best '.