PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mercito Gesta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brandon Stark will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Gesta
vs
Stark

182 cm
36
190 lbs
11 - 12 - 0

190 cm
24
200 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mercito Gesta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brandon Stark!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Chris Dean and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stark gets caught flat footed, as Gesta shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Stark wants to sweep here but Gesta controlling him for the moment.
Stark is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gesta is controlling him.
Gesta is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Stark wants to sweep here but Gesta controlling him for the moment.
Stark utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gesta postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Stark looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gesta slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Stark really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gesta. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Gesta has gone for a leg lock! Stark slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gesta's guard.
Gesta seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark trying to control but Gesta is working from the bottom.
Gesta has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Gesta looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stark preventing the sweep.

Gesta has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Stark can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gesta is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Stark defends well.

Gesta has his feet on Stark's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Gesta shoots in for a takedown but Stark shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Brandon Stark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stark misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Gesta shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gesta showed some decent athleticism there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark trying to hold on to Gesta's head to control him but Gesta postures up.
Stark tries to roll over but Gesta keeps him under control.

Gesta is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Stark has managed to free his arm - good work.
Stark is not content to let Gesta control the position.

Stark looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gesta is pressing down on Stark's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stark is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gesta slows the pace down in half guard.
Stark has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gesta is working away from the top position though.

Gesta is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gesta works his way into side control.

Gesta is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Stark knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Stark on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gesta wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Gesta is trying to get an arm triangle but Stark is defending well.
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!
Gesta moves into full mount!
Gesta looking to control but Stark is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stark wants to control but Gesta is having none of it.
Stark is trying to escape the mount but Gesta keeps good control and instead manages to take Stark's back.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Stark defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Gesta's arms.

Stark is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gesta gets his way!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mercito Gesta dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Stark bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Stark tries to clinch but Gesta moves out of range.
Gesta looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Stark tries to clinch up.
Stark tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Stark darts in trying to clinch

and Gesta counters by moving into the clinch.
Gesta with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gesta blocks the elbow strike.
Gesta tries for a takedown. No joy.
With the fighters up against the cage, Stark throws an elbow but misses.
Gesta avoids a wild elbow strike from Stark.
Gesta wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark pushes off an throws an elbow but Gesta leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stark just misses with a elbow thrown towards Gesta's brow.
Stark lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Stark pushes off an throws an elbow but Gesta leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gesta avoids the elbow strike from Stark, against the cage.
Stark lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gesta misses with a knee to the head.
Stark throws an elbow but it misses.
Gesta blocks an elbow strike.
Stark throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Stark throws an elbow that misses.
Stark pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stark's coach down at Thunder Dome was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Stark's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Nice elbow from Stark.
With the fighters up against the cage, Stark throws an elbow but misses.
Stark creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Gesta tries to land knees in the clinch but Stark avoids the damage to the body.

Gesta successfully pulls guard.
Stark wants to stand but Gesta is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark with a flurry of punches that miss.

Stark stands and steps away. Gesta gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Stark gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stark gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gesta.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mercito Gesta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gesta holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Stark throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Gesta pulls guard effortlessly.
Gesta scores with a nice shot.
Stark tries to free his leg and advance position but Gesta is retaining full guard.
Gesta wants to sweep here but Stark controlling him for the moment.
Gesta bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stark's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark controls Gesta momentarily but Gesta frees himself.
Gesta showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Gesta is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Stark wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Stark has momentary wrist control but Gesta slips an elbow through the middle.
Gesta throwing strikes from guard but Stark blocks nicely.
Gesta is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stark is working an open guard so Gesta takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Stark moves in looking to clinch but Gesta pushes him off.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Stark, right into the meat.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
Stark moves in looking to clinch but Gesta pushes him off.
Stark moves in looking to clinch but Gesta pushes him off.
Gesta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Brandon Stark is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Stark.
Stark takes a kick to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Stark instigates a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gesta holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Gesta escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brandon Stark will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Stark delivers a nice body kick.
Stark closes the distance looking to clinch
and Gesta counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Stark is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Gesta shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stark but Stark pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stark keeps the fight on the outside.
Gesta throws a head kick that misses.
Gesta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stark pinned against the cage. Stark gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Stark wants to clinch.
Stark tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gesta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stark fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Stark misses
and Gesta counters with a good low kick that Stark was not able to check.
Stark tries to clinch but Gesta moves out of range.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stark looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gesta goes for a double leg but Stark avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Stark continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mercito Gesta. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stark on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gesta takes an elbow to the temple.
Stark throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Stark pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Gesta pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Brandon Stark seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gesta shoots in for a double leg but Stark sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gesta shoots for a double leg takedown but Stark sprawls well. He's pushed Gesta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Stark delivers a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stark throws a head kick but Gesta moves out of range.
Stark tries to clinch there but Gesta circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gesta circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gesta counters with a solid body kick.
Stark scores with a leg kick.
Mercito Gesta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stark tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gesta makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Stark really felt that one!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gesta fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stark throws a sloppy head kick and Gesta moves out of range easily.
Stark tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gesta manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gesta avoids the head kick by Stark.
Horrible takedown by Gesta or perhaps it was just good defense by Stark which made him look bad.
Gesta throws a sloppy head kick and Stark moves out of range easily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gesta.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark struggling a bit here.
Stark wants to get back to his feet.

Gesta tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gesta has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gesta is trying to get an arm triangle but Stark is defending well.
Gesta grinds an elbow into Stark's temple.

Gesta is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Stark looks calm but he's in trouble here. Gesta gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Stark is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Gesta lets go of the hold and Stark can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mercito Gesta!
An out of breath and clearly excited Mercito Gesta thanked Xtreme Merchandise for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).