PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrey Arshavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Arshavin
vs
Stark

200 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
270 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Andrey Arshavin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bobby Stark!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arshavin blocks a head kick by Stark.
Arshavin fails in his attempt to clinch.

Stark has taken the fight to the clinch.

Arshavin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Arshavin manages to end up in side control.
Arshavin trying to control the action but Stark is working from the bottom.
Stark is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stark manages to work his way to half guard, despite Arshavin's best efforts.
Stark is looking for a sweep. Arshavin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stark pushes Arshavin off looking to stand but Arshavin dives back in and keeps control.
Stark looks gassed!
Arshavin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Arshavin decides to stand and escape the position.
Arshavin tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin scores with a nice head shot.
Arshavin misses with a takedown attempt - Stark sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Stark swinging wilding here.
An inside leg kick lands from Arshavin.

Arshavin feints and as Stark raises his hands in defense, Arshavin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stark wants to stand and escape but Arshavin is having none of it.
Arshavin trying to control the position from guard on top but Stark is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Arshavin stands and steps away. Stark gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Stark circles away from the clinch attempt

and Stark counters by moving into the clinch.
Stark is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Arshavin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Arshavin prevents Stark from breaking the clinch.
Arshavin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Stark just stands there and leans against the cage.
Arshavin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Stark smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrey Arshavin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Arshavin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stark regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark 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.
Stark is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Arshavin stands and steps away. Stark gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Arshavin tries to clinch
and Stark counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Arshavin closes the distance and clinches up with Stark, looking for a takedown. Arshavin pushes Stark against the cage but Stark circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Stark lands with a straight right. Arshavin didn't see that one coming.
A left lands for Stark.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Arshavin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Stark clinches.

Stark has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Arshavin clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Stark scores with punches to the body.
Arshavin looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Stark trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arshavin turns into Stark and is now in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrey Arshavin dominated that round.
That's time! Arshavin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stark is looking to clinch.
Arshavin fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice straight punches there by Stark. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Stark.

Stark closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stark trying to land knees to the body.
Stark prevents Arshavin from breaking the clinch.
Stark tries to score a body lock takedown but Arshavin shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Arshavin stops a takedown attempt from Stark.
Arshavin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stark blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Arshavin missing with knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arshavin trying to control the position but instead, Stark has worked for underhooks and has pushed Arshavin into the cage.
Arshavin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Stark smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Andrey Arshavin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stark pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Stark rushes Arshavin and presses him up against the cage.
Arshavin has had enough of the clinch but Stark keeps him there for the moment.

Arshavin pulls guard.
Arshavin trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Arshavin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Stark sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Arshavin's guard.

Stark postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Arshavin to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark thows a body shot but no joy.
Arshavin with a lazy takedown attempt
and Stark counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrey Arshavin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Arshavin drives through with a takedown into guard.

Arshavin stands up and waves to Stark to follow him.
Arshavin swats away the attempt to clinch by Stark.
Arshavin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arshavin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stark holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stark should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Arshavin looking to slow down the pace here.
Stark lands with a right to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Stark.
Arshavin stops a takedown attempt from Stark.
Stark throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stark is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Arshavin gets control of Stark's arms and successfully pulls guard. Arshavin will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Arshavin has a closed guard, preventing Stark from standing up.
Stark is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Stark trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four 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.
Arshavin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stark wants to get up but he can't break Arshavin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Stark stands up over Arshavin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stark must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Stark throwing strikes but missing.
Stark wants to control from the top but Arshavin keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Stark walks forward, straight into a front kick from Arshavin.
Stark smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Arshavin tries to clinch

and Stark holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stark wants a takedown.
Arshavin is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bobby Stark will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Stark misses the shot to the body.
Arshavin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Arshavin ducks right into an uppercut from Stark.
Stark fails with the takedown.

Arshavin gets a takedown into half guard.
Stark wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Arshavin is looking to take a break and control but Stark is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stark is looking for a sweep. Arshavin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arshavin trying to control from half guard but Stark is working away.
Stark regains full guard. Nicely done.
Stark tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stark is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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

Stark changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Arshavin looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Stark stands up.
Stark shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark tests Arshavin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Stark bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Donk. Stark catches Arshavin right on the button with a cross.
Arshavin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stark tries to clinch up but Arshavin circles away and keeps his distance.
Arshavin avoids the body shot from Stark.
Arshavin shoots in for a double leg but Stark sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Arshavin gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Arshavin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stark.

Stark closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stark decides to return to a standing position.
Stark fails with an attempt to clinch.
Arshavin tries for a takedown but Stark circles away easily

and Stark holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stark can't get the takedown.
Andrey Arshavin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bobby Stark.
Stark is struggling to control the position.

Stark has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Arshavin uses from the top position.
Arshavin slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Stark wants to get back to his feet but Arshavin drags him back down.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stark is not content to let Arshavin control the position.
Stark manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Arshavin is trying to stand.
Arshavin wants to control but Stark is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stark is trying to control the action in half guard but Arshavin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Stark comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stark 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Bobby Stark!