PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Staal (ranked 535 p4p, 76 weight class) and Alexander Potter (ranked 540 p4p, 77 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Staal
vs
Potter

180 cm
30
192 lbs
15 - 5 - 1

194 cm
30
190 lbs
17 - 9 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fanatic Inc.

Urban Fighter
Red Light Coffeeshop

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 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, Eric Staal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexander Potter!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, David Schapiro and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Potter tries for a takedown but Staal circles away easily
and Staal counters with a head kick. That will keep Potter thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Staal takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Staal throws a leg kick

and Potter decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Staal's guard.
Potter postures up in Staal's guard and throws a big left but Staal blocks it.
Potter won't allow Staal to sweep him here.
Potter tries to free his leg and advance position but Staal is retaining full guard.
Staal trying to keep a closed guard but Potter is proving a slippery customer.
Potter throws a big elbow that misses.
Staal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Staal keeping full guard, as Potter tries to pass.
Potter cracks Staal with a solid left hand.
Staal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potter with a flurry of punches that miss.
Staal manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Potter manages to get himself to full guard.

Staal won't allow Potter to sweep him here.
Staal makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Potter working a defensive guard here.
Staal chips away with some ground and pound.
Staal postures up in Potter's guard and throws a big left but Potter blocks it.
Potter 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.
Staal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Potter's head.
Potter looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Staal stands and throws Potter's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Potter has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Potter holding on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Potter struggling a bit here.
Potter tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal scores with a couple of short elbows.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Potter sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Potter has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Staal is working away from the top position though.
Staal lands strikes from half guard.
Potter makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Potter.
Staal postures up.
Staal trying to control but Potter is working from the bottom.
Staal missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Potter escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Staal gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Staal is looking to work some ground and pound but Potter has wrist control.
Potter wants to improve his position but instead Staal has moved into half guard.
Potter is looking for a sweep. Staal is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Potter actively working from the bottom here.
Potter moves into full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Potter is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Staal 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.

Potter misses with a wild combination.
Potter closes the distance but Staal moves to the side
and Staal counters with a nice body kick.
Potter closes the distance and clinches up with Staal, looking for a takedown. Potter pushes Staal against the cage but Staal circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Staal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Potter.
Staal connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Potter shoots in for a takedown but Staal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Potter scores with a one two! Staal had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Potter is looking to score with low kicks.
A counter left hand to the body from Staal misses its target.
Potter is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Staal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Staal misses with a looping right.
Staal moves out of range as Potter strikes.
Potter misses with a series of wild punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staal lands a head kick. Potter smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal drops his hands momentarily and Potter takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Alexander Potter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A left lands for Staal.
Eric Staal is winning the standup battle so far.
Potter looks for a takedown but Staal sprawls well.
Eric Staal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Potter.
Potter throws a hook but Staal blocks it.
Potter just misses with a punch to the body.
Potter looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Staal is fending him off so far but Potter persists. Nope, Staal circles away and we're back to standing.
Potter takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Staal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Potter gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Staal to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Potter working a defensive guard here.
Potter controlling Staal's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potter wants to sweep here but Staal controlling him for the moment.
Potter keeping moving, preventing Staal from controlling successfully.
Staal controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Potter is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Staal stopping the sweep attempt from Potter.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter working a defensive guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Potter avoids the head kick by Staal.
Staal connects with a good right hand that stumbles Potter. Potter circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Potter shoots in and drives through. Staal sprawls well.
Potter tries for a takedown but Staal sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Potter closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Staal manages to work his way to half guard, despite Potter's best efforts.
Potter perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Staal wants to improve his position but Potter is controlling well.
Potter is thwarting Staal's attempts to control the position.
Staal is trying to get back to full guard.
Staal is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal wants to control but Potter is keeping busy and won't allow it.
My spies in Private Training Center inform me that Potter has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Staal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Potter is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Staal doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Potter.
Staal is trying to control but Potter passes into side control!
Potter wants to lay and pray for a moment but Staal keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Staal dominated that second round.
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!

Potter ducks under a wild hook from Staal.
Some bone on bone action there as Staal checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
It looked like Staal wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Potter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Staal circles away.
Staal misses with a body shot.
Potter looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Potter displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Potter tries to score a power double leg takedown but Staal sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Potter somewhat.

Staal looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Staal lands a couple of elbows.
Staal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Staal trying to control but Potter is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Staal engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Potter is on top in guard.

Potter scoring with punches to the head and body.
Potter trying to control but Staal is working from the bottom.
Potter throwing strikes but missing.
Alexander Potter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potter missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Potter won't allow Staal to sweep him here.
Potter trying to control the position from guard on top but Staal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Potter preventing the sweep.
Staal wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Potter preventing the sweep.
Potter wants to control from the top but Staal keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Potter throws a big shot that misses.
Potter fails with a takedown attempt.
Eric Staal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Potter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter misses the jab.
Potter shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Staal as he avoids it easily.
Staal scores with a punch to the head.
Staal fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Potter.
Staal connects with a looping right hand.
Potter fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Potter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Staal lands a jab to Potter's midsection.
Staal lands a leg kick that knocks Potter off balance momentarily.
Nice body kick there by Staal.

Staal shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Potter napping and manages to drive through into side control!
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 trying to control the action but Potter is working from the bottom.
Potter misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Eric Staal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potter is looking to reverse the position.
Staal is looking to take a break and control but Potter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Staal just content to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Staal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Staal has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Staal!