PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Staal (ranked 240 p4p, 36 weight class) and Michael Cole (ranked 506 p4p, 71 weight class). Cole is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: I Won't Back Down. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Staal
vs
Cole

180 cm
33
192 lbs
24 - 9 - 1

175 cm
30
200 lbs
26 - 13 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 24 - 9 - 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 26 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Cole!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Andrew Berry and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Staal takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Staal throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Cole feints and as Staal raises his hands in defense, Cole changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cole seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Cole stopping the sweep attempt from Staal.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Cole working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Cole missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cole with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cole working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Staal's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Staal is on top in guard.

Cole looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cole trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal wants to pass the guard but Cole is keeping the position.
Cole utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Staal controls from within his opponent's guard.
Staal wants to control from the top but Cole keeps moving.
Staal with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Staal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cole swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cole seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Staal pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Staal ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cole cracks Staal with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Good standup being displayed there by Cole as he connects with a hook.
Staal fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Staal feints and then cracks Cole's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Cole down.
Staal scores with a punch to the head.
Cole avoids the body shot from Staal.
A countering left hand to the body from Cole misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal throws a lazy right hand but Cole sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cole ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Staal throws a lazy right hand but Cole sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Staal slips under a jab from Cole.
Cole throws a low kick but Staal moves out of range easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cole. Staal does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cole throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cole closes the distance and clinches up with Staal, looking for a takedown. Cole pushes Staal against the cage but Staal circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cole looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Staal misses with a low kick.

Cole drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Staal can't do much from the bottom here.
Cole lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole working the head and body with strikes.
Cole tries to advance to mount but can't.
Staal is trying to control Cole's posture but Cole avoids it.
Staal dodges the ground and pound from Cole.
Staal is trying to control Cole's posture but Cole avoids it.
Staal is trying to improve his position.
Staal throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Staal managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cole.
Staal can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Cole dominated that round.
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.

Staal throws out a loose jab but Cole uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cole is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A combination from Cole does no damage.
Cole fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Staal is looking to counter punch.
The fighters circling - Staal throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A jab from Cole misses.
Cole doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Staal counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Cole displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Staal throws out the jab.
Staal shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole shoots for a double leg takedown but Staal sprawls well. He's pushed Cole's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Staal misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cole looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Staal feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Cole's calf.
Cole dives in and grabs Staal's left leg, looking for a takedown. Staal pushes down on Cole's head and hops out.
Eric Staal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Cole.
Staal takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nice defenses there by Staal.
Cole keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cole looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Staal scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Staal throws a body punch but Cole moves out of range.
Staal with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Staal lands with an uppercut that bounces Cole off the cage and back into range.
Cole shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Staal as he avoids it easily.

Staal gets caught flat footed, as Cole shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cole throws a big elbow that misses.
Staal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cole with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal looking to control.
Cole throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cole is working Staal over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Staal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Staal wants to get back to his feet but Cole is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Staal displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cole throws out the jab.
Staal checks the leg kick.
Staal looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Cole lands a lovely overhand right.
Cole connects with a nice looking jab.
Cole scores with a jab. Staal acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole scores with a nice right hand.
Staal takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Staal shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Staal was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Cole manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cole is nestled in close to Staal, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Staal tries to roll over but Cole keeps him under control.
Cole slips a nice elbow through Staal's hands, connecting with Staal's forehead.
Cole working the head and body with strikes.

Staal is rocked!
Cole lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Staal quite badly. Staal pulls Cole in close trying to recover. Cole postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Staal on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Staal doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Michael Cole!
Michael Cole very nearly forgot to thank The Juice Haven amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.