PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Staal (ranked 1008 p4p, 128 weight class) and Sandayu Winger (ranked 760 p4p, 98 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Staal
vs
Winger

180 cm
36
192 lbs
29 - 13 - 2

184 cm
36
194 lbs
26 - 16 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 29 - 13 - 2, 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 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Sandayu Winger!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Winger keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Staal.
Winger defending well as Staal loads up on a big left hand.
Staal 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 keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Winger.
Staal connects with a single shot there.
Staal lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A punch combination from Staal misses.
Winger's coach down at was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Winger's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Winger uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Staal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Winger throws a body punch but Staal moves out of range.
Staal moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Staal throws a hook but Winger blocks it.
Winger lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal is looking to slow Winger down with leg kicks.
Winger misses with a wild body shot.
Winger lands a nice hook to Staal's body. Staal takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Staal looks to throw the jab but Winger is out of range.
Staal throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Winger tries to clinch there but Staal circles away.
Winger avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Winger swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Staal connects with a nice looking jab.
Winger checks a leg kick.
Staal lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal throws an overhand right that lands on Winger's shoulder, as Winger tries to avoid the shot.
A nice side step and Winger releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A looping hook to the body misses from Staal. Winger does a little dance to reset his feet.
Winger is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Staal with a body shot.
Staal throws a body punch but Winger moves out of range.
Winger misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Staal bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Winger's head.

Staal scores with a takedown into Winger's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Winger looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Staal landing with the ground and pound.
Staal 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.

Winger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Winger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Staal defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Staal's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Winger is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Winger has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Staal can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Winger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Winger keeping moving, preventing Staal from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Winger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Staal defends well.
Staal trying to control the position from guard on top but Winger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Staal is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Winger 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.
Staal throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Winger works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Winger looking for a guillotine here but Staal defends easily.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Winger is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Staal dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Staal lands a really nice looking cross but Winger seems unphased.
Staal swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Winger.
Staal scores with a leg kick.
Donk. Staal catches Winger right on the button with a cross.
Staal throws a leg kick but Winger sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Staal connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Winger has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Staal finds it's way round the side to connect with Winger's head.
Staal throws a nice inside leg kick.
Staal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Winger.
Eric Staal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Staal throws a hook to the side of Winger's head but Winger sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Staal scores with a body shot.
Staal takes a swing at Winger's ribcage but misses.
Winger wants to counter with a clinch but Staal pushes him away.

Winger gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Staal is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Winger can do to turn this around?

Winger manages to break the clinch.
Staal connects with a body shot.
Staal is looking to slow Winger down with leg kicks.
Staal ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Staal throws a half hearted mid kick.
Staal tries to land a leg kick but Winger saw it coming and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Winger connects with a body shot that sends Staal's belly button to the back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staal misses the shot to the body.
Winger is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Staal rather than just go for the knockout.
Winger walks into a jab.
Staal connects with a looping right hand.
Winger uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Staal.
Winger looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Winger checks the leg kick nicely there.
Winger takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A shot to the liver by Staal. Beautiful body shot.
Winger misses with a body shot.
Staal half committed to a counter leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal throws a big shot that misses.
Winger is looking for the big counter here.
Staal misses with a hook. Winger ducked under it nicely.
Eric Staal is winning the standup battle so far.
Staal scores with a body shot.
Staal scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Staal tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Winger swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Winger scores with a punch to the head.
Staal dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Staal jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Winger throws a lazy right hand but Staal sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Staal connects with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winger takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Staal scores with a head kick. Winger tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Staal dips to his left and cracks Winger with an uppercut!

Staal changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Winger looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Winger sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Winger wants to get back to full guard.

Winger looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Winger looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Staal trying to control the action but Winger is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Staal dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Staal throws a nice inside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Staal.
Staal bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Staal misses with a leg kick
and Winger counters with a series of strikes. Staal will be more careful next time no doubt.
Staal tries a head kick but it misses.
Staal fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Winger manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Staal throws a hook to the side of Winger's head but Winger sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Staal fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Winger sprawls well initially but Staal persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Winger looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Winger looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Winger actively working from the bottom here.
Staal lands with a punch from half guard.
Winger trying to control here.
Staal trying to control from half guard but Winger is working away.
Staal lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Winger is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Staal pulls his head out easily.
Staal is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Winger!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal working Winger over with strikes here.
Staal tries to control but Winger wriggling away.
Winger is wriggling around trying to escape.
Eric Staal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Staal controlling the pace for now.
Staal with shots to the head and body - Winger looks very uncomfortable down there.
Staal with shots to the head and body - Winger looks very uncomfortable down there.
Winger really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Winger is still trying to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Winger can't escape the position.
Staal controlling the pace for now.
Staal putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sandayu Winger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Winger is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Staal fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Staal sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Staal fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Winger gets back to half guard.
Eric Staal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Winger is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Staal pulls his head out easily.
Staal is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Winger looking for submissions off his back.
Staal performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Staal's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Winger looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Staal is figuring out what he wants to do next.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Staal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Staal, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

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