PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike Lee (ranked 5174 p4p, 3261 weight class) and Matt Starr (ranked 522 p4p, 373 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lee
vs
Starr

187 cm
18
165
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
163
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mike Lee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Matt Starr!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starr cracks a nice hook into Lee's ribs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sloppy strikes from Starr. Those never looked like landing.
Starr changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Starr throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lee stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Starr lands a nice looking body shot.
Lee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Starr scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Starr is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Lee rather than just go for the knockout.
Starr changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Starr lands a right hook to the body.
Starr digs a good hook to Lee's body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lee fails with an attempt to clinch.
Starr is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Starr keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr jabs at Lee's body.
Starr lands a nice shot to the body.
Starr connects with a body shot that sends Lee's belly button to the back.
Starr leaves Lee with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Starr drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Lee defends it well.
Starr punishes Lee's body with a nice straight punch.
Starr works the jab nicely.
Starr cracks a nice hook into Lee's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starr lands a nice shot to the body.
Lee showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Starr.
Starr lands a jab to the nose.
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!
Lee fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Starr feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lees jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Starr scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Starr pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Lee back to the cage. Starr follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee shoots for a double leg takedown but Starr sprawls well. He's pushed Lee's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Starr scores with a hook to the body. Lee takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lee shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Starr pinned against the cage. Starr gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Starr connects with a body shot.
Starr lands with a shot to the body.
Starr scores with a hook.
Starr dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starr lands a nice hook to Lee's body. Lee takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Starr dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lee takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Matt Starr is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lee wants to clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Starr jabs Lee to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Lee dives in for a single leg takedown but Starr sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Starr breaks the clinch.
Lee takes a body punch but keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Starr dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Starr scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lee doesn't seem bothered though.
Lee throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Starr's waist but Starr gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lee off to one side.
Starr lands a jab to Lee's midsection.
Starr will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice body punch from Starr.
Horrible takedown attempt by Lee or perhaps it was just good defense by Starr, which made it look bad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Starr stuns Lee with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Starr scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr dips to his left and cracks Lee with an uppercut!
Lee shoots in and drives through. Starr sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Lee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starr bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Lee's head.
Matt Starr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starr jabs at Lee's body.
Starr works Lee's body with a nice hook.
Starr jabs at Lee's body.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Lee. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Starr digs a good body shot into Lee's ribs.
Nice body punch from Starr.
Starr lands a right hook to the body.
Matt Starr seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Starr scores with a hook to the body. Lee takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Starr has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Lee is landing a low percentage of strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lee takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Starr finds it's way through Lee's defenses.
Starr swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lee on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Starr showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lee.
Nice body punch from Starr.
Lee takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lee takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Lee doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Starr slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lee is defended easily by Starr.
Starr jabs at Lee's body.
Lee walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Starr lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Lee backs up against the cage.
Starr works Lee's body with a nice hook.
Lee has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Starr finds it's way round the side to connect with Lee's head.
Starr lands with a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lee fails with the takedown

and Starr decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lee's guard.
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!
Lee working a defensive guard here.
Lee will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Starr passes Lee's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Starr prevents Lee from improving his position.
Starr looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Lee wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Starr seems content to control.
Lee tries to get to full guard but Starr has control of the leg.
Starr wants to pass the guard but Lee is defending well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Starr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Lee fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Starr has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Starr scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Starr lands a jab-cross combination.
Starr swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee.
Lee tries to clinch but Starr is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee takes one on the button.
Lee slips a jab and a cross from Starr.
Starr feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lees jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A left lands for Starr.

Lee is rocked!
Starr lands a nice shot to the body.
Oh Lee is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Starr scores with a body shot.
Starr throws a shot to the body.
Lee seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lee is trying hard to land a takedown here. Starr sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Starr thuds a left hand into Lee's body.
Lee slips a jab and a cross from Starr.
Starr changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Starr connects with a jab.
Starr cracks Lee with an open hand slap.
Lee slips a jab and a cross from Starr.
Lee half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lee tries to close the distance and clinch but Starr swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Starr scores with a hook to the body. Lee takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Starr.
A lazy body kick from Lee

and Starr counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Starr showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Starr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Lee looking to hit a scissor sweep but Starr is one step ahead there.
Starr engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starr advances to half guard.
Starr trying to pass the guard but Lee defending well.
Starr content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mike Lee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Starr is continuing to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Starr fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Lee looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Lee takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Starr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Starr has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 24:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 24:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Starr!