PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Olexandr Faroyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Stackstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Faroyan
vs
Stackstein

185 cm
22
245 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Olexandr Faroyan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gary Stackstein!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stackstein ducks under a wild hook from Faroyan.
Faroyan tries to clinch up
and Stackstein counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Faroyan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stackstein connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Faroyan throws a combination that misses
letting Stackstein counter with a right hand.
Faroyan tries to clinch but Stackstein moves away
and Stackstein connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Faroyan just misses with a punch to the body.

Stackstein scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Faroyan tries to improve position but can't.
Stackstein takes a little break here. Faroyan wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stackstein working the head and body with strikes.
Faroyan is looking for a sweep.
Stackstein controlling the position.
Faroyan tries to improve position but can't.
Stackstein is putting a hurting on Faroyan here, landing some big shots from side control.
Faroyan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stackstein working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faroyan is trying to control Stackstein's posture but Stackstein avoids it.
Stackstein controlling the position from side mount.
Faroyan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stackstein wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Check out the look on Stackstein's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Stackstein controlling the position from side mount.
Faroyan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faroyan is letting Stackstein control him for a moment.
Faroyan is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Faroyan's face as Stackstein controls the position.
It looks like Stackstein might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gary Stackstein hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Faroyan misses with a combination

and Stackstein counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Faroyan!
Stackstein looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stackstein is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Faroyan can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Faroyan is trying desperately to improve position.
Faroyan is working hard here to advance position.
Stackstein content just to control the position here.
Stackstein with the ground and pound from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Faroyan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stackstein controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary Stackstein dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Faroyan throws a combination that misses

and Stackstein counters with a single leg into guard. Faroyan didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Stackstein decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Faroyan enables Stackstein to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Faroyan manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Stackstein is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Stackstein lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Faroyan is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stackstein preventing the sweep.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Faroyan tries to clinch

and Stackstein counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Faroyan trying to control but Stackstein postures up.
Faroyan is looking for a sweep. Stackstein is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Stackstein is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Faroyan trying to control from the bottom.
Stackstein controlling the action here.
Stackstein has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Stackstein is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stackstein content just to control the position here.
Faroyan is looking to get to half guard.
Stackstein lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Faroyan hang on?
Stackstein sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Stackstein lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faroyan tries to hold on but Stackstein postures up.
Stackstein lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Faroyan hang on?
Stackstein raining down hammerfists from mount.
Stackstein takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Faroyan could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Faroyan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stackstein tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Gary Stackstein has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Faroyan wants to clinch but Stackstein slips to the side

and Stackstein counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stackstein is stalling in the full guard.
Gary Stackstein has got the better of the ground game so far.
Faroyan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stackstein distracts Faroyan with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary Stackstein showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Faroyan wants to clinch

and Stackstein counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Stackstein showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Stackstein stopping the sweep attempt from Faroyan.

Faroyan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Stackstein cracks Faroyan with a solid left hand.
Stackstein is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stackstein missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Stackstein has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stacksteinis looking to pass into half guard but Faroyan pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Faroyan is in guard.
Faroyan wants to stand and escape but instead Stackstein has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Stackstein is standing up over Faroyan. Faroyan looks to escape but Stackstein dives into side control.
Stackstein content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Faroyan struggling a bit here.
Stackstein taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Stackstein has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Stackstein tries for a kimura but Faroyan is defending well.
Stackstein takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Faroyan is looking to reverse the position.
Faroyan tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Faroyan bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Faroyan is looking to work some ground and pound but Stackstein has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faroyan would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Faroyan throws a strike but Stackstein rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Stackstein looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Faroyan wants to sweep here but Stackstein controlling him for the moment.
Olexandr Faroyan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stackstein looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stackstein postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Stackstein content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Stackstein is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stackstein is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stackstein makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Stackstein showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Stackstein comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stackstein 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 25:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gary Stackstein!