PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between AJ March (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Stam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). March comes into the arena with The Firm - Star Trekkin' blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

March
vs
Stam

185 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

194 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

(MFS) Macto Fight System $15

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, AJ March!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Frank Stam!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, John Mangel and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
March throws a head kick that Stam semi-blocks.

Stam clinches.
Stam misses with an elbow over the top.
March is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Stam to keep the fight standing.
Stam misses with an elbow over the top.

March ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. March no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Stam is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Stam really doesn't want to stay on the ground with March. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

March working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stam doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stam manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Stam is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Frank Stam has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Stam misses with a jab, cross combination.
March throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Stam's head.
Stam throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
March tries a head kick but it misses.
March will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Stam clinches up with March and pushes him back against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stam prevents March from breaking the clinch.
Stam working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Stam throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Marchs head.
March jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stam walks away with a smile on his face. March gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ March. That's going to take a lot out of him.
March tries to close the distance and clinch but Stam swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stam is looking to clinch.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Stam lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and March has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from March and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stam tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. March manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stam wants to clinch.
Stam tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but March paws at him with a jab and circles away.
March keeps the fight on the outside.

Stam has closed the distance and engaged March in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stam looking to stall.

Stam manages to break the clinch.
March lands with a slapping head kick.
March tries for a takedown but Stam sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
March dodges the punch combination from Stam.
March tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stam fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stam fails with an attempt to clinch.
March misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stam throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
March swats away the attempt to clinch by Stam.
Stam tries to close the distance and clinch up but March swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stam looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
March goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
March keeps the fight on the outside.
March scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Some wild striking there from Stam.
Stam tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. March manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stam looks gassed!
A head kick misses from March.
A head kick misses from March.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stam fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stam throws a push kick but March slaps the foot to one side.
March lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by March.
The fighters circling - Stam throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Stam 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.

Stam moves into the clinch successfully.

Stam manages to break the clinch.
Stam moves in looking to clinch but March pushes him off.
March is looking to clinch but Stam is avoiding it.
March wants to clinch.
Stam tries to clinch up but March circles away and keeps his distance.
March throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
March shoots in for a takedown but Stam shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stam walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. March checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Stam turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
March tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
March misses with a head kick.
Stam stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stam tries to clinch but March moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
March fails in his attempt to clinch.

Stam clinches.
Stam throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
March is looking to control Stam's arms but Stam gets an underhook and turns him. Now March has his back to the cage.

Stam breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
March shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for AJ March. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stam moves into range and connects with a jab.
Stam wants to clinch.
Stam throws a sloppy head kick and March moves out of range easily.

March gets tackled into the cage by Stam. Stam maintains the clinch.
March jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Stam walks away with a smile on his face. March gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stam tries to clinch but March moves out of range.
Frank Stam seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stam fails with an attempt to clinch.
March doesn't manage to clinch there - Stam circles away.
Stam is looking to clinch.
Stam wants to clinch up but March keeps it at a distance.
Stam misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stam tries to clinch up
and March counters with a flying knee. Nice.
March pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Frank Stam seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A head kick misses from March.

Stam forces March back against the cage and clinches.

Stam's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Stam is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
March swats away the attempt to clinch by Stam.
Stam tries to clinch but March is having none of it.
Stam avoids the head kick by March.
March misses the jab.
March will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
March tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stam tries to clinch but March is having none of it.
Stam tries to close the distance and clinch but March swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stam is looking to clinch.
Stam is looking to clinch.
A punch combination from Stam misses.
March avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stam throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Stam, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
March scores with a one two! Stam had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Stam fails in his attempt to clinch.
A head kick misses from March.
Stam wants to clinch up but March keeps it at a distance.
Stam lands with a nice combination. March backs away looking to recover.

It looks like AJ March has been cut.
March tries to clinch up but Stam circles away and keeps his distance.
Good leg kick by March there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
This has been an exciting period of action!

March has managed to clinch.

March's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stam takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
No joy there for Stam, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sloppy strikes from Stam. Those never looked like landing.
Stam misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Stam showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on AJ March's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by March or perhaps it was just good defense by Stam which made him look bad.
March lands a slapping body shot.
Stam tries to clinch there but March circles away.
March throws an overhand right that lands on Stam's shoulder, as Stam tries to avoid the shot.
Stam fails to land with a series of punches.

Stam pushes March up against the cage in a clinch.
Stam lands a damaging elbow.
Stam tries to circle away but March has him pinned against the cage.
March blocks an elbow strike from Stam.
Stam pushes off an throws an elbow but March leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Stam manages to break the clinch.
Stam takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stam tries to clinch but March moves out of range.
Stam looks to clinch
and March counters with a head kick. That will keep Stam thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stam tries to clinch but March is having none of it.
Stam fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice body kick from March.
Stam tries to close the distance and clinch but March swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stam tries to clinch
and March counters with a two punch combo.

Stam closes the distance and clinches.
Stam has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
March leaning against his opponent.
March working hard to break the clinch.

March pulls guard successfully.
Stam looking to sit in guard and control but March gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
March is looking to work some ground and pound but Stam has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
March in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
March loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stam preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
March postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
March with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

March drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and March jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
March throwing strikes from guard but Stam blocks nicely.
March postures up in Stam's guard and throws a big left but Stam blocks it.
March throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stam works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

March thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
March in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Frank Stam is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
March throwing strikes from guard but Stam blocks nicely.
Stam utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
March in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
March throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
AJ March has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
March connects with a couple of short punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
AJ March showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stam has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Stam!