PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rickon Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Touko Unikeko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Unikeko is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Gesaffelstein - Opr. Rickon Stark could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Touko Unikeko's chin.

Stark
vs
Unikeko

176 cm
27
166 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

168 cm
23
147 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Rickon Stark!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Touko Unikeko!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Unikeko rushes Stark and presses him up against the cage.
Stark blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Unikeko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Unikeko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stark circles away quickly and effectively.

Stark throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Unikeko was covering up waiting for the punch and Stark finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Unikeko looking for a sweep. Not yet Unikeko, not yet.
Unikeko is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stark is controlling him.
Unikeko utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stark passes Unikeko's left leg - he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stark is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Unikeko is just riding it out for now. Stark eventually gives up the hold.
Unikeko is looking for a sweep. Stark is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark slips a nice elbow through Unikeko's hands, connecting with Unikeko's forehead.
Stark lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Unikeko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Unikeko wants to sweep but no luck.
Unikeko keeping moving, preventing Stark from controlling successfully.
Unikeko wants to stand but Stark is controlling the position.
Stark in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stark is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stark working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Unikeko tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've been hearing that Stark has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Unikeko blocks nicely.
Stark working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Stark lands a couple of elbows.
Stark trying to control but Unikeko is working from the bottom.
Stark connects with a couple of short punches.
Stark lands a couple of elbows.
Unikeko is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Unikeko trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark is pushing down on Unikeko's leg trying to pass to half guard. Unikeko is fighting to maintain full guard but Stark has managed to sneak the leg through.
Stark not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stark is nestled in close to Unikeko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Stark has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Stark drops an elbow to the side of Unikeko's head.
Unikeko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stark seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Stark takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Unikeko throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Stark is keen to just control but Unikeko is a slippery customer.
Unikeko tries to get to full guard but Stark has control of the leg.
Unikeko is not content to let Stark control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Unikeko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stark.
Unikeko avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stark.
Unikeko taking some punishment here, with Stark in his half guard.
Unikeko is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Unikeko looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Unikeko blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stark.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Stark darts in looking for a takedown but Unikeko gets double underhooks and turns Stark into the cage.
Stark shoots in for a takedown but Unikeko shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stark throws a series of punches but Unikeko moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stark.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickon Stark. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Stark, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Unikeko.
Unikeko takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Unikeko moves into the clinch successfully.
Stark blocks a punch to the side of the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Unikeko just misses with a elbow thrown towards Stark's brow.
Unikeko tries to break free but Stark pushes him back against the cage.
Unikeko stops a takedown attempt from Stark.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stark has picked Unikeko up - he's going for a ride! Stark dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stark not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stark winds up and cracks Unikeko with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Unikeko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Unikeko looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Stark missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stark is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Unikeko can do to turn this around?
Stark stands and throws Unikeko's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Unikeko's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Unikeko is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Stark is staying active.
Unikeko on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
The strikes coming from Stark are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Stark lands a few punches from side control.
Stark working the head and body with strikes.

Unikeko is rocked!
Stark throws a strike aimed at the side of Unikeko's head but Unikeko avoids it well.
Unikeko can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stark landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Unikeko tries to bench press Stark off him but Stark keeps the position.
Stark cracks Unikeko with a big right hand but Unikeko just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Unikeko is still in real trouble! Can Stark finish him?
Unikeko is looking to reverse the position.
Unikeko seems to have recovered his senses.

Stark thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Unikeko is not content to let Stark control the position.
Unikeko taking a bit of punishment here - Stark scoring with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Unikeko is avoiding damage well.
Stark scores with a couple of short elbows.
Unikeko is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Stark's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Stark lands strikes from half guard.
Unikeko wants to get back to full guard.
Unikeko is trying to control but can't.
Stark throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Unikeko wants to control but Stark is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stark is looking to advance position but Unikeko won't allow it.

Stark looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Unikeko is looking to improve his position.
Stark wants to control but Unikeko is keeping him busy.
Unikeko is looking to control Stark's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Unikeko avoid being mounted?
Stark looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Unikeko wants to control but Stark is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rickon Stark 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. This is the final round!

Unikeko moves into the clinch successfully.
Stark tries for a takedown but Unikeko manages to get underhooks.
Unikeko lands a hook to the side of the head.

Stark gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Unikeko regains guard.
Unikeko looking for a sweep. Not yet Unikeko, not yet.
Stark throws a big right hand that misses.
Stark wants to control from the top but Unikeko keeps moving.
Stark lands a couple of digs.
Stark loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stark looking to sit in guard and control but Unikeko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rickon Stark overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stark has control of Unikeko's left arm, preventing Unikeko from doing any damage.
Stark continues to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Unikeko postures up and lands a big shot to Stark's brow.
Unikeko wants to control from the top but Stark keeps moving.
Stark manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Unikeko manages to get himself to full guard.

Unikeko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stark with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Unikeko working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stark doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stark manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Unikeko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stark working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stark scoring with some ground and pound.
Stark throws an elbow that misses. Unikeko uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stark's guard. Nice move by Unikeko!

Unikeko trying to control the position from guard on top but Stark is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stark avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Touko Unikeko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Unikeko throws an elbow that misses. Stark uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Unikeko's guard. Nice move by Stark!

Stark throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stark wants to control from the top but Unikeko keeps moving.
Unikeko trying to keep a closed guard but Stark is proving a slippery customer.
Unikeko working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stark.
Stark throwing strikes from guard but Unikeko blocks nicely.
Rickon Stark is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stark preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Unikeko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Unikeko might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Stark haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Stark stays in close to Unikeko's body and controls the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Unikeko gets a clinch.

Stark gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Stark is trying to control the action in half guard but Unikeko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stark is taking a breather. Unikeko says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Stark is keen to just control but Unikeko is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rickon Stark showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stark, 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rickon Stark!
An out of breath and clearly excited Rickon Stark thanked Fury Nutrition Inc. for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).