PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bert Starius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Eikmeyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Starius has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Starius
vs
Eikmeyer

180 cm
28
230 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

190 cm
28
272 lbs
14 - 20 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bert Starius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mario Eikmeyer!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Aafke Stam and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Eikmeyer has taken the fight to the clinch.
Starius lands a left hand.
Starius misses with a body punch.
Eikmeyer is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Starius pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Eikmeyer is looking to take this one to the mat.
Starius prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bert Starius has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mario Eikmeyer.
Eikmeyer wants a takedown but no success here.
Eikmeyer can't get the takedown.
Eikmeyer drops down looking for an ankle pick but Starius pulls his leg out and moves away.
Eikmeyer has his takedown stuffed
and Starius counters with a straight right hand.
Eikmeyer wants to clinch up but Starius keeps it at a distance.
Starius was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eikmeyer tries for a takedown but Starius circles away easily
and Starius counters with a straight right hand.
Eikmeyer shoots in looking for a takedown but Starius manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Eikmeyer's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Eikmeyer fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Starius.
Eikmeyer ducks under a wild hook from Starius.
Eikmeyer misses with a takedown attempt
and Starius counters with a nice uppercut.
Mario Eikmeyer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starius misses with a body punch
and Eikmeyer counters with a nice uppercut.
Starius is breathing heavily.

Eikmeyer drives through and clinches with Starius against the cage.

Eikmeyer has hold of one of Starius's legs. Starius is fighting the takedown attempt but Eikmeyer gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Starius is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starius tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Eikmeyer looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Starius pushes past his half guard into mount!
Eikmeyer tries to improve his position but instead Starius has taken his back!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Eikmeyer tries to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starius is trying to stick to Eikmeyer's back but Eikmeyer is turning into Starius. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Starius's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Eikmeyer.
Eikmeyer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Starius works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Starius has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Eikmeyer postures up in Starius's guard and throws a big left but Starius blocks it.
Eikmeyer cracks Starius with a solid left hand.
Eikmeyer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Eikmeyer working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Eikmeyer working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Eikmeyer postures up and lands a big shot to Starius's brow.
Eikmeyer landing some decent shots from guard.
Eikmeyer throws a big right hand that misses.
Eikmeyer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Eikmeyer is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eikmeyer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Starius's head.
Eikmeyer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Eikmeyer with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Starius preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Eikmeyer keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Starius's head.
Eikmeyer is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Eikmeyer postures up and lands a big shot to Starius's brow.
Eikmeyer throws a big right hand that misses.
Eikmeyer throws a big right hand that misses.
Eikmeyer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Eikmeyer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Eikmeyer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eikmeyer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Eikmeyer throwing strikes from guard but Starius blocks nicely.
Eikmeyer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Starius works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Eikmeyer lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Eikmeyer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Eikmeyer postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Starius preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Eikmeyer throwing strikes from guard but Starius blocks nicely.
Eikmeyer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Eikmeyer lands a couple of elbows.
Starius preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Eikmeyer is looking to work some ground and pound but Starius has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Eikmeyer dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Eikmeyer tries to score a power double leg takedown but Starius sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Eikmeyer somewhat.
Eikmeyer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Good standup being displayed there by Eikmeyer as he connects with a hook.

Eikmeyer shoots in and bounces Starius off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Eikmeyer drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Starius dives on top into guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Eikmeyer working for submissions but it's allowed Starius to get to half guard.

Eikmeyer has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Starius escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Starius!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eikmeyer sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Eikmeyer looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Eikmeyer is looking for a sweep. Starius is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Eikmeyer actively working from the bottom here.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions off his back.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Eikmeyer wants to get back to full guard.

Starius moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Eikmeyer.
Eikmeyer is looking for a sweep.
Eikmeyer manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Eikmeyer looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eikmeyer with the active half guard here but Starius passes nicely into side control.
Eikmeyer is looking to reverse the position.
Eikmeyer manages to get back to half guard.
Eikmeyer works his way to full guard. Good work.

Eikmeyer is looking to cinch up a triangle. Starius throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Eikmeyer's body to avoid the submission. Eikmeyer has instead reached around Starius's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Eikmeyer arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Mario Eikmeyer!
A less than humble Mario Eikmeyer misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.