PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lee Stephens (ranked 6561 p4p, 5120 weight class) and Kristoff Weinbacher (ranked 735 p4p, 628 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stephens
vs
Weinbacher

188 cm
21
195
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
191
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kristoff Weinbacher!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Stephens lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.

Stephens throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Weinbacher was covering up waiting for the punch and Stephens finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stephens keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Weinbacher's head.
Stephens slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stephens sitting in guard here, content to control.
Weinbacher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weinbacher is trying to hold Stephens in close to prevent damage but Stephens has managed to pass into half guard.
Stephens missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stephens throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stephens wants to control but Weinbacher is keeping him busy.
Stephens is really struggling to control Weinbacher but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Stephens missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stephens sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Weinbacher tries to kick Stephens off but Stephens keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Weinbacher is not content to let Stephens control the position.
Weinbacher blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stephens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens thows a huge punch but Weinbacher dodges it nicely.
Stephens with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Weinbacher wants to get back to full guard.
Stephens looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stephens thows a huge punch but Weinbacher dodges it nicely.
Weinbacher blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stephens.
Stephens content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Stephens shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Weinbacher sprawls well. Weinbacher wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Stephens gets slowly back to his feet.
Weinbacher only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Kristoff Weinbacher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens shoots in for a takedown but Weinbacher shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lee Stephens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stephens throws a nice looking combination but Weinbacher bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Weinbacher lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Stephens looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Weinbacher is fending him off so far but Stephens persists. Nope, Weinbacher circles away and we're back to standing.
Weinbacher is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Stephens with a body shot.

Weinbacher fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stephens, pushing him back against the cage.
Weinbacher is looking to break free of the clinch but Stephens has double underhooks.
Weinbacher takes a shot to the head.
I was talking to Stephens's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Weinbacher taking a breather.
Weinbacher takes a shot to the head.
Stephens wants to take the fight to the mat but Weinbacher manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Weinbacher wants to break free but Stephens has control.
Stephens working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Stephens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Weinbacher is looking to clinch.
Stephens chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stephens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weinbacher is looking to clinch but Stephens is avoiding it.

Stephens forces Weinbacher back against the cage and clinches.
Stephens unloads a knee to the mid-section. Weinbacher lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Weinbacher looks winded!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephens lands a left hand.
Stephens lands a damaging elbow.
Stephens keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Weinbacher's efforts to push away.
Stephens keeps control of Weinbacher as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stephens lands a nice uppercut.
Weinbacher is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Stephens is defending well.
Still in the clinch, Stephens scores with a nice short uppercut.

Stephens escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Weinbacher misses with a lunging right hand
and Stephens counters with a nice body kick.
Stephens tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Weinbacher swivels and escapes.
Weinbacher looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Stephens swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Weinbacher shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stephens counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stephens throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stephens accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stephens wants to pass the guard but Weinbacher is keeping the position.
Weinbacher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Weinbacher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Weinbacher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stephens. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stephens throwing strikes from guard but Weinbacher blocks nicely.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Weinbacher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stephens with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stephens engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Lee Stephens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stephens working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Weinbacher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.
Stephens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stephens slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Weinbacher is breathing heavily.
Weinbacher 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.
Stephens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stephens trying to control but Weinbacher is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Stephens swats away the attempt to clinch by Weinbacher.

Stephens feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Stephens looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Stephens is in close to Weinbacher's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stephens is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stephens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stephens is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stephens sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stephens stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Weinbacher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Weinbacher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stephens distracts Weinbacher with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stephens throws a big elbow that misses.
Stephens working some strikes from top position.

Weinbacher is rocked!
Stephens gets to his feet and stands over Weinbacher, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Weinbacher felt that one! Stephens unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Weinbacher from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lee Stephens!