PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mitch Stevens (ranked 4573 p4p, 4809 weight class) and Stalin Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Stevens
vs
Thai

180 cm
19
160
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
23
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mitch Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Stalin Thai!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Daniel Franklin and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Stevens doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Thai moves into the clinch.
Thai lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Thai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Stevens stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Stevens wants it to stay on the feet.
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thai lands a nice looking body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thai throws a head kick that half lands.
Thai shoots in for a takedown but Stevens shows good takedown defense.
Thai tries for a takedown but Stevens sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Stevens decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thai wants to improve his position but Stevens is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai regains full guard. Nicely done.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Thai keeps moving.
Thai seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Thai wants to stand up but Stevens is controlling him.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Thai keeps moving.
Stevens is breathing heavily.
Thai trying to strike off his back.

That's two 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.
Stevens stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thai swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Stevens drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thai tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Thai keeps moving.
Thai trying to control the position here.

Thai isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Stevens stacks Thai on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Stevens!
Stevens working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevens tries for a kimura but Thai is defending well.

Thai bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Thai shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stevens misses with a takedown attempt
and Thai counters with a right hand to the body.

Thai moves into the clinch successfully.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thai.
Thai is working for takedown but Stevens is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Thai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stevens looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thai is fending him off so far but Stevens persists. Nope, Thai circles away and we're back to standing.
Thai shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stevens sprawls well. Stevens wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thai gets slowly back to his feet.
Thai changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Stevens tries to avoid it but Thai manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Stevens to the ground. Stevens escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Stevens is defended easily by Thai.
Mitch Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevens shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thai pinned against the cage. Thai gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Despite the aggression on Thai's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Stalin Thai dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thai stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Thai wants it to stay on the feet.
Thai tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Stevens defends well and Thai ends up having to push Stevens into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Stevens swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Thai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Thai fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stevens sprawls well initially but Thai persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Thai controlling the action here.
Thai is looking to stall here but Stevens recovers full guard.
Stevens will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Stevens has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Thai is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Stevens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevens is trying to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens seems a little lost for a moment, as Thai dominates the positioning.

Thai tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Stevens tries to improve position but can't.

Thai stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Thai pushes Stevens up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thai is pressed up against the cage. Stevens has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Thai down to the mat. Thai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Stevens takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Mitch Stevens has been cut.
Stevens keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stevens throwing a counter right hand but Thai manages to avoid it.
Thai tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stevens swivels and escapes.
Mitch Stevens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stalin Thai.
Thai looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stevens is fending him off so far but Thai persists. Nope, Stevens circles away and we're back to standing.
Thai tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stevens swivels and escapes.
Stevens seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Thai goes for a double leg but Stevens avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Stevens continues to drive forward.
Stevens tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thai swivels and escapes.
Thai fails with the takedown.
As Thai looks to move away, Stevens throws a big counter combo but Thai just gets out of the way.
Mitch Stevens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horrible takedown attempt by Stevens or perhaps it was just good defense by Thai, which made it look bad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thai shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Stevens napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Stevens is looking for a sweep.
Stevens looking for a sweep but Thai has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Thai looking to finish with strikes here!
A nice elbow there by Thai.
Stevens keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Thai sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thai looking to control and managing it successfully.
Stevens working to try and regain half guard.
Thai sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevens wants to hold on but Thai pushes him away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Stalin Thai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mitch Stevens's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Thai instigates a clinch.
Thai lands a shoulder strike.
Thai will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Stevens up against the cage.
Stevens goes for a takedown attempt but Thai pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Thai clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thai leaves Stevens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Thai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stevens.
Thai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens darts in looking for a takedown but Thai gets double underhooks and turns Stevens into the cage.

Thai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Thai lands a big head kick that sends Stevens tumbling to the mat! Thai takes a step backwards and waves Stevens back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Thai looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Stevens!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thai throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thai controlling the position from side mount.
Thai in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Thai tries to score with some ground and pound. Stevens controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Thai misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Stevens parries the strikes from Thai easily there. Thai is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Stevens to escape.
Thai working the head and body with strikes.
Check out the look on Thai's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Stevens prevents Thai from moving into mount.

Thai decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Stevens at a distance.

Thai moves into range and clinches up with Stevens.

Thai manages to break the clinch.
Stevens on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Thai. Thai obviously looking to wear him down.
Stevens keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Thai forces Stevens back against the cage and clinches.
Stevens is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Thai pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Thai jumps guard and drags Stevens to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Stevens gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Thai is trying to keep Stevens in close.
Thai bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stevens's guard.

Stevens wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Thai is now in half guard.
Thai sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stevens defending well though.
Stevens wants to control but Thai passes into side.
Mitch Stevens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stalin Thai is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Stevens throws a few strikes from the bottom but Thai takes advantage and mounts!

And that's the end of the fight!
Stalin Thai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Thai 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stalin Thai!