PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bledge Stevenson (ranked 22416 p4p, 5540 weight class) and Mariusz Pudzianowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Stevenson might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Get The F Off My Lawn. Mariusz Pudzianowski has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Stevenson
vs
Pudzianowski

200 cm
28
250
8 - 38 - 0

200 cm
25
230
8 - 48 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 8 - 38 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bledge Stevenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 48 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mariusz Pudzianowski!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Ben Hemmingworth and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pudzianowski feints and then cracks Stevenson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stevenson down.
Pudzianowski chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Stevenson checks a leg kick.
Stevenson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mariusz Pudzianowski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pudzianowski with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Pudzianowski misses with a low kick.
Stevenson throws a head kick that misses.
Pudzianowski feints the counter takedown.
Pudzianowski scoring well with a low kick there.
Pudzianowski pivots, looking for a leg kick but Stevenson is out of range and Pudzianowski settles back down.
Pudzianowski with the inside leg kick.
Pudzianowski scoring well with a low kick there.
Pudzianowski scoring well with a low kick there.
A low kick from Pudzianowski misses

and Stevenson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet but Stevenson passes into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Stevenson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pudzianowski blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stevenson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson working over Pudzianowski with some ground and pound. Pudzianowski looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Pudzianowski looks like he's trying to stand up.
Pudzianowski controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Pudzianowski looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevenson prevents Pudzianowski from improving his position.
Pudzianowski pushes Stevenson off looking to stand but Stevenson dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Pudzianowski tries to kick Stevenson off in order to stand up. Stevenson Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet.
Pudzianowski struggling a bit here.
Pudzianowski is looking to regain half guard here but Stevenson keeps moving and retains side control.
Stevenson 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.
Pudzianowski is trying to buck Stevenson off.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pudzianowski bucks up and tries to throw Stevenson off but instead Stevenson has got his back!
Pudzianowski trying to get back to his feet but Stevenson is in full control for now.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stevenson is hanging on to Pudzianowski's back as he tries to escape.
Pudzianowski trying to get back to his feet but Stevenson is in full control for now.
Stevenson lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Pudzianowski.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Stevenson scores with punches to the body.
Pudzianowski is trying to get back to his feet but Stevenson has full control of the position and if anything, Pudzianowski has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Stevenson lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Stevenson.
Stevenson lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Pudzianowski trying to get back to his feet but Stevenson is in full control for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pudzianowski scores with a leg kick.
Pudzianowski throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Pudzianowski is looking to slow Stevenson down with leg kicks.
Pudzianowski throws a solid leg kick but Stevenson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Pudzianowski.
Stevenson on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Stevenson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Stevenson darts in looking for a takedown but Pudzianowski gets double underhooks and turns Stevenson into the cage.
Pudzianowski wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pudzianowski tries to break the clinch but Stevenson is controlling the position.

Pudzianowski manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pudzianowski is trying to control the position but Stevenson postures up.
Stevenson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet but Stevenson passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson winds up and cracks Pudzianowski with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Stevenson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Bledge Stevenson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pudzianowski wants to try and get back to his feet.
Stevenson blocks Pudzianowski's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Pudzianowski tries to hold on but Stevenson postures up.
Stevenson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pudzianowski can do to turn this around?
Stevenson blocks Pudzianowski's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson lands a heavy elbow.
Pudzianowski is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pudzianowski's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Stevenson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Pudzianowski can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson breaks from Pudzianowski's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Pudzianowski tries to hold on but Stevenson postures up.
Pudzianowski wants to try and get back to his feet.
Stevenson avoids the attempt from Pudzianowski to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pudzianowski really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stevenson won't let Pudzianowski get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Pudzianowski is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevenson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bledge Stevenson dominated that second round.
That's time! Stevenson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Pudzianowski looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pudzianowski connects with an inside leg kick.
Pudzianowski throws a chopping leg kick but Stevenson manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Pudzianowski throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Stevenson is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Pudzianowski lands a leg kick that knocks Stevenson off balance momentarily.

Stevenson has Pudzianowski up against the cage in a clinch.
Pudzianowski lands a nice knee to the body.
Stevenson has Pudzianowski pressed against the cage, preventing Pudzianowski from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevenson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pudzianowski stops a takedown attempt from Stevenson.
Pudzianowski tries to land a knee to the head but Stevenson blocks with his arms.
Pudzianowski is trying to push Stevenson away but Stevenson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pudzianowski is looking to control Stevenson's arms but Stevenson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pudzianowski has his back to the cage.

Pudzianowski jumps guard.
Stevenson stops Pudzianowski from standing up.
Pudzianowski wants to get back to his feet but Stevenson passes into half guard.
Pudzianowski trying to hold on to Stevenson's head to control him but Stevenson postures up.
Pudzianowski tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Stevenson manages to move to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson working the ground and pound effectively.
Pudzianowski squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Pudzianowski wants to control but Stevenson is having none of it.
Pudzianowski is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pudzianowski wants to control but Stevenson is having none of it.
Stevenson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Pudzianowski's face.
Pudzianowski throwing hammer fists to the chest of Stevenson. What's that going to do exactly?
Pudzianowski wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pudzianowski flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Pudzianowski wants to hold on but Stevenson pushes him away.
Pudzianowski is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Stevenson landing strikes from the mount and Pudzianowski is in trouble!
Stevenson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Pudzianowski looks a forlorn figure.
Pudzianowski wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Mariusz Pudzianowski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bledge Stevenson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pudzianowski is bucking up trying to escape but Stevenson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bledge Stevenson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Stevenson, 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bledge Stevenson!
During a confident post fight interview, Bledge Stevenson thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.