PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Render (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Render
vs
Stevenson

185 cm
22
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
21
170 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Render!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Ian Loll and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Render scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Stevenson slips a jab and a cross from Render.
Render misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stevenson thuds his right hand into Render's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Stevenson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Stevenson looks for the body kick but Render saw that one coming.
Render misses with a few strikes there.

Stevenson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Render pushes Stevenson off and scrambles back to his feet.
Stevenson is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Render fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Render misses with the combination.
Render circles away from the clinch attempt.
Render swinging wilding here.
Stevenson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Render on the side of the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Render on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Stevenson connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Render misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Render will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Render misses with a wild combination.
Render is breathing heavily.
Render throws a right and a left that both miss.
Render throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stevenson dodges the punch combination from Render.
Stevenson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Render throws a series of punches but Stevenson moves out of range.
Render avoids a kick to the body.
Render takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Stevenson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Stevenson punishes Render's body with a nice straight punch.
No joy there for Stevenson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Stevenson moves into the clinch.
Stevenson keeps control of Render as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Render keeps control of Stevenson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stevenson wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson breaks the clinch.
Stevenson fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Render throws a left and a right that both miss
and Stevenson counters with a stiff right hand.
A left and a right from Stevenson both land. Nice combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stevenson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Stevenson.
Stevenson lands a really nice looking cross but Render seems unphased.

Stevenson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Render has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Stevenson stalling the fight.
Render is looking to break free of the clinch but Stevenson has double underhooks.
Render is trying to break the clinch but Stevenson has him pressed against the cage.

Stevenson breaks the clinch.
Stevenson lands a with a good body shot.

Stevenson clinches up with Render and pushes him back against the cage.
Stevenson wants to break the clinch but can't.

Stevenson has picked Render up - he's going for a ride! Stevenson dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Stevenson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Stevenson.
James Render is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Render gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Stevenson to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Render wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevenson landing with the ground and pound.
Render bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Stevenson's guard.
Stevenson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Render is looking to stand up but Stevenson won't let him.
Stevenson keeping moving, preventing Render from controlling successfully.
Stevenson will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Render scoring with some ground and pound.
Stevenson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Stevenson lands some strikes from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Render misses with a double jab
and Stevenson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Render showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stevenson.
Render on the wrong end of a nice hook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevenson lands a jab.

Stevenson gets the takedown into side control.
Render tries to buck Stevenson off but Stevenson is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Stevenson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Render misses with a combination

and Stevenson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Render wants to get back to his feet but Stevenson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Render tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stevenson distracts Render with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Render wants to stand up but Stevenson is controlling him.
Render looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Stevenson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Render looks like he's trying to stand up.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Stevenson in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stevenson with a jab.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stevenson counters with a stiff right hand.
Render misses with a double jab

and Stevenson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Stevenson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stevenson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Render throws a left and a right that both miss
and Stevenson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Render takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Stevenson has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Stevenson lands a nice shot to the body.

Stevenson moves into the clinch.
Stevenson is trying to break the clinch but Render is controlling him.
Stevenson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Render pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stevenson is trying to force a seperation but Render has the dominant position.
Stevenson has Render pressed against the cage, preventing Render from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Stevenson is stalling here.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stevenson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stevenson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Render looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Stevenson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Render closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
James Render seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Render misses with a double jab
and Stevenson counters with a nice uppercut.
Render is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stevenson.
Stevenson digs a good body shot into Render's ribs.
Render on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Render takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
James Render is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stevenson tries to clinch but Render moves out of range.
Render misses with a combination

so Stevenson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Render wants to stand and escape but Stevenson is having none of it.

Render is working an open guard so Stevenson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Render falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stevenson counters with a nice uppercut.
Render has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Render there as he acknowledges the shot.
Render lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Render misses with a combination
and Stevenson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Stevenson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stevenson showed some decent athleticism there.
Render tries to kick Stevenson off but Stevenson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Render trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Render wants to control but Stevenson is keeping busy.
Stevenson working over Render with some ground and pound. Render looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Render looks like he's trying to stand up.

Stevenson decides to return to a standing position.
Render swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Stevenson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Render misses with a double jab
letting Stevenson counter with a right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Render throws a left and a right that both miss

and Stevenson moves into the clinch.
Stevenson displaying some good clinch control by pressing Render up against the cage.
Render gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stevenson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Stevenson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Render falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stevenson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Render throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Render throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Render tries to bum rush Stevenson with a series of wild strikes but Stevenson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Stevenson counter with a right hand.
Render takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Michael Stevenson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stevenson fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stevenson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Render misses with a double jab
and Stevenson counters with a left to the body.
Render is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stevenson.
Nice shot by Stevenson.
Stevenson tries to land a front kick but Render steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Render throws a combination that misses
enabling Stevenson to counter with a crisp jab.
Stevenson scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Donk. Stevenson catches Render right on the button with a cross.
Render takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stevenson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Render swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Stevenson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Render wants to sweep here but Stevenson controlling him for the moment.
Render wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Stevenson is now in half guard.
Render tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Michael Stevenson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Render gets full guard.
Render has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Stevenson has passed into side control.
Render trying his best to control but Stevenson has mounted him.
Render is desperately trying to improve his position but Stevenson has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson controlling the position easily from mount.
Stevenson prevents Render from getting the reversal.
Render wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Render is in all sorts of trouble here.
James Render has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Render is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Stevenson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Render manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Render looks like he's trying to stand up.
Render is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Render manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Render has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Stevenson off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Render throws a left and a right that both miss
and Stevenson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stevenson counters with a straight right hand.
Render throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stevenson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Stevenson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Render with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stevenson to score with a decent uppercut.
Stevenson waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Render.
Render falls off balance throwing a combination

and Stevenson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Render is looking to stand up but Stevenson isn't so interested in that idea.
Render thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Render throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Michael Stevenson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Render throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Stevenson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stevenson 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Stevenson!