PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mike choppra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). choppra has chosen yes as his entrance music. mike choppra is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Stevens
vs
choppra

178 cm
23
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
158 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Stevens!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, mike choppra!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Andrew Berry and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens tries to close the distance and clinch up but choppra swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stevens keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
choppra defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Stevens.
Stevens throws a head kick but choppra moves out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Stevens.
choppra uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stevens.
Stevens will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Stevens does no damage.
Stevens throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Stevens fails to land with a series of punches.
Stevens takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A combination from Stevens does no damage.
choppra displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stevens.
Stevens fails to land with a series of punches.
choppra lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from choppra is defended easily by Stevens.
A jab from choppra does it's job there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Stevens!
choppra scores with a jab.
choppra misses with the combination.

Stevens scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Stevens wants to stand up but choppra is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
choppra makes his way to full guard. A much better position for choppra.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stevens has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
choppra lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Stevens!
Stevens is in a horrible position here. choppra smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

choppra swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Stevens is now in choppra's guard. A big mistake from choppra there, giving up the dominant position!

choppra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Stevens passes choppra's left leg - he's now in half guard.
choppra is looking to improve his position.
choppra trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Stevens tries to control but choppra wriggling away.
choppra is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stevens scoring with strikes but choppra is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
choppra is wriggling around trying to escape.
choppra looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
choppra is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
choppra has given up his back.
Stevens lands shots from the back.
choppra rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Stevens wants to take a breather but choppra is having none of it.

choppra looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
choppra manages to get to full guard.
Stevens is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens slips nicely into half guard.
Stevens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but choppra does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Stevens is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, choppra has managed to free his arm - good work.
choppra wants to get back to full guard.
Stevens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but choppra does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Stevens decides to stand up.
Stevens fails with the takedown
and choppra counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
choppra shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Matt Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Stevens scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Stevens wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by choppra, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Matt Stevens will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

choppra circles away from the clinch attempt.
choppra lands a glancing blow to the side of Stevens's head.
Matt Stevens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
choppra lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stevens takes one to the side of the head.
choppra jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stevens lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stevens throws a series of punches but choppra avoids them all with ease.
Stevens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
choppra circles away from the clinch attempt
letting choppra counter with a right hand.
Stevens keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
choppra misses with a looping left.
choppra throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Stevens's waist but Stevens gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing choppra off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stevens shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in choppra's guard.

choppra looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
choppra is breathing heavily.
Stevens slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Stevens tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
choppra manages to get back to half guard.
choppra is in trouble now - Stevens has advanced to mount!
choppra is trying to escape the mount but Stevens keeps good control and instead manages to take choppra's back.
choppra manages to reverse the position and now he's in Stevens's guard. Nice work there by choppra.
choppra working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stevens is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Stevens is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
choppra lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Stevens throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
choppra advances position into side control!
choppra tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stevens's legs.
choppra working the body and head with strikes.
choppra landing a few strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
choppra landing strikes.
choppra landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
choppra tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
choppra working away.
choppra working the ground and pound but Stevens is defending the strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Stevens sneaks back into half guard.

Stevens is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but choppra pulls his head out easily.

Stevens actively working from the bottom here.
choppra lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Stevens actively working from the bottom here.

Stevens looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
choppra passes to side control.
Stevens is trying to get back to half guard.
choppra landing strikes.
choppra scoring with punches and elbows.
Stevens is working to avoid the ground and pound but choppra connects with a decent elbow.
Stevens is trying to get back to half guard.
choppra working the head and body with strikes.
Stevens gets back to half guard.
choppra wants to free his trapped foot but Stevens is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but mike choppra will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stevens scores with a one two! choppra had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Stevens throws a head kick that misses.
Stevens is looking to clinch but choppra is avoiding it.
Stevens closes this distance looking for a takedown but choppra circles away.
Stevens throws a series of punches but choppra avoids them all with ease.
Stevens tries to clinch up but choppra circles away and keeps his distance.
choppra misses with a wild combination.
choppra steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stevens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
choppra ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stevens moves away.

Stevens closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Stevens wants to advance to full mount but choppra doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

choppra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
choppra takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens wants to stand but choppra has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Stevens trying to control but choppra is working from the bottom.
choppra is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stevens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
choppra tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stevens forces his way into half guard.
choppra slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Stevens stopping the sweep attempt from choppra.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
choppra keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Stevens sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed choppra's guard.
Stevens is looking to advance position but choppra won't allow it.
Stevens wants to take a breather but choppra is having none of it.
choppra is looking for a sweep. Stevens is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stevens controlling the pace.

Stevens looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Stevens prevents choppra from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
choppra moves into full guard.
Stevens preventing the sweep.
choppra keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Stevens passes choppra's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stevens moves into full mount! choppra won't be happy about that!
choppra is desperately trying to improve his position but Stevens has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four 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.
Stevens trying to control but he's not successful this time.
choppra working to try and regain half guard.
choppra has given up his back.
choppra is in bad spot here.

Stevens has the hooks in and he's looking for a rear naked choke here. choppra is defending well but eventually Stevens manages to get an arm under the chin and he's locked on the RNC! choppra has no choice but to tap now! He does! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Matt Stevens!
Matt Stevens retains his featherweight title!