PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Star (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and MIchael Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Star
vs
Stevens

180 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan Star!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, MIchael Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Star dives in and grabs Stevens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Stevens pushes down on Star's head and hops out.
Stevens tries to clinch up.
Star is looking to clinch but Stevens is avoiding it.

Stevens moves into the clinch.
Star drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Stevens breaks from the clinch.
Stevens rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Star moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Star does no damage.
MIchael Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevens swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Star counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Stevens tries to clinch but Star moves away
and Star counters with a straight right hand.
Star is looking to clinch but Stevens is avoiding it.

Stevens clinches with his opponent.
Stevens gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Star.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Star. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens throws a head punch that misses.
Star tries to score a body lock takedown but Stevens shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stevens lands a hook to the side of the head.

Stevens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Stevens clinches but Star breaks the clinch

and Star counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stevens tries to kick Star off but Star keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Star tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Star stops Stevens from getting back to his feet.
Star tries to pass to full mount but Stevens defends it.
Star is breathing heavily.
Stevens is trying to stand.
Star winds up and cracks Stevens with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stevens misses with a double jab

and Star counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stevens won't be happy with that.
Stevens is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Star in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Star tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Stevens wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevens throws Star to one side and escapes!
Stevens shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Star pinned against the cage. Star gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No joy there for Stevens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stevens clinches but Star breaks the clinch

and Star moves into the clinch.
Star changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Stevens fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Stevens drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stevens stands and steps away. Star gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Stevens fails in his attempt to clinch.
Star fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stevens takes the fight into the clinch.
Stevens prevents the takedown attempt.

Star's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Star shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stevens sprawls well. Stevens wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Star gets slowly back to his feet.
Stevens darts in trying to clinch

and Star counters by moving into the clinch.
Stevens wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Star escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stevens shoots in looking for a takedown. Star tries to sprawl out of it but Stevens keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Star manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Stevens closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevens works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stevens lands a nice forearm strike.

Stevens has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Star dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Star is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Star shoots in for a takedown but Stevens shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch combination from Stevens misses.
Star tries for a takedown but Stevens sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A right-left combo lands from Stevens.

Stevens closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Stevens scores with punches from side control.
Stevens in side control, throwing shots but Star defends.
You can see the frustration on Star's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Star manages to work his way to half guard, despite Stevens's best efforts.
Star trying to control but Stevens postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Star defending well though.
Star wants to control but Stevens is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stevens working the head and body with strikes.

Stevens decides to return to a standing position.
Stevens misses with a takedown attempt - Star sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

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.
Star showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stevens.
Stevens throws a series of punches but Star avoids them all with ease.
Stevens tries to clinch up but Star circles away and keeps his distance.
Stevens has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Stevens throws a combination that misses

and Star counters by clinching up.

Stevens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stevens throws a series of punches but Star avoids them all with ease.
Stevens throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Star makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Star avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Star shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Stevens pinned against the cage. Stevens gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Star. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stevens closes the distance and clinches.
Stevens gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Star.
Stevens is looking to break free of the clinch but Star has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stevens darts in trying to clinch

and Star holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stevens is trying to break free.
Star wants a takedown but no success here.
Star misses with a punch on the inside.
Star is trying to force a seperation but Stevens has the dominant position.
Star is trying to break the clinch but Stevens is controlling him.

Stevens manages to break the clinch.
Stevens darts in trying to clinch

and Star counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Star.
Stevens is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stevens uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Stevens tries to clinch up
and Star counters with a low kick, right behind Stevens 's knee.
Star wants to clinch up but Stevens keeps it at a distance.
Stevens misses with a combination

and Star counters with a single leg into guard. Stevens didn't expect that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stevens scrambles and gets back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevens throws a right and a left that both miss.

Stevens changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Star looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Stevens works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but MIchael Stevens will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Stevens shoots in for a double leg but Star sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Star tries to clinch up but Stevens circles away and keeps his distance.
Ryan Star is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Star is defended easily by Stevens.
Star moves in looking to clinch but Stevens pushes him off.
Star tries to clinch there but Stevens circles away.
Star has a takedown stuffed.
Star shoots in looking for a takedown. Stevens tries to sprawl out of it but Star keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stevens manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Star. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens looks to land a combination but Star avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stevens looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Star!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens avoids the attempt from Star to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Star is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Star is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Stevens.
Stevens working the ground and pound effectively.
Star is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Stevens throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Star because Stevens loaded up on that one.
Star tries to lock up and control but Stevens gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Stevens lands a heavy elbow.
Star is trying to escape the mount.
Star is in a horrible position here. Stevens smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Star wants to control but Stevens is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens lands a big elbow.
Star tries to hold on but Stevens postures up.
Stevens lands with some strikes.
Star regains half guard.
Stevens misses with a head shot. Star uses the momentum to regain guard.
Stevens wants to get up but he can't break Star's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Stevens gets to his feet. Star looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Star tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Star fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stevens, pushing him back against the cage.

Stevens escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stevens throws a series of punches but Star avoids them all with ease.
Star is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stevens is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevens takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Stevens keeps the fight on the outside.
Stevens tries to clinch but Star moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
MIchael Stevens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stevens has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... MIchael Stevens!