PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cade Leonhart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Stevenson (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.

Leonhart
vs
Stevenson

175 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cade Leonhart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joe Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yuuki Gou and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leonhart misses with the combination.

Stevenson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Leonhart to the mat! Leonhart manages to get full guard.
Stevenson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevenson thows a big elbow that misses.
Stevenson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Stevenson tries to free his leg and advance position but Leonhart is retaining full guard.
Stevenson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Leonhart knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stevenson on the ground.
Stevenson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stevenson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stevenson postures up in Leonhart's guard and throws a big left but Leonhart blocks it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Stevenson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Leonhart working hard to break the clinch.
Stevenson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Leonhart is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Stevenson gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Leonhart regains guard.
Stevenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stevenson is stalling in the full guard.
Stevenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson postures up in Leonhart's guard and throws a big left but Leonhart blocks it.
Stevenson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Leonhart is keeping the position for now.
Stevenson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Stevenson throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonhart has momentary wrist control but Stevenson slips an elbow through the middle.
Stevenson pushes down on Leonhart's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Stevenson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Stevenson thows a huge punch but Leonhart dodges it nicely.
Stevenson lands with a punch from half guard.
Stevenson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Leonhart's head.
Stevenson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Stevenson punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Leonhart wants to get back to his feet.
Stevenson misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Stevenson lands a big shot there that rocks Leonhart but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Stevenson thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Stevenson landing shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Leonhart tries a head kick but it misses.

Stevenson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stevenson showed some decent athleticism there.
Stevenson wants to pass to mount but Leonhart is defending the position.
Stevenson slips a nice elbow through Leonhart's hands, connecting with Leonhart's forehead.
Stevenson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Stevenson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Leonhart's head.
Stevenson passes to side control.
Leonhart managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stevenson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson takes a little break here. Leonhart wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Stevenson works to advance to full mount. Leonhart defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Stevenson controlling from the full mount.
Stevenson working Leonhart over with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
A nice elbow there by Stevenson.
Leonhart taking shots to the head.
Stevenson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevenson won't let Leonhart get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson working the ground and pound effectively.
Stevenson working Leonhart over with strikes here.
Stevenson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Leonhart looks a forlorn figure.
Stevenson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stevenson lands with some strikes.
Stevenson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Leonhart looks a forlorn figure.

Leonhart is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson breaks from Leonhart's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Stevenson controlling his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stevenson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Stevenson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Stevenson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Leonhart to the mat! Leonhart manages to get full guard.
Leonhart being controlled here, momentarily.
Leonhart working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stevenson.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stevenson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson tries to free his leg and advance position but Leonhart is retaining full guard.
Stevenson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Stevenson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Stevenson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Leonhart works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Stevenson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Stevenson thows a big elbow that misses.
Stevenson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stevenson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stevenson forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevenson works his way into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson controlling the position.
Stevenson passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Leonhart!
Stevenson looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four 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.
Stevenson thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Stevenson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Stevenson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevenson breaks from Leonhart's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cade Leonhart has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Stevenson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stevenson looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 26:30

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