PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dean Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bert Sugar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Stevens
vs
Sugar

176 cm
19
169 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
165 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Dean Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bert Sugar!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sugar misses with a low kick.
Stevens misses the shot to the body.
Stevens turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Stevens tries to clinch there but Sugar circles away.
Stevens looks to land a body kick but Sugar moved away.
Stevens throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Stevens throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sugar's head.
Stevens throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sugar.
Stevens doesn't manage to clinch there - Sugar circles away.
Sugar fails to land with a series of punches.
Sugar stuffs the takedown.
Stevens scores with a nice body kick.
Stevens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sugar thows a body shot but no joy.
A jab from Sugar finds it's way through Stevens's defenses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Stevens checks a leg kick.
Bert Sugar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens moves in looking to clinch but Sugar pushes him off.
Sugar lands a nice shot to the body.
Stevens moves out of range of the leg kick from Sugar.
Stevens moves in looking to clinch but Sugar pushes him off.
Sugar slips a jab from Stevens.
Sugar uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Stevens drives through and clinches with Sugar against the cage.
Sugar can't break the clinch.
Stevens lands an elbow inside.
Stevens misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sugar on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sugar prevents a body shot from Stevens.
Sugar tries to circle away but Stevens has him pinned against the cage.
Stevens tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sugar avoids it.
Stevens has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sugar is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Stevens has Sugar pressed against the cage, preventing Sugar from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sugar is trying to force a seperation but Stevens has the dominant position.
Stevens is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sugar is defending well for now.
Stevens is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sugar is defending well for now.
Stevens using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Sugar has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Stevens changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sugar fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens throws a leg kick that misses.
Stevens is looking to chop away at Sugar's legs.
Stevens blocks a low kick nicely.
Stevens lands a leg kick that knocks Sugar off balance momentarily.
Stevens takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Jab by Sugar.
Stevens looks to land a right hand but Sugar moved out of range.
Stevens throws a low kick but Sugar avoids it.
Sugar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Stevens moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sugar attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sugar takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sugar getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Stevens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stevens checks a leg kick.
Stevens cracks the inside of Sugar's front leg.
Sugar checks the leg kick nicely there.
Stevens tries to land a front kick but Sugar steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sugar circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Sugar.
Sugar lands with a good body shot.
Stevens misses with a takedown attempt - Sugar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sugar lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sugar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stevens circles away quickly and effectively.
A clash of legs there as Sugar blocks the low kick.
Stevens tries to clinch there but Sugar circles away.
A good leg kick by Stevens.
Stevens is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sugar swats away the attempt to clinch by Stevens.
Stevens throws a head kick but Sugar moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stevens tries to clinch but Sugar is having none of it.
Stevens tries to clinch but Sugar moves out of range.
Stevens scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bert Sugar will probably get the nod.
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.

Stevens shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stevens showed some decent athleticism there.
Sugar trying to control but Stevens postures up.
Sugar is trying to stand.
Stevens is keen to just control but Sugar is a slippery customer.
Stevens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sugar defending well though.
Sugar is refusing to be controlled, as Stevens sits in half guard.
Stevens thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sugar's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sugar is trying to control but can't.
Sugar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stevens. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sugar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stevens.
Stevens is looking to take a break and control but Sugar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stevens ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stevens is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dean Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevens misses with a kick to the body.
Sugar throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sugar displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Good shot there by Sugar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stevens darts in and clinches Sugar up against the cage.
Sugar on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stevens misses with a knee strike.
Stevens trying to land knees to the body.
Sugar blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sugar avoiding damage as Stevens throws knees to the body.
Stevens has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sugar avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Stevens gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Sugar regains guard.
Stevens 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.
Sugar wants to sweep here but Stevens controlling him for the moment.
Sugar pulls Stevens in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sugar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stevens is one step ahead there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sugar can do anything to dispel that myth.
Stevens throwing strikes but missing.
Sugar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Sugar keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Sugar keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stevens's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stevens trying to control but Sugar is working from the bottom.
Stevens postures up in Sugar's guard and throws a big left but Sugar blocks it.
Sugar keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.
Stevens slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Stevens dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Stevens thows a body shot but no joy.
Sugar avoids the body shot from Stevens.
Stevens feints and then cracks Sugar's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sugar down.
Bert Sugar seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stevens avoids the body shot from Sugar.
Stevens avoids the body shot from Sugar.
Sugar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stevens moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sugar lands a two punch combo.
Stevens throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An inside leg kick lands from Stevens.
Stevens throws a wild body kick that Sugar sees coming a mile off.
Stevens tries to clinch but Sugar moves out of range.
Sugar works Stevens's body with a nice hook.
Sugar moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sugar.
A combination from Sugar does no damage.
A swing and a miss from Stevens.
Sugar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Sugar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sugar is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stevens with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stevens wants to pass the guard but Sugar is keeping the position.
Stevens is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sugar can't keep his opponent in guard - Stevens advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Stevens wants to control but Sugar is keeping him busy.
Sugar is looking to improve his position.
Stevens throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sugar is trying to control but can't.
Stevens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sugar keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sugar keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stevens performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dean Stevens just wasn't active enough.
Sugar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stevens misses with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sugar misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stevens moves out of range of the leg kick from Sugar.
Stevens throws a leg kick but Sugar checks it.
Sugar throws out a loose jab but Stevens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stevens tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Sugar is able to avoid easily.
An inside leg kick from Sugar misses.
Stevens closes the distance and clinches up with Sugar, looking for a takedown. Stevens pushes Sugar against the cage but Sugar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Stevens lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sugar's sensitive parts.
Stevens tries to clinch up.
Stevens shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sugar defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sugar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stevens circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Stevens showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stevens has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28

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