PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kanye West (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Corey Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). West kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Can't tell me nothing. Kanye West has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

West
vs
Stevenson

176 cm
27
184 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

176 cm
27
182 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Crippler's Corner

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 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kanye West!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Corey Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
West ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stevenson moves out of range of the leg kick from West.
Stevenson missing with a left hand there. West was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good leg kick by West there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

West scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
West working away.

West is trying to get an arm triangle but Stevenson is defending well.
Stevenson struggling a bit here.
Stevenson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of West.

That's one minute gone in the round.
West wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stevenson keeps working.
West throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Stevenson struggling a bit here.
West is looking to take a break and control but Stevenson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stevenson looking for a sweep but West has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
West wants to control the pace but Stevenson is squirming around nicely.
Stevenson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
West controlling his opponent.

West goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Stevenson turns into him and now he's in West's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson sitting in guard here, content to control.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
West managing to control the position.
West keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.

That's four 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
West uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stevenson.
West throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stevenson.
West shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Stevenson eats them both and turns towards West to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
West uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stevenson.
West throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Stevenson misses with a straight left.
Stevenson misses with an uppercut. West saw that one coming.
A low kick from Stevenson misses

and West counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Stevenson trying to keep a closed guard but West is proving a slippery customer.
West wants to control from the top but Stevenson keeps moving.
West pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stevenson is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kanye West dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

West misses with a low kick as Stevenson jumps back.

West scores with a takedown into Stevenson's guard.
Stevenson looking for a sweep. Not yet Stevenson, not yet.
West tries to free his leg and advance position but Stevenson is retaining full guard.
Stevenson trying to control the position.
West not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

West is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Stevenson is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Stevenson has escaped and now he's on top!
West is trying to control the position but Stevenson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
West looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
West keeping full guard, as Stevenson tries to pass.
West manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
West trying to control but Stevenson is having none of it.

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.

West jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Stevenson is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Stevenson and West has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

West stands up and we're back to a striking position.

West drives through with a takedown into guard.
West wants to control from the top but Stevenson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
West pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stevenson is keeping the position for now.
West wants to control from the top but Stevenson keeps moving.
West is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Stevenson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Stevenson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Stevenson scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from West. Those never looked like landing.

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.
West will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stevenson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
West uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stevenson.
Stevenson throws an overhand right that lands on West's shoulder, as West tries to avoid the shot.
West ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Stevenson misses with a looping right.
West avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
West lands with an overhand left.
Stevenson dodges the punch combination from West.
Stevenson connects with a nice looking jab.
Stevenson takes a kick to the side of the head.
A combination from West does no damage.
Stevenson ducks right into an uppercut from West.
West connects with a high kick.
Stevenson swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kanye West dominated that second round.
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!

A swing and a miss from Stevenson.
Stevenson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Stevenson gets tackled into the cage by West. West maintains the clinch.

West pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A slow jab from Stevenson misses its intended target.
West slips a straight right by Stevenson.
A left and a right from West both land. Nice combination.

West throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Stevenson was covering up waiting for the punch and West finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stevenson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for West!
Stevenson manages to capitalize on a mistake by West to take his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
West tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Stevenson controlling the position easily from mount.
Stevenson wants to control the pace but West is squirming around nicely.
Stevenson pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Stevenson avoids the attempt from West to control.
Stevenson prevents West from getting the reversal.
Stevenson controlling from the full mount.
West tries to hold on but Stevenson pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
West is working to get back to half guard.
West tries to control Stevenson's body but Stevenson pushes him off. West squirms to his side and now Stevenson has his back!
West tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stevenson is not going to allow West to sit and survive in this position.
Stevenson wants to control but West is keeping busy.
West trying to control the action but Stevenson just sinks the hooks in.
West just looking to survive in the bad position.
West is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Stevenson.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kanye West.
Well West has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kanye West!