PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Boyd Lucas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Boyd Lucas has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Lucas
vs
Stevens

187 cm
19
223 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Boyd Lucas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lucas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stevens manages to avoid it.
A telegraphed right hand from Lucas misses the target.
Stevens on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Lucas throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stevens.

Stevens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lucas gets full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stevens accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stevens throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lucas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lucas is trying to keep Stevens in close.
Stevens trying to control but Lucas is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

John Stevens has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lucas misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lucas is looking to control Stevens's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lucas avoid being mounted?
Stevens trying to mount his opponent but Lucas defends it.
Stevens stops Lucas from getting back to his feet.
Stevens is looking to take a break and control but Lucas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lucas is trying to control but can't.
Lucas is pressing down on Stevens's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Stevens controlling from the top position.
Stevens throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lucas keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Lucas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lucas misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Stevens counters with a single leg into guard. Lucas didn't expect that.
Stevens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.
Stevens stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lucas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stevens must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Lucas keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Lucas keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens scoring with some ground and pound.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.
Stevens throwing strikes from guard but Lucas blocks nicely.
Lucas managing to control the position.
Stevens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lucas is keeping the position for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lucas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lucas misses with a right hand

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Lucas is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Stevens scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control the action but Lucas is working from the bottom.
Stevens thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lucas's head.
Stevens working Lucas over with strikes.
Lucas keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lucas is controlling Stevens's trapped leg to prevent Stevens from advancing to side control.
Stevens is trying to control the action in half guard but Lucas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stevens prevents Lucas from improving his position.
Lucas blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stevens.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Stevens dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lucas swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Stevens.
Lucas just misses with a punch to the body.
Boyd Lucas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lucas ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stevens fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lucas avoids it really well and circles away.
Lucas misses with a body shot.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stevens.
Lucas misses with a series of wild punches.
Lucas misses with a combination

and Stevens counters with a takedown into side control.
Stevens wants to control but Lucas is keeping him busy.
Lucas tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stevens lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas wants to control but Stevens postures up.
Stevens cracks Lucas with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Lucas is trying to control Stevens's posture but Stevens avoids it.
Stevens tries to stand but Lucas is controlling his head.
Stevens wants to control for a moment but Lucas uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
John Stevens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Stevens looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Stevens seems to be working for a kimura but Lucas defends the submission attempt.

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.
Lucas trying to control from the bottom.
Lucas works his way to full guard. Good work.
Stevens tries to free his leg and advance position but Lucas is retaining full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Stevens is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lucas is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lucas is trying to keep Stevens in close.
Stevens distracts Lucas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.
Stevens postures up in Lucas's guard and throws a big left but Lucas blocks it.
Lucas keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lucas trying to control the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. John Stevens hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Lucas misses the jab.
Lucas lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Stevens takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lucas looks to score with a jab to the body but Stevens is just out of range.

Stevens scores a takedown into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucas is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lucas tries to hold on but Stevens pushes him away.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
A nice elbow there by Stevens.
Stevens tries to control but Lucas wriggling away.
Lucas is desperately trying to improve his position but Stevens has a good base and remains in mount.
Lucas wants to hold on but Stevens pushes him away.
Stevens content just to control the position here.
Stevens looking to control but Lucas is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Lucas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Lucas throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stevens takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Lucas lands a nice looking body shot.
Lucas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lucas throws a right and a left that Stevens avoids nicely.
Stevens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lucas tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stevens was well out of range. Poor timing from Lucas.
Lucas fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stevens manages to avoid it.
Lucas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Stevens fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lucas sprawls well initially but Stevens persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Lucas tries to roll over but Stevens keeps him under control.
Lucas is pressing down on Stevens's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas managing to control the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. John Stevens wasn't active enough on the ground.
Lucas just misses with a punch to the body.
Stevens shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lucas but Lucas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Boyd Lucas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Stevens.
Stevens closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lucas circles away.
Lucas lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Stevens takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lucas.
Lucas throws a series of punches but Stevens moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Lucas. No joy for Stevens on that attempt.
John Stevens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lucas cracks Stevens with an open hand slap.
A punch combination from Lucas misses.
Lucas is looking to wear down Stevens with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Lucas takes a swing at Stevens's ribcage but misses.
Nice sprawl there from Lucas as Stevens shoots in.
Lucas throws a hook to the side of Stevens's head but Stevens sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Stevens throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lucas tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Stevens is in Lucas's guard.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.
Stevens throws a strike but Lucas rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lucas trying to stand up but can't free himself from Stevens's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucas prevents Stevens from getting back to his feet.
Stevens keeping moving, preventing Lucas from controlling successfully.
Stevens is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lucas is controlling him.

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 is looking to stand back up but Lucas counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Stevens.
Lucas is pressing down on Stevens's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stevens is holding on for now.
Lucas with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boyd Lucas showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

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