PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steve Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Clooten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Clooten has chosen Hot Ride by The Prodigy as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stevenson
vs
Clooten

184 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
29
182 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Rivers Edge Nutrition(Disciples of Pain)

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 New York, Steve Stevenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Clooten!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Bruno Lombardi and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevenson misses with a takedown attempt
and Clooten connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Clooten closes the distance and clinches.
Stevenson jumps guard but Clooten stands there with Stevenson around his waist. Stevenson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Stevenson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Stevenson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Stevenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Clooten gets control of Stevenson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Clooten will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Stevenson wants to stand but Clooten has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Stevenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Clooten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevenson tries to free his leg and advance position but Clooten is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clooten keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Steve Stevenson just wasn't active enough.
Stevenson takes one to the chin there.
Stevenson throws a right hand that misses
and Clooten counters with a nice body shot.
Steve Stevenson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevenson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Clooten counters with a straight right hand.
Stevenson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Clooten to counter with a crisp jab.
Stevenson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Clooten decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Stevenson's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clooten tries to free his leg and advance position but Stevenson is retaining full guard.
Clooten passes Stevenson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stevenson is trying to maintain the position but Clooten is very close to passing his half guard.
Stevenson wants to get back to full guard.
Clooten wants to pass the guard but Stevenson is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson tries to get to full guard but Clooten has control of the leg.
Stevenson is refusing to be controlled, as Clooten sits in half guard.
Stevenson is looking to control Clooten's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stevenson avoid being mounted?
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Stevenson is pressing down on Clooten's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

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.
Clooten pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stevenson is keeping the position for now.
Stevenson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Stevenson 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.

Clooten is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Stevenson pushes Clooten off and scrambles back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Clooten dominated that 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.

Stevenson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Clooten connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Stevenson tries to clinch but Clooten moves away
and Clooten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stevenson darts in trying to clinch
and Clooten cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A head kick by Stevenson misses

so Clooten counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevenson trying to keep a closed guard but Clooten is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clooten trying to control but Stevenson is working from the bottom.
Stevenson is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Clooten dives into side control.
Stevenson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Stevenson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Clooten is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Stevenson defends it well.

That's two 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 trying to get back to full guard.
Stevenson wants to control but Clooten is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stevenson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Stevenson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clooten throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stevenson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stevenson keeping full guard, as Clooten tries to pass.
Stevenson wants to sweep but no luck.
Stevenson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Clooten tries to hold on but Stevenson pushes him away.

That's four 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.

Stevenson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Clooten tries to lock up and control but Stevenson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Clooten is squirming around, avoiding Stevenson's attempts to control the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevenson content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Clooten 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 tries to clinch but Clooten moves away
and Clooten counters with a stiff right hand.
Stevenson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Stevenson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Clooten is able to avoid easily.
Stevenson tries for a takedown but Clooten circles away easily
enabling Clooten to counter with a crisp jab.
Stevenson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Clooten counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Clooten.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clooten throws a head punch that misses.
Clooten scores with a nice hook to the head.
Clooten working aggressively here.
Clooten misses with a knee strike.
Clooten has a couple of punches blocked by Stevenson.

Clooten decides to pull guard.
Stevenson trying to move into half guard but instead Clooten has managed to sweep!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stevenson looking for a sweep. Not yet Stevenson, not yet.
Stevenson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Clooten!
Stevenson looking to control but Clooten is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Stevenson with good strikes from the mount here!
Stevenson tries to control but Clooten wriggling away.
Stevenson raining down shots from the mount!
Clooten can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clooten is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Stevenson throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Steve Stevenson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stevenson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Clooten blocking the ground and pound.

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.
Stevenson avoids the attempt from Clooten to control.
Stevenson thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Stevenson throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Stevenson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stevenson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Clooten has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Clooten!
Matt Clooten is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Stevenson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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 Steve Stevenson.
Well Clooten 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Clooten!