PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juan Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevenson comes to the cage accompanied by Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stevenson
vs
Lopez

175 cm
27
185 lbs
16 - 14 - 1

179 cm
27
173 lbs
10 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 16 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Joseph Stevenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Juan Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, William Peck and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Stevenson in a clinch.
Lopez misses with a knee strike.
Lopez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stevenson.
Stevenson looking to throw knees to the head but Lopez is blocking nicely.
Lopez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stevenson.
Stevenson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lopez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lopez fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Lopez has managed to clinch.
Lopez prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Stevenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right from Lopez.
Stevenson avoiding damage as Lopez throws knees to the body.
Lopez misses with a knee strike.
Stevenson can't get the takedown.
Lopez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lopez with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Stevenson manages to pull guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lopez wants to control from the top but Stevenson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lopez's guard.
Lopez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stevenson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Stevenson throws a strike but Lopez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Stevenson striking off his back but it's not causing Lopez any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lopez 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.
Stevenson wants to sweep here but Lopez controlling him for the moment.
Lopez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Lopez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lopez trying to control but Stevenson is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lopez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lopez trying to control the action but Stevenson is working from the bottom.
Stevenson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Lopez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson wants to get back to full guard.
Lopez wants to free his trapped foot but Stevenson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stevenson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lopez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Stevenson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Lopez passes into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopez is looking to pass Stevenson's guard but actually Stevenson recovers to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Juan Lopez will probably get the nod.
That's time! Stevenson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stevenson swats away the attempt to clinch by Lopez.
Lopez lands with a cross.
Stevenson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lopez's waist but Lopez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stevenson off to one side.
Stevenson shoots in for a takedown but Lopez shows good takedown defense.
Lopez swinging wildly here.
Lopez throws a nice looking combination but Stevenson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lopez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lopez tries to clinch but Stevenson is having none of it.
Lopez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Lopez misses with a few strikes there.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lopez, as that shot connected.
Lopez misses with a two punch combination.

Stevenson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lopez did well to prevent Stevenson getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lopez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lopez tries to get to full guard but Stevenson has control of the leg.

Stevenson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Stevenson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Stevenson wants to free his trapped foot but Lopez is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Lopez to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Stevenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevenson passes Lopez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez is looking to control Stevenson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lopez avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Stevenson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lopez is just riding it out for now. Stevenson eventually gives up the hold.
Lopez controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Stevenson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stevenson is trying to control the action in half guard but Lopez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Stevenson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stevenson is looking to take a break and control but Lopez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Stevenson seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joseph Stevenson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Stevenson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Stevenson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lopez pinned against the cage. Lopez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Stevenson tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Stevenson wants to clinch up but Lopez keeps it at a distance.
Joseph Stevenson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lopez lands a nice looking body shot.
Juan Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevenson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lopez misses with the combination.
Sloppy strikes from Lopez. Those never looked like landing.
Lopez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joseph Stevenson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopez tries to clinch but Stevenson moves out of range.
Lopez tries to clinch but Stevenson is having none of it.
Lopez throws a body punch but Stevenson moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Stevenson's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Lopez.

It looks like Joseph Stevenson has been cut.
Lopez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stevenson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lopez swivels and escapes.
Lopez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lopez slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lopez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez lands a jab to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stevenson slips a jab and a cross from Lopez.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stevenson.
Lopez lands a nice shot that snaps Stevenson's head back.

Lopez clinches up against the cage.
Stevenson missing with knees to the body.
Lopez tries a knee to the head but Stevenson blocks it.
Lopez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stevenson is defending well for now.
Lopez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stevenson blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stevenson.
Lopez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lopez with a knee to the head.

Stevenson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Stevenson keeping full guard, as Lopez tries to pass.
Stevenson lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Stevenson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Lopez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stevenson is keeping the position for now.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Stevenson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lopez defends it easily.

Stevenson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Stevenson keeping full guard, as Lopez tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopezis looking to pass into half guard but Stevenson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Stevenson is in guard.
Stevenson throws a big right hand that misses.
Stevenson wants to control from the top but Lopez keeps moving.
Stevenson with a nice head shot there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevenson wants to control from the top but Lopez keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lopez 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Lopez!