PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ernie Stephson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joeli Babitu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Stephson
vs
Babitu

180 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ernie Stephson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joeli Babitu!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Babitu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Babitu lands a head kick!
Stephson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Babitu connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Babitu lands a high kick!
Stephson on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Babitu moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Stephson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Babitu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A low kick from Stephson misses
and Babitu counters with a thumping low kick.
Babitu fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Stephson is breathing heavily.
Babitu throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Stephson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Babitu. Babitu obviously looking to wear him down.

Stephson moves into the clinch.
Babitu tries to break the clinch but Stephson is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babitu managing to block the knees to the body from Stephson.
Stephson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stephson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Babitu blocks it with crossed arms.
Babitu has had enough of the clinch but Stephson keeps him there for the moment.
Stephson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Stephson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Babitu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Stephson trying to land knees to the body.
Stephson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Babitu blocks it with crossed arms.
Stephson has Babitu pressed against the cage.
Babitu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Babitu is defending well for now.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Babitu is trying to break the clinch but Stephson is controlling him.
Stephson tries to land knees in the clinch but Babitu avoids the damage to the body.
Stephson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Babitu is defending well for now.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Babitu as Stephson tries to tie him up.
Stephson prevents Babitu from breaking the clinch.
Babitu wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Babitu tries to break free but Stephson pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babitu blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Babitu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Stephson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Stephson throws an elbow that misses.
Stephson misses with an elbow over the top.
Babitu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Babitu working hard to break the clinch.
Babitu has had enough of the clinch but Stephson keeps him there for the moment.
Stephson tries to land knees in the clinch but Babitu avoids the damage to the body.
Stephson stalling the fight.
Stephson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Babitu's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephson prevents Babitu from breaking the clinch.
Stephson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Babitu lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knees to the body from Stephson.
Stephson stalling in the clinch.
Stephson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Babitu is defending well for now.
Babitu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Stephson throws an elbow but misses.
Stephson keeps control of Babitu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stephson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Babitu.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Stephson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Stephson misses with an elbow over the top.
Stephson tries to land a knee to the head but Babitu blocks with his arms.
Babitu avoiding damage as Stephson throws knees to the body.
Babitu blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Babitu avoiding damage as Stephson throws knees to the body.
Stephson prevents Babitu from breaking the clinch.
Babitu blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stephson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Babitu.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stephson.
Stephson pushes off an throws an elbow but Babitu leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Stephson's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Babitu can't break the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Stephson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Babitu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Babitu wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stephson is stalling here.
Babitu wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Stephson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Babitu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stephson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Stephson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Babitu blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Stephson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Babitu is trying to force a seperation but Stephson has the dominant position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Stephson throws an elbow but misses.
Stephson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Babitu.
Stephson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Babitu.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Stephson wants to stall.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Stephson obliges.
Stephson pushes off an throws an elbow but Babitu leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Babitu wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Babitu blocks the elbow strike.
Stephson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Babitu is defending well for now.
Stephson working Babitu over with knees to the body.
Babitu wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stephson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Babitu wants to break free but Stephson has control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Stephson throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Stephson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Babitu.
Babitu is trying to force a seperation but Stephson has the dominant position.
Stephson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Stephson trying to land knees to the body.
Stephson keeps control of Babitu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Babitu tries to break free but Stephson pushes him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stephson is stalling here.
Stephson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joeli Babitu will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A head kick from Babitu lands but Stephson takes it in his stride.
A solid body kick from Stephson.
Stephson throws a head kick that misses.
Stephson thumps Babitu with a low kick.
Babitu attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Babitu throws a leg kick which misses Stephson's front leg but catches the back leg as Stephson tries to avoid it.
Babitu lands with a kick to the temple. Stephson shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephson wants to clinch.
Babitu moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Babitu keeps Stephson at a distance using the push kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Babitu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A good leg kick by Babitu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babitu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Stephson. That did some damage!
Joeli Babitu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stephson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Good leg kick by Babitu there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Babitu scores with a head kick. Stephson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stephson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Babitu. Babitu obviously looking to wear him down.
Babitu lands a front kick.
Babitu scores with a head kick. Stephson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Stephson has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Babitu.
Ohhhhh! A huge head kick from Babitu! Stephson is out on his feet! Babitu rushes in and throws more strikes. The ref is looking closely - Stephson is covering up but the punishment is just too much and the ref steps in to stop the fight! Stephson is staring into space, just thankful that the beatdown has ended. Brutal finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joeli Babitu!
Our winner, Joeli Babitu, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.