PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kobe Bryant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Teofilo Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bryant comes to the cage accompanied by Kobe Bryant. Stevenson has chosen Uno dos tres, Cinco seis siete... as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bryant
vs
Stevenson

198 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant!
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, Teofilo Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bryant moves into the clinch.
Stevenson is trying to break the clinch but Bryant has him pressed against the cage.
Stevenson is trying to break the clinch but Bryant has him pressed against the cage.
Bryant avoiding damage.
Bryant wants a takedown.
Stevenson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bryant smiles and moves away.
Stevenson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bryant moves away.
Stevenson misses with a left hand

and Bryant counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bryant lands with a punch from half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stevenson is trying to stand back up but Bryant is controlling him
Stevenson is staying active underneath Bryant, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Stevenson is trying to stand.

Bryant is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bryant is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Stevenson is just riding it out for now. Bryant eventually gives up the hold.
Stevenson wants to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Stevenson can do anything to dispel that myth.

Bryant stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Bryant staying out of range there.
Stevenson misses with a straight right.
Nice sprawl there from Stevenson as Bryant shoots in.
Bryant loads up on a big right hand but Stevenson slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson lands an overhand right.
Stevenson misses with an uppercut.
Stevenson uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Bryant uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stevenson.
Stevenson lands a right hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bryant is looking to land body kicks.
Stevenson lands a slapping body shot.
Stevenson misses with a hook. Bryant ducked under it nicely.
Stevenson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stevenson throws a hook to the side of Bryant's head but Bryant sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Stevenson misses with a looping left.
Stevenson stuffs the takedown attempt from Bryant. Bryant gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kobe Bryant. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Bryant.
Bryant missing with a left hand there. Stevenson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bryant fails with a takedown attempt.
Bryant on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Stevenson looks to score with a jab to the body but Bryant is just out of range.
Bryant moves out of range as Stevenson strikes.
Stevenson lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stevenson looks to throw the jab but Bryant is out of range.
Bryant uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stevenson.
Stevenson clobbers Bryant with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bryant displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stevenson throws out the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson connects with a body shot.
Stevenson swinging wildly here.
Bryant drops his hands momentarily and Stevenson takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Stevenson slips a straight right by Bryant.
Stevenson misses with a looping left.
Bryant uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Stevenson.
Stevenson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bryant was well out of range. Poor timing from Stevenson.
Stevenson thows a left - swing and a miss!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bryant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stevenson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stevenson throws a lazy right hand but Bryant sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kobe Bryant will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Stevenson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bryant moves away.
Stevenson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bryant steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stevenson.
Stevenson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stevenson throws a body punch but Bryant moves out of range.
Bryant tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Teofilo Stevenson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bryant dodges the punch combination from Stevenson.
Stevenson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Bryant throws a lazy right hand but Stevenson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stevenson lands with an overhand left.
Stevenson misses the jab.
Stevenson misses with a lunging right hand

so Bryant counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Bryant passes Stevenson's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson is looking to escape.

Bryant has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Stevenson defend it? Bryant steps over the head and cranks it - Stevenson is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Bryant!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kobe Bryant!
After winning the bout, Kobe Bryant thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.