PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francesco Stokes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Demi Brunswijk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Demi Brunswijk will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Stokes
vs
Brunswijk

151 cm
25
279 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

194 cm
22
249 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Francesco Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Demi Brunswijk!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Nard Betker and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Brunswijk takes the fight into the clinch.
Brunswijk lands a nice shot to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Stokes blocking some punches.

Brunswijk gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Stokes regains guard.

Stokes uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Brunswijk closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stokes lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Brunswijk backwards.

Brunswijk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Brunswijk clinches up with Stokes and pushes him back against the cage.
Stokes tries to break the clinch but Brunswijk is controlling the position.
Brunswijk utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Stokes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Brunswijk prevents it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Brunswijk obliges.
Stokes is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brunswijk stalling in the clinch.

Brunswijk lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Brunswijk is looking to take a break and control but Stokes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brunswijk tries to pass the half guard into mount. Stokes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Brunswijk passes to full mount!
Brunswijk tries to control but Stokes wriggling away.
Stokes really is a fat lump.
Brunswijk throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Stokes wants to get back to his feet.

Stokes somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brunswijk clinches up against the cage.

Brunswijk manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Stokes 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.

Stokes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Stokes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Stokes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Brunswijk is proving hard to escape from.
Stokes postures up.
Brunswijk looking for a sweep. Not yet Brunswijk, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brunswijk is trying to control the position but Stokes postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Demi Brunswijk hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Brunswijk clinches up against the cage.
Brunswijk taking a breather.
Brunswijk misses with a body punch.
Stokes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Brunswijk can't find room to land a body shot as Stokes controls the action.
Brunswijk is looking to break free of the clinch but Stokes has double underhooks.

Brunswijk breaks from the clinch.

Brunswijk closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stokes content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Stokes pressing his opponent against the cage.
Brunswijk tries to break the clinch but Stokes is controlling the position.

Stokes manages to pull guard.

Brunswijk avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Brunswijk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stokes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Stokes has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Brunswijk has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Brunswijk landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Brunswijk works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demi Brunswijk dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Brunswijk closes the distance and clinches.

Brunswijk successfully pulls guard.

Stokes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Stokes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Stokes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Brunswijk works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Brunswijk pulls Stokes in close to prevent any damage.
Stokes wants to stand but Brunswijk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stokes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stokes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Brunswijk is proving hard to escape from.

Stokes stands up and waves to Brunswijk to follow him.

Brunswijk forces Stokes back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stokes is looking to break free of the clinch but Brunswijk has double underhooks.
Stokes is trying to break the clinch but Brunswijk is controlling him.
Stokes is looking for a takedown.

Brunswijk turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Brunswijk manages to end up in side control.
Stokes is looking to get back to his feet here but Brunswijk is keeping cool and he's managed to take Stokes's back.

Brunswijk has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Stokes has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stokes holding both Brunswijk 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brunswijk keeps control of the position as Stokes tries to break free.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Brunswijk's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Brunswijk is riding his opponent, not letting Stokes buck him off.
Demi Brunswijk has got the better of the ground game so far.
You can see the frustration on Stokes's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Stokes turns into Brunswijk and is now in his guard.
Brunswijk is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stokes is controlling him.
Brunswijk is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stokes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Stokes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Brunswijk seems keen to control Stokes's posture.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Stokes gets to his feet. Brunswijk looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Brunswijk tries to break the clinch but Stokes is controlling the position.
Brunswijk is trying to push Stokes away but Stokes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Stokes jumps guard and drags Brunswijk to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Stokes is looking to stand up but Brunswijk isn't so interested in that idea.

Stokes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brunswijk prevents Stokes from getting back to his feet.
Brunswijk tries to stand but Stokes is controlling from the bottom.
Stokes has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Brunswijk has passed into side control.
Brunswijk tries to move to mount but Stokes blocks the move with his legs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Brunswijk throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Brunswijk has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Stokes can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Demi Brunswijk will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Brunswijk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Brunswijk moves into the clinch.
Stokes is trying to break free.
Stokes content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Brunswijk manages to pull guard.

Stokes 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.

Stokes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Stokes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Brunswijk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Brunswijk has his foot on Stokes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Stokes works his way back into a safe position though.
Brunswijk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brunswijk throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Stokes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Demi Brunswijk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stokes avoids the head kick by Brunswijk.

Brunswijk closes the distance and clinches.
Brunswijk is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stokes is defending well for now.
Brunswijk looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Stokes breaks the clinch.

Stokes feints and as Brunswijk raises his hands in defense, Stokes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Brunswijk looking to control.

Stokes stands up and waves to Brunswijk to follow him.

Stokes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Demi Brunswijk seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch on the inside from Brunswijk fails to land.

Brunswijk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Stokes tries to keep at a distance but Brunswijk has taken the fight into the clinch.

Stokes is trying to trip Brunswijk. He has hold of a leg but Brunswijk is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Stokes persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Stokes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Stokes cracks Brunswijk with a solid left hand.
Stokes trying to stand up but can't free himself from Brunswijk's guard.
Stokes is working Brunswijk over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Stokes connects with a couple of short punches.
Stokes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stokes scoring with some ground and pound.
Stokes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

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

Stokes gets to his feet. Brunswijk looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Brunswijk has Stokes up against the cage in a clinch.

Brunswijk jumps into guard, dragging Stokes to the mat.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Brunswijk. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Stokes stands up from Brunswijk's guard - Stokes perhaps looking for a knockout.

Stokes feints and as Brunswijk raises his hands in defense, Stokes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stokes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stokes postures up and lands a big shot to Brunswijk's brow.

Stokes gets to his feet. Brunswijk looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Brunswijk pushes Stokes up against the cage in a clinch.

Stokes breaks the clinch.
Stokes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Brunswijk sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stokes somewhat.
Brunswijk pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Stokes tries to keep at a distance but Brunswijk has taken the fight into the clinch.
Francesco Stokes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Demi Brunswijk is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Stokes misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Francesco Stokes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brunswijk 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Demi Brunswijk!