PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ninja Monk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dean Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Monk comes to the cage accompanied by On To The Next One. Ninja Monk has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Monk
vs
Stevens

185 cm
34
175 lbs
31 - 20 - 1

176 cm
34
175 lbs
34 - 13 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 31 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ninja Monk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Dean Stevens!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monk moves into range and connects with a jab.
Monk definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Monk looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Monk tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stevens misses with a straight right.
Stevens jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stevens fails to land the takedown.
Stevens takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Stevens throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Monk avoids the body shot from Stevens.
Monk throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Monk tries a low kick but Stevens avoids it.
Stevens takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Monk moves into range and clinches up with Stevens.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens throws a head punch that misses.
Monk working aggressively here.
Stevens fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Monk swings wildly with an uppercut but Stevens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Monk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Stevens being controlled against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stevens.
Stevens is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Monk pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ninja Monk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dean Stevens.
Monk tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Stevens's elbow.
Stevens blocks an uppercut.

Stevens has clasped his hands together around Monk's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Stevens trying to control the action but Monk is working from the bottom.
Stevens throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Monk works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
The fighters are battling for position here. Monk manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Monk is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stevens tries to free his leg and advance position but Monk is retaining full guard.
Monk manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stevens manages to get himself to full guard.
Monk trying to control the position from guard on top but Stevens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stevens trying to strike off his back.
Monk is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Stevens has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Monk can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Ninja Monk wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Stevens closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Monk with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ninja Monk is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stevens shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Stevens clobbers Monk with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Monk tries to close the distance and clinch but Stevens swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monk attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Monk connects with a right hand. Stevens shakes it off.
Stevens shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Monk but Monk pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Monk misses with a leg kick
and Stevens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ninja Monk dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Monk gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Stevens goes for a takedown attempt but Monk pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Good leg kick by Monk there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Stevens closes the distance but Monk moves to the side
and Monk counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Monk.
Monk feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Stevens's calf.
Monk misses with a hook. Stevens ducked under it nicely.
Stevens on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Stevens on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Monk. Monk obviously looking to wear him down.
Monk sizes up Stevens with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monk uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Stevens has time to react.
Monk displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stevens.
Monk lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stevens takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Monk scores with a push kick.
Stevens throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stevens misses with a shot to the body
and Monk counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Monk is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Monk listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Monk connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Stevens's hands.
A good leg kick by Stevens.
Monk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Monk.
Monk scores with a decent looking hook.
A lazy left from Monk finds it's target.
Monk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Good exchange - Monk coming out on top.
Monk throws a lazy head kick

and Stevens counters with a takedown into side control.

Stevens wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Monk, who protects the arm well.
Monk is not content to let Stevens control the position.
Monk is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is looking to take a break and control but Monk is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monk is trying to control Stevens's posture but Stevens avoids it.
Stevens works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stevens cracks Monk with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Monk managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stevens.
Monk is looking to regain half guard here but Stevens keeps moving and retains side control.

Stevens decides to stand up, so the ref orders Monk to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monk throws the left hand but Stevens avoids the punch easily.
Monk connects with an inside leg kick.
Monk throws the left hand but Stevens avoids the punch easily.
Nice body punch from Stevens.
Stevens looks to score with a jab to the body but Monk is just out of range.
Stevens keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Monk.
Monk lands with a good body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Stevens thows a body shot but no joy.
Stevens throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stevens looks to throw a body kick
and Monk counters with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ninja Monk dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Monk waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stevens.
Monk uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stevens.
Stevens misses with a body shot.
Stevens thows a body shot but no joy.
Monk is looking to clinch.
Stevens thows a body shot but no joy.
Monk misses with a left hand

and Stevens counters with a single leg into guard. Monk didn't expect that.
Monk keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Stevens passes Monk's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Monk is looking for a sweep. Stevens is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Monk is trying to maintain the position but Stevens is very close to passing his half guard.

Stevens is working for a kimura but Monk is defending it quite comfortably.
Stevens keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Stevens is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Monk defends it well.
Monk gets full guard.
Dean Stevens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Monk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevens in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stevens throws a big right hand that misses.
Monk utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Monk is trying to keep Stevens in close.
Stevens is looking to advance position but Monk has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Monk looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens tries to reverse the position but Monk maintains control.
Monk trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Stevens is desperately trying to improve his position but Monk has a good base and remains in mount.
Monk moves to back control.
Monk has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Stevens's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja Monk is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Monk doesn't have the hooks in and Stevens manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dean Stevens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Monk has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ninja Monk!
Ninja Monk thanked the fans post fight for their support.