PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaleb Langeveld (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Langeveld
vs
Stephens

182 cm
22
231 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kaleb Langeveld!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Langeveld lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Steve Stephens has been cut.
Langeveld fails with the takedown

and Stephens counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Langeveld wants to get back to his feet but Stephens drags him back down.
Stephens working the ground and pound but Langeveld is defending the strikes.
Stephens scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Langeveld to see if he's OK.
Stephens lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Stephens goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Langeveld has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Stephens but great work by Langeveld.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Langeveld is trying to get an arm triangle but Stephens is defending well.
Stephens is not content to let Langeveld control the position.
Langeveld wants to stand but Stephens has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Langeveld working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Stephens wants to control but Langeveld postures up.
Stephens tries to bench press Langeveld off him but Langeveld keeps the position.
Stephens can't do much from the bottom here.
Stephens sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Langeveld throwing shots but Stephens is blocking nicely.

Stephens actively working from the bottom here.
Langeveld passes the guard and advances to mount!
Stephens is looking to improve his position but Langeveld isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Langeveld looking to ground and pound but Stephens is blocking nicely.
Stephens tries to hold on but Langeveld postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Langeveld unloads with some shots from mount but Stephens bucks and avoids them well.
Stephens avoids a series of strikes thrown by Langeveld.
Stephens is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Langeveld looking to control but Stephens is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stephens is just holding on here. Langeveld manages to take his back.
Langeveld wants to control but Stephens is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Langeveld missing with strikes.
Stephens just trying to survive but Langeveld is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Langeveld is hanging on to Stephens's back as he tries to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stephens is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Langeveld doesn't have the hooks in and Stephens manages to turn into his guard.
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 Kaleb Langeveld will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steve Stephens's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stephens keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Langeveld tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Langeveld has a takedown stuffed.
Stephens looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Langeveld misses with a takedown

and Stephens decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Langeveld's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaleb Langeveld. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Stephens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Langeveld is keeping the position for now.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Langeveld is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Langeveld controls Stephens momentarily but Stephens frees himself.
Stephens throws a big elbow that misses.
Steve Stephens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stephens working some strikes from top position.
Stephens postures up in Langeveld's guard and throws a big left but Langeveld blocks it.
Stephens landing some decent shots from guard.
Stephens with a nice head shot there.
Langeveld is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Stephens drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Langeveld dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stephens throws his legs up looking for a submission but Langeveld uses it to pass to side control.
Langeveld working the strikes but Stephens uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Langeveld is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Stephens as he works his way to full guard.

Langeveld avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Stephens is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Langeveld looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Stephens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Langeveld keeps working.
Langeveld trying to control here.
Stephens lands with a punch from half guard.
Stephens trying to mount his opponent but Langeveld defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Stephens trying to control from half guard but Langeveld is working away.
Stephens scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Stephens seems to be working for a kimura but Langeveld defends the submission attempt.
Langeveld wants to control but Stephens is keeping busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Langeveld wants to improve his position but Stephens is controlling well.
Langeveld might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Stephens drops an elbow to the side of Langeveld's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Stephens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Steve Stephens's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Langeveld shoots for a takedown but Stephens saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Stephens doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
No joy there for Langeveld, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stephens stuffs the takedown.
Langeveld looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stephens is fending him off so far but Langeveld persists. Nope, Stephens circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kaleb Langeveld. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Langeveld with that takedown attempt.

Stephens instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Langeveld gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stephens.
Stephens jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Langeveld walks away with a smile on his face. Stephens gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Langeveld tries for a takedown but Stephens sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Langeveld could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Stephens moves into the clinch successfully.
Stephens tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Langeveld just stands there and leans against the cage.
Langeveld stalls.

Stephens wants the takedown. Langeveld is fighting it off but Stephens persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Langeveld's guard against the cage.
Langeveld throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Stephens wants to control from the top but Langeveld keeps moving.
Stephens throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Langeveld works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stephens's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Langeveld looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Stephens scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stephens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stephens lands a couple of digs.
Langeveld working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.
Stephens throwing strikes from guard but Langeveld blocks nicely.
Stephens working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Stephens wants to control from the top but Langeveld keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Langeveld avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stephens fails with a takedown attempt.
Stephens tries to close the distance and clinch but Langeveld swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stephens slaps away a takedown attempt from Langeveld, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Good leg kick by Langeveld there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Langeveld with a lazy takedown attempt
and Stephens finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stephens.
Stephens has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stephens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Langeveld will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nice sprawl there from Langeveld as Stephens shoots in.
Langeveld tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stephens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stephens tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Langeveld manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Stephens shoots in looking for a takedown but Langeveld manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stephens's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Langeveld closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Steve Stephens.
I think Stephens 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Stephens!
During a confident post fight interview, Steve Stephens thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.