PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bill Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gunnar Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nelson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: mama said knock you out. Bill Stephens has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Stephens
vs
Nelson

219 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bill Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Gunnar Nelson!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Chris Edwards and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nelson throws a head kick that misses.
As Nelson tries to get set, Stephens tries to push him back and clinch up but Nelson manages to avoid the attempt.
Nelson misses with a head kick.
Nelson tries a head kick but it misses.

Stephens gets caught napping as Nelson dives in and scores a takedown. Stephens manages to retain guard.
Nelson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Stephens trying to control the position.
Nelson preventing the sweep.
Stephens wants to stand but Nelson is controlling the position.
Nelson wanted to stand there but Stephens had control of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nelson controls from within his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stephens trying to keep a closed guard but Nelson is proving a slippery customer.
Stephens has Nelson pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Stephens controlling Nelson's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nelson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Stephens wants to improve his position but Nelson is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nelson in particular looking to stall.
Nelson wants to stand but Stephens has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Stephens is controlling Nelson's trapped leg to prevent Nelson from advancing to side control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nelson in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nelson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Stephens is pressing down on Nelson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Nelson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Stephens is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stephens looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nelson wanted to stand there but Stephens had control of the position.
Stephens seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Nelson tries to stand but Stephens is controlling from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stephens throws out a leg kick but Nelson moves out of range and Stephens only half commits.

Nelson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stephens to the ground. Nelson is now in Stephens's guard.
Nelson tries to stand but Stephens is controlling from the bottom.
Nelson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Stephens will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Stephens is pulling down on Nelson's head to control his posture.

Stephens is working an open guard so Nelson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Nelson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nelson lands in his opponent's guard.
Stephens is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to get up but he can't break Stephens's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Stephens being controlled here, momentarily.
Nelson wanted to stand there but Stephens had control of the position.
Stephens trying to control the position.
Stephens being controlled here, momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Nelson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nelson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Stephens's guard.

Stephens pushes Nelson off and scrambles back to his feet.

Nelson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Stephens's half guard.

Stephens makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nelson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Stephens is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Nelson.
Nelson tries a head kick but it misses.
Nelson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nelson tries to counter by closing the distance.
Nelson throws a head kick but Stephens moves out of range.
Stephens seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Nelson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Stephens!
Stephens is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Nelson off and has taken his back!
Nelson is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson is trying to get back to his feet but Stephens has full control of the position and if anything, Nelson has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Good control from Stephens.
Nelson is trying to stand back up.
Stephens is looking to control Nelson but Nelson is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Stephens is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Nelson knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Nelson for a finish.

Stephens working for a choke but Nelson is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Nelson's body.
Nelson is trying to stand back up.

Stephens is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson trying to get back to his feet but Stephens is in full control for now.

Nelson showing good submission defense here.
Nelson looking very determined here, making life difficult for Stephens.

Stephens working for the choke.
Nelson wants to get back to his feet.

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 wants to control but Nelson is keeping busy.
Nelson is trying to stand back up.
Stephens trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Nelson defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet but Nelson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Stephens dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nelson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Nelson just content to control the position.
Stephens is looking for a sweep.
Nelson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Nelson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Bill Stephens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stephens can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens is being controlled here.
Nelson working away.
Nelson wants to stand but Stephens is controlling his arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens is looking for a sweep.
Nelson wants to stand but Stephens is controlling his arm.
Stephens manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nelson's best efforts.
Stephens controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Nelson is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nelson stalling.
Stephens has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nelson is working away from the top position though.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Nelson gets a clinch.
Stephens taking a breather.

Nelson breaks the clinch.
Nelson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Stephens swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Nelson closes the distance and pushes Stephens back into the cage.

Nelson manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Nelson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Nelson looking to score a takedown here. Stephens is defending well but Nelson drives through and ends up in Stephens's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to get up but he can't break Stephens's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Stephens throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Nelson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stephens is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Nelson wanted to stand there but Stephens had control of the position.
Nelson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Nelson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nelson wants to stand and escape but instead Stephens has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Nelson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Stephens controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stephens has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Nelson keeping moving, preventing Stephens from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nelson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stephens is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gunnar Nelson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nelson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gunnar Nelson!
In his post fight interview, Gunnar Nelson started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.