PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Robert Stephenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Azie McGriff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Stephenson
vs
McGriff

180 cm
25
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
167 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 St Petersburg, Robert Stephenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Azie McGriff!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Stephenson with that takedown attempt.
McGriff throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Stephenson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. McGriff was covering up waiting for the punch and Stephenson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
McGriff really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stephenson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stephenson won't allow McGriff to get back to his feet.
Stephenson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stephenson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Stephenson distracts McGriff with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stephenson working some strikes from top position.
Stephenson wants to control from the top but McGriff keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephenson is in close to McGriff's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Stephenson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stephenson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Stephenson with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGriff has momentary wrist control but Stephenson slips an elbow through the middle.
McGriff is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
McGriff is looking to stand up but Stephenson isn't so interested in that idea.
Stephenson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stephenson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Stephenson won't allow McGriff to sweep him here.
Stephenson works over McGriff with some ground and pound from guard.
Stephenson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Stephenson distracts McGriff with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stephenson is working McGriff over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stephenson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephenson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stephenson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Stephenson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of McGriff's head.
Stephenson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stephenson with a nice head shot there.
Stephenson stands and throws McGriff's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Stephenson cracks McGriff with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Stephenson scoring with punches from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stephenson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused McGriff some visible discomfort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephenson cracks McGriff with a big elbow.
Stephenson lands some shots froms side control.
McGriff is being controlled here.
Stephenson working the ground and pound from side control.
Stephenson is chipping away with strikes.
Stephenson lands an elbow.
Stephenson tries to advance to mount but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McGriff is working to avoid the ground and pound but Stephenson connects with a decent elbow.
Stephenson in side control, just content to control the action for now.
McGriff is working to avoid the ground and pound but Stephenson connects with a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephenson controlling the position.
McGriff is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Stephenson trying to control the action but McGriff is working from the bottom.
Stephenson landing a few strikes.
Stephenson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Stephenson cracks McGriff with a big elbow.
Stephenson connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused McGriff some visible discomfort.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stephenson is putting a hurting on McGriff here, landing some big shots from side control.
McGriff takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Stephenson trying to control the action but McGriff is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Stephenson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

McGriff lands a nice looking body shot.

Stephenson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

McGriff bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Stephenson looking to score a takedown here. McGriff is defending well but Stephenson drives through and ends up in McGriff's guard.
McGriff is wriggling around but Stephenson manages to pass to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

McGriff wants to get back to full guard.
Stephenson working over McGriff with some ground and pound. McGriff looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
McGriff wants to improve his position but Stephenson is controlling well.
Stephenson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Stephenson lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGriff on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Stephenson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Stephenson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Stephenson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
McGriff in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
McGriff taking shots to the head.
McGriff is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Stephenson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
McGriff is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stephenson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Stephenson lands a heavy elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephenson landing punches.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if McGriff can do anything to dispel that myth.
McGriff tries to hold on but Stephenson pushes him away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Stephenson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Stephenson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The referee warns McGriff that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Stephenson looking to control but McGriff is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stephenson controlling from the full mount.
Stephenson trying to control but McGriff is having none of it.
McGriff is in a horrible position here. Stephenson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGriff working to try and regain half guard.
Stephenson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can McGriff hang on?
Stephenson controlling from mount.
Robert Stephenson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stephenson dominating with strikes here.
Stephenson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish McGriff?
Stephenson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. McGriff looks a forlorn figure.

McGriff is rocked!
Stephenson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
McGriff is still in real trouble! Can Stephenson finish him?
Stephenson with a couple of short strikes.
McGriff takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Stephenson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stephenson unloads with some vicious shots from mount and McGriff wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Stephenson celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Robert Stephenson!
After winning the bout, Robert Stephenson thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.