PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Srboljub Petrovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stephens
vs
Petrovic

174 cm
27
153 lbs
3 - 8 - 0

196 cm
21
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Samuel Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Srboljub Petrovic!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Elvis Blanc and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens throws a nice inside leg kick.

Stephens clinches up against the cage.

Petrovic breaks the clinch.

Stephens closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Petrovic did well to prevent Stephens getting side control.

Petrovic looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stephens moves into full mount! Petrovic won't be happy about that!
Stephens controlling his opponent.
Petrovic wants to hold on but Stephens pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens controlling his opponent.
Petrovic is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Stephens has taken his back!
Stephens is not going to allow Petrovic to sit and survive in this position.

Petrovic fending off the submission attempt from Stephens.
Petrovic covering up well under a barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Stephens's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Petrovic tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Petrovic is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Petrovic is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Stephens tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Petrovic is looking to get to half guard.
Petrovic blocking the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stephens throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Petrovic is in all sorts of trouble here.

Stephens goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Petrovic is on top in guard.
Stephens wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Stephens is looking for a triangle but Petrovic pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephens working a defensive guard but Petrovic manages to pass into side control anyway.
Stephens tries to bench press Petrovic off him but Petrovic keeps the position.
Stephens is trying to buck Petrovic off.
Stephens avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Petrovic.
Petrovic working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stephens sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Stephens dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Stephens has managed to clinch.

Stephens pulls guard.
Petrovic being controlled here momentarily.
Petrovic wants to control from the top but Stephens keeps moving.
Petrovic passes Stephens's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Stephens wants to stand back up but Petrovic manages to pass into side control.
Stephens might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Petrovic is chipping away with strikes.
Samuel Stephens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Petrovic.
Stephens is looking for a sweep.

Petrovic is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Stephens is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Petrovic fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Stephens is trying to control Petrovic's posture but Petrovic avoids it.
Petrovic looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stephens is avoiding damage well.

Petrovic is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Stephens is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two 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 sneaks back into half guard.
Petrovic landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Petrovic is keen to just control but Stephens is a slippery customer.

Petrovic stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Petrovic closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Stephens's guard.
Stephens avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Petrovic throws an elbow that misses. Stephens uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Petrovic's guard. Nice move by Stephens!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Petrovic will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Petrovic throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Stephens decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Petrovic tries to clinch up.
Stephens connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Petrovic momentarily.
Petrovic fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Petrovic shoots in for a double leg but Stephens sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Stephens has closed the distance and engaged Petrovic in a clinch.
A hook to the body from Stephens.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Petrovic breaks from the clinch.

Stephens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Stephens sitting in guard here, content to control.
Petrovic wants to sweep here but Stephens controlling him for the moment.
Stephens has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Stephens not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Stephens wants to control from the top but Petrovic keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Petrovic tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Samuel Stephens will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Stephens has Petrovic up against the cage in a clinch.
Petrovic tries to break free but Stephens pushes him back against the cage.

Stephens jumps guard and drags Petrovic to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Petrovic sitting in guard here, content to control.
Petrovic 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.
Petrovic stopping the sweep attempt from Stephens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Petrovic trying to control but Stephens is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens 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.
Petrovic postures up in Stephens's guard and throws a big left but Stephens blocks it.
Petrovic is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stephens keeping moving, preventing Petrovic from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Petrovic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Stephens defends it nicely.

Stephens clinches up with Petrovic and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two 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 hold of one of Petrovic's legs. Petrovic is fighting the takedown attempt but Stephens gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Petrovic wants to sweep but no luck.
Stephens postures up.
Stephens trying to control but Petrovic is working from the bottom.
Stephens showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Stephens's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Stephens postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Stephens controls the pace.

Petrovic is looking for a triangle but Stephens pushes his legs off easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Stephens changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Petrovic looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Petrovic is not content to let Stephens control the position.

Stephens has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrovic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Stephens stuffs the takedown attempt from Petrovic. Petrovic gets slowly back to his feet.
Samuel Stephens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Srboljub Petrovic.

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

Stephens pulls guard successfully.
Petrovic trying to control but Stephens is working from the bottom.
Stephens working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Petrovic.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stephens is trying to control the position but Petrovic postures up.
Srboljub Petrovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samuel Stephens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Petrovic landing with the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuel Stephens showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stephens has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samuel Stephens!