PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brendan Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson McGregor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McGregor has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Brendan Stevens has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Stevens
vs
McGregor

217 cm
23
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brendan Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Anderson McGregor!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens throws a wild body kick that McGregor sees coming a mile off.
Stevens throws a series of strikes that have McGregor backpedaling.
Stevens drops his hands momentarily and McGregor takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Brendan Stevens has been cut.
McGregor throws a sloppy head kick

and Stevens counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Stevens.
McGregor looks winded!
Stevens throws a big right hand that misses.

Stevens decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
McGregor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
McGregor stuffs the takedown.
Stevens lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as McGregor backs up against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Stevens darts in looking for a takedown but McGregor gets double underhooks and turns Stevens into the cage.
McGregor blocks a head kick by Stevens.
McGregor tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Stevens drives through and clinches with McGregor against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stevens manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Stevens will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Stevens manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Stevens is trying to pull guard but McGregor has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brendan Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens tries to pull guard but McGregor holds him up against the cage and eventually Stevens drops back down to his feet.
McGregor tries a knee to the head but Stevens blocks it.
McGregor is trying to break the clinch but Stevens is controlling him.
McGregor prevents a takedown attempt there.
Stevens tries to pull guard but McGregor won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McGregor tries to clinch up

and Stevens counters with a shoot takedown. McGregor fights it but they end up in guard.
Stevens 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.
Stevens is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Stevens looking to pass the guard.
Stevens is stalling in the full guard.
Stevens wants to pass the guard but McGregor is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens scoring with some ground and pound.

Stevens stands up and waves to McGregor to follow him.

Stevens moves into the clinch successfully.

Stevens manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Stevens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stevens showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from McGregor.
Stevens drops down looking for a counter takedown but McGregor sprawls and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McGregor tries to keep at a distance but Stevens has taken the fight into the clinch.
McGregor tries to break the clinch but Stevens is controlling the position.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Anderson McGregor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevens feints a jab promting McGregor to slip. Stevens then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. McGregor slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Stevens rushes McGregor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Stevens fails to pull the fight into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brendan Stevens dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brendan Stevens's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Some bone on bone action there as Stevens checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
McGregor throws a half hearted mid kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from McGregor.
McGregor leaves Stevens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
McGregor is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stevens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGregor has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Stevens.
Stevens keeps McGregor at a distance using the push kick.
McGregor is breathing heavily.

Stevens drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGregor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
McGregor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Stevens controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but McGregor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevens with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Stevens throwing strikes but missing.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Stevens scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Stevens fakes the leg kick and cracks McGregor in the body.
Stevens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt.
McGregor throws a counter combo.

Stevens closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Stevens lands in his opponent's guard.
Stevens is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McGregor can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens controlling from the top position.

Stevens decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McGregor, up you get!
McGregor leaves Stevens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
McGregor swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brendan Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens fails to land the takedown.
McGregor is looking for the big counter here.
McGregor takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Stevens has closed the distance and engaged McGregor in a clinch.
McGregor tries to pull guard but Stevens holds him up against the cage and eventually McGregor drops back down to his feet.
Stevens tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. McGregor smiles and moves away.

Stevens rushes McGregor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stevens misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brendan Stevens dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Brendan Stevens's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

McGregor throws a sloppy head kick and Stevens moves out of range easily.
Stevens appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
McGregor takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Stevens looking to land some kicks to the body here.
McGregor shoots in for a takedown but Stevens shows good takedown defense.
Stevens really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
McGregor with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stevens to score with a decent uppercut.
McGregor sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Stevens displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
McGregor slaps away a takedown attempt from Stevens, before circling back to the center of the mat.
McGregor takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevens lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Stevens.
McGregor has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Stevens circles away from the clinch attempt

and Stevens counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Stevens lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ground and pound from Stevens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens controlling the action here.
Brendan Stevens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stevens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. McGregor defending well though.
McGregor is staying active underneath Stevens, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Stevens decides to stand up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stevens throws a series of punches but McGregor avoids them all with ease.
Stevens moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Stevens is looking to clinch.
Stevens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
McGregor looks for a takedown but Stevens sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Stevens. Those never looked like landing.
Stevens moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromMcGregor.
Stevens throws a one two combo.
McGregor slaps away a takedown attempt from Stevens, before circling back to the center of the mat.
McGregor tries a head kick but it misses.
McGregor has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Stevens.
Stevens shoots in looking for a takedown. McGregor tries to sprawl out of it but Stevens keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. McGregor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brendan Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from McGregor.
Stevens tries to clinch up but McGregor circles away and keeps his distance.
Stevens shoots in looking for a takedown. McGregor tries to sprawl out of it but Stevens keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. McGregor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stevens throws a combination. McGregor tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Anderson McGregor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brendan Stevens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Brendan Stevens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McGregor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brendan Stevens showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stevens 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brendan Stevens!