PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dyl Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yen Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Askren has chosen Hello from the Askren Side as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stephens
vs
Askren

185 cm
25
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Freebok (85% Laundry)

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dyl Stephens !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yen Askren!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Colin Fray and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Askren takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Askren shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
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.
Askren advances position into side control!
Stephens is trying to control Askren's posture but Askren avoids it.
Askren throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Stephens works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Stephens is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Askren scores with a couple of nice shots.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Stephens is trying to maintain the position but Askren is very close to passing his half guard.
Askren looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet.
Askren throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Askren is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Askren.
Stephens trying to control from the bottom.
Askren working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Askren missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Askren throwing shots but Stephens is blocking nicely.
Stephens is looking to improve his position.
Askren not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren is thwarting Stephens 's attempts to control the position.
Askren throwing shots but Stephens is blocking nicely.
Askren lands with a punch from half guard.
Askren uses his free foot to push down on Stephens 's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Stephens .
Askren looking to control and managing it successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Askren breaks from Stephens 's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Stephens takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Stephens looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Askren is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Stephens can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Stephens is rocked!
Askren raining down shots from the mount!
Oh Stephens is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Stephens manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Stephens seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens taking some punishment here, with Askren in his half guard.
Stephens has hold of Askren's hands but Askren slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Askren landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Askren throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Askren lands strikes from half guard.
Askren sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stephens defending well though.
Stephens wants to get back to full guard but Askren has passed into side control.
Askren cracks Stephens with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Askren working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren working away.
Askren cracks Stephens with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Askren connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Stephens some visible discomfort.
Stephens taking a bit of punishment here - Askren scoring with strikes.
Askren scores with punches from side control.
Stephens takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Stephens is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet.
Stephens blocking the ground and pound attempt from Askren.
Askren is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Askren winds up and cracks Stephens with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Askren slips a nice elbow through Stephens 's hands, connecting with Stephens 's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yen Askren dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Stephens wants to clinch.
Askren misses with a wild body shot.
Stephens half committed to a counter leg kick.
Askren ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Askren scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Askren lands some shots froms side control.
Askren working the head and body with strikes.
Askren works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens taking punishment in the form of punches.
You can see the frustration on Stephens 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren scoring with punches and elbows.
Askren scores with punches from side control.
A big shot lands for Askren! That's hurt Stephens ! Will he recover? Askren fires away with more strikes and the referee has to step in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yen Askren!
Yen Askren really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Freebok (85% Laundry) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.