PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dyl Stephens (ranked 5260 p4p, 581 weight class) and Phil Maroni (ranked 4891 p4p, 540 weight class). Phil Maroni has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stephens
vs
Maroni

185 cm
26
192 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Phil Maroni!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maroni throws a leg kick but Stephens moved away.
Stephens takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Stephens on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Maroni tries to keep at a distance but Stephens has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stephens lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Maroni is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Stephens can't fight it off and eventually Maroni manages to take the fight to the floor. Stephens looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Stephens is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maroni content to stall in guard here.
Stephens looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maroni is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maroni wants to control from the top but Stephens keeps moving.
Maroni preventing the sweep.
Maroni slips nicely into half guard.
Maroni is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Maroni is thwarting Stephens 's attempts to control the position.
Stephens is refusing to be controlled, as Maroni sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Maroni is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Stephens defends it well.
Stephens makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Stephens .
Stephens wants to sweep but no luck.
Maroni pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stephens is keeping the position for now.
My spies in White's ELITE Fitness Gym inform me that Maroni has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Maroni postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Maroni drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Stephens manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Maroni has Stephens in his guard.

Maroni keeping moving, preventing Stephens from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stephens has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Maroni holds on and takes a little breather.
Maroni working a defensive guard here.
Stephens landing some decent shots from guard.
Maroni looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

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 throws an elbow that misses. Maroni uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stephens 's guard. Nice move by Maroni!

Maroni showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maroni wants to pass the guard but Stephens is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phil Maroni dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maroni tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stephens swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Sloppy strikes from Maroni. Those never looked like landing.
A little feinted left hand from Stephens on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maroni does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Stephens fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maroni takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maroni darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Maroni lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maroni throws a leg kick that misses.
Stephens is looking to counter with a body kick.
Maroni tried to score with a low kick but Stephens checks it.
Maroni fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Stephens .
Stephens wants to clinch up but Maroni keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maroni misses the jab.
Maroni throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Maroni falls off balance throwing a combination
and Stephens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Stephens throws a sloppy head kick
and Maroni counters with an inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stephens moves out of range of the leg kick from Maroni.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens lands with a nice body punch.
Maroni is breathing heavily.
Decent striking displayed by Maroni there.

Stephens moves into the clinch successfully.
Stephens is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Stephens is pressed up against the cage. Maroni has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Stephens down to the mat. Stephens avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Stephens fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maroni feints a counter leg kick.

Stephens has taken the fight to the clinch.

Maroni gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Stephens controls Maroni momentarily but Maroni frees himself.
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.
Stephens trying to keep a closed guard but Maroni is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maroni throwing strikes from guard but Stephens blocks nicely.
Maroni wants to pass the guard but Stephens is keeping the position.
Stephens is trying to keep Maroni in close.

Maroni drops back looking for a leg! Stephens is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Stephens manages to kick Maroni off! Maroni jumps back into Stephens 's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Dyl Stephens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stephens pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Maroni forces Stephens back against the cage and clinches.
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!
Stephens is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens trying to land knees to the body.
Stephens is stalling here.
Stephens gets underhooks to prevent Maroni's takedown attempt.
Dyl Stephens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phil Maroni.
Maroni looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Our sources have told us that Stephens has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Stephens prevents the takedown attempt.
Stephens controlling the action here for a moment.
Maroni is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Stephens gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stephens taking a breather.
Stephens lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maroni backwards.
Stephens with a knee to the head.
Stephens lands a nice uppercut.
Stephens is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Maroni is defending well for now.
Stephens displaying some good clinch control by pressing Maroni up against the cage.
Stephens is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Maroni is defending well for now.
Maroni is looking for a takedown.
Stephens lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Stephens connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maroni's face.
Stephens stops a takedown attempt from Maroni.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dyl Stephens dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Stephens tries to clinch but Maroni moves out of range.

Stephens clinches.
Stephens looking to throw knees to the head but Maroni is blocking nicely.
Dyl Stephens has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stephens gets underhooks to prevent Maroni's takedown attempt.
Stephens with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Maroni wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maroni takes a knee to the side of the body.
Stephens unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Stephens stalls.
Stephens using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Maroni has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A knee to the head by Stephens .
Stephens lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stephens will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Maroni up against the cage.
Maroni takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stephens looking to throw knees to the head but Maroni is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maroni's face.
Maroni has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Stephens is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maroni can do to turn this around?
Stephens misses with some punches.
Maroni blocks the elbow strike.
Stephens displaying some good clinch control by pressing Maroni up against the cage.

Maroni breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stephens throws a head kick that misses.
Maroni buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Stephens tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maroni counters with a one-two to the body.
Maroni is looking to score with low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maroni.
Maroni connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Maroni buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maroni throws a front kick aimed at Stephens 's knee but Stephens avoids it well.
Stephens swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Maroni throws a nice inside leg kick.
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!
Stephens moves in looking to clinch but Maroni pushes him off.
Maroni connects with a body shot that sends Stephens 's belly button to the back.
Maroni shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Stephens clinches with his opponent.
Stephens creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Maroni's defenses.

It looks like Phil Maroni has been cut.
Stephens throws a knee to the head but misses.
Maroni is trying to push Stephens away but Stephens has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stephens .
Stephens is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Stephens stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Maroni can't get the takedown.
Stephens stalling the fight.
Stephens unloads a knee to the mid-section. Maroni lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Stephens prevents the takedown attempt.
Dyl Stephens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Phil Maroni.
Stephens dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A short right from Stephens on the inside.
Stephens looking to throw knees to the head but Maroni is blocking nicely.
Maroni tries for a takedown but Stephens manages to get underhooks.
Stephens looking to throw knees to the head but Maroni is blocking nicely.
Stephens working Maroni over with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephens scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Stephens is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Stephens comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Stephens obliges.
Stephens connects with a nasty looking knee right to Maroni's face.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot in the inside from Stephens .
Stephens slowing the pace effectively.
Stephens putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Maroni in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Stephens .
Stephens displaying some good clinch control by pressing Maroni up against the cage.
Stephens stalls.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dyl Stephens showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stephens has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dyl Stephens !
The defeated Phil Maroni had this to say: 'He was the better man tonight'.