PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Juan Luna (ranked 522 p4p, 66 weight class) and Nevzorov Stepanovich (ranked 1441 p4p, 175 weight class). Luna comes to the cage accompanied by Noypi by Bamboo. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Luna
vs
Stepanovich

171 cm
26
162 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
162 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Juan Luna!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nevzorov Stepanovich!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stepanovich throws a shot from downtown. Luna moves away and avoids it.
Stepanovich throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Luna appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Luna misses with a looping right.
Jab by Stepanovich.
Luna is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stepanovich.
Luna connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Stepanovich momentarily.
Luna definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Luna lands with a nice body punch.
Luna misses with a body punch

and Stepanovich counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Stepanovich.
Stepanovich looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Luna is controlling Stepanovich's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luna on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Luna tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stepanovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Luna is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stepanovich being controlled here momentarily.
Stepanovich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Luna is keeping the position for now.
Stepanovich wants to control from the top but Luna keeps moving.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Luna pulls Stepanovich in to control the position.

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

Luna clinches.

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.
Luna throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Stepanovichs head.
Luna blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stepanovich wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Luna keeps control of Stepanovich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Luna is leaning against Stepanovich and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Stepanovich tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Luna smiles and moves away.
Stepanovich throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Luna counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Luna has managed to clinch.
A short right from Luna on the inside.
Stepanovich tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Luna just stands there and leans against the cage.
Luna lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Luna blocking some punches.
A left hand lands to the body for Luna.
A shot in the inside from Luna.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Luna.
A nice right hand lands inside from Luna.
Luna lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Stepanovich backwards.
Luna gets through Stepanovich's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Luna lands a hook that snaps the head of Stepanovich backwards.
Luna blocks an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Luna creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Luna lands a body shot in the clinch.
Stepanovich misses with a punch on the inside.
Luna lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Stepanovich or not.
Luna lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stepanovich swings wildly with an uppercut but Luna uses good head movement to avoid it.
Luna digs a right hand into Stepanovich's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Stepanovich's gas tank.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Luna lands a body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Stepanovich fails to land.
Luna pushes Stepanovich back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Nice body punch from Luna.
A short right from Luna on the inside.
Luna lands with a light punch inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Luna.
Luna works on Stepanovich's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Luna.
A right handed body shot lands from Luna.
Luna works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Stepanovich is trying to break free.
Luna scores with a shoulder strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Luna dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Luna has taken the fight to the clinch.
Luna cracks Stepanovich with a nice body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Luna.
A head punch on the inside from Stepanovich fails to land.
Stepanovich misses with some punches.
A right hand to the body from Luna.
Luna lands a body punch.
Luna lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Stepanovich or not.
Luna blocking some punches.
Luna is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stepanovich can do to turn this around?
Luna blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Luna blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Luna lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Luna - that landed with a thud.
A nice left hand lands by Luna.
Luna softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luna working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Stepanovich tries to break the clinch but Luna is controlling the position.
Stepanovich misses with the head strike.
Luna pushes Stepanovich back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Stepanovich is trying to pull guard but Luna has him pressed against the cage.
Luna scores with a shoulder strike.
Luna lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Juan Luna has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stepanovich tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Luna smiles and moves away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short uppercut from Luna.
Luna lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luna lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nice body punch from Luna - that landed with a thud.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stepanovich's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Luna creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Luna lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Luna lands a shoulder strike.
Luna throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Luna has Stepanovich pressed against the cage, preventing Stepanovich from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Stepanovich misses with the head strike.
Luna lands a shoulder strike.
Luna softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Stepanovich's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Luna lands with a left to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Luna.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short left from Luna.
Luna scores with a shot to the side of Stepanovich's head.
Luna lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stepanovich backwards.
Luna lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Luna.
Luna lands a shot to the body.
Luna blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Luna.
Luna lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Stepanovich backwards.
Stepanovich wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Luna pushes Stepanovich back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Luna lands a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A hook to the body from Luna.
Luna lands a nice uppercut.
Luna presses Stepanovich against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Luna lands with a left to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Luna.
Luna lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Stepanovich jumps guard but Luna stands there with Stepanovich around his waist. Stepanovich gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Juan Luna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nevzorov Stepanovich.
Stepanovich fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Stepanovich misses with the head strike.
Luna softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Luna pushes Stepanovich back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Luna scores with a shot to the side of Stepanovich's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Luna digs a right hand into Stepanovich's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Stepanovich's gas tank.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Luna dominated that second 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.

Stepanovich uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Luna.
Stepanovich tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Stepanovich closes the distance and clinches up with Luna, looking for a takedown. Stepanovich pushes Luna against the cage but Luna circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A jab from Luna misses.
Donk. Luna catches Stepanovich right on the button with a cross.
Stepanovich darts in looking for a takedown but Luna gets double underhooks and turns Stepanovich into the cage.

Luna lands a big uppercut and Stepanovich crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Stepanovich looks OK. Luna waves Stepanovich back to his feet!

Stepanovich is rocked!
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!
Luna comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Stepanovich is still on wobbly legs! Can Luna finish him?
Luna digs a good body shot into Stepanovich's ribs.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short body shot lands from Luna as the two fighters clinch.
Luna lands a nice uppercut.
Luna softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short right from Luna.
Luna lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Luna creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Stepanovich's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Stepanovich drops to his knees and Luna pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Juan Luna!
Juan Luna retains his lightweight title!
Juan Luna thanked the fans post fight for their support.