PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roman Ship (ranked 5148 p4p, 6585 weight class) and Bledge Stevenson (ranked 472 p4p, 523 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Ship
vs
Stevenson

195 cm
18
283
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
250
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Roman Ship!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bledge Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stevenson drives through with a takedown into Ship's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ship wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Stevenson manages to pass to side control.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ship trying to control from the bottom.
Stevenson moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Ship.
Ship is trying to get back to half guard.
Stevenson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ship. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stevenson tries to advance to mount but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ship is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Stevenson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ship is refusing to be controlled, as Stevenson sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ship controlling the position for now.
Ship manages to get to full guard.
Ship looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stevenson is one step ahead there.
Ship is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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.

Stevenson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ship looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ship looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ship!

Stevenson gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Poor strikes thrown by Ship there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ship cracks Stevenson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ship controlling his opponent.
Stevenson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ship looking to finish with strikes here!
Ship has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Stevenson's face.
Stevenson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Ship stands up from mount. Strange move.
Ship misses with a hook. Stevenson ducked under it nicely.
Ship fails to land the takedown.
Ship doesn't manage to clinch there - Stevenson circles away.
Stevenson tries a quick counter leg kick but Ship is wise to it.
Ship could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Stevenson tries to clinch there but Ship circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ship has Stevenson up against the cage in a clinch.
Ship misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stevenson.

Ship manages to pull guard.
Ship trying to control the position.
Ship throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Ship looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Stevenson passes into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stevenson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Ship 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.

Ship closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Stevenson to the mat! Stevenson manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ship wants to get up but he can't break Stevenson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ship trying to control but Stevenson is working from the bottom.
Ship distracts Stevenson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stevenson looking for a sweep. Not yet Stevenson, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ship trying to control but Stevenson is working from the bottom.
Ship engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ship is looking to stand up but Stevenson won't let him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stevenson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Stevenson moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Ship closes the distance and clinches up with Stevenson, looking for a takedown. Ship pushes Stevenson against the cage but Stevenson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Stevenson is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Ship fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stevenson sprawls well initially but Ship persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Ship escapes and gets back to his feet.
Nice sprawl there from Stevenson as Ship shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Ship. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ship tries to score a power double leg takedown but Stevenson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ship somewhat.
Stevenson is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ship closes the distance and clinches up with Stevenson, looking for a takedown. Ship pushes Stevenson against the cage but Stevenson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ship avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ship throws a quick counter kick to the body but Stevenson avoids it.
Stevenson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ship shoots in looking for a takedown but Stevenson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ship's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Stevenson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Stevenson is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stevenson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ship keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.
Ship looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson looking to pass the guard.
Ship looking for a sweep. Not yet Ship, not yet.

Ship working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stevenson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Ship is tightening it up a little... Stevenson has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Stevenson reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Stevenson taps out! Nice BJJ there by Ship!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Roman Ship!