PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Adesanya (ranked 3416 p4p, 3610 weight class) and Lee Stephens (ranked 448 p4p, 468 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Adesanya
vs
Stephens

192 cm
25
200
6 - 9 - 0

188 cm
27
195
6 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Un-Kaged Nutrition

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 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Anderson Adesanya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens misses with a wild body shot.
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.
A looping hook to the body misses from Adesanya. Stephens does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stephens throws out a powerful jab.
Stephens lands a head kick!
Stephens tries a low kick but Adesanya avoids it.
Stephens checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Stephens stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Adesanya tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stephens dives in and grabs Adesanya's left leg, looking for a takedown. Adesanya pushes down on Stephens's head and hops out.
Adesanya throws out a loose jab but Stephens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stephens swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adesanya closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Stephens looks to throw the jab but Adesanya is out of range.
Stephens throws a big shot that misses.
Adesanya is looking to clinch.
Anderson Adesanya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Adesanya checks the leg kick.
Adesanya is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens throws a sloppy head kick and Adesanya moves out of range easily.
Anderson Adesanya is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stephens walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Adesanya gets a clinch.

Stephens has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Adesanya uses from the top position.
Adesanya trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Adesanya has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Adesanya looking to sit in guard and control but Stephens gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Stephens lands a couple of digs.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Adesanya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Adesanya looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stephens is one step ahead there.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Adesanya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Stephens forces his way into half guard.
Stephens looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Stephens throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stephens prevents Adesanya from improving his position.
Stephens is thwarting Adesanya's attempts to control the position.
Stephens missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Stephens thows a huge punch but Adesanya dodges it nicely.
Adesanya keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stephens looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Adesanya with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Adesanya slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Stephens with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stephens advances position into side control!
Stephens scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Adesanya to see if he's OK.
Stephens wants to control but Adesanya is keeping him busy.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Adesanya avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stephens.
Adesanya parries the strikes from Stephens easily there. Stephens is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Adesanya to escape.
Stephens lands a decent elbow from side control.
The strikes coming from Stephens are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Adesanya can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stephens is putting a hurting on Adesanya here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya is not content to let Stephens control the position.
Adesanya is looking for a sweep.
Stephens wants to control but Adesanya is keeping him busy.
Stephens prevents Adesanya from escaping the position.
Adesanya tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stephens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Adesanya is not content to let Stephens control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Adesanya tries to bench press Stephens off him but Stephens keeps the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Stephens dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Adesanya lets loose with a powerful body kick. Stephens will feel that in the morning.
A punch lands to the side of Adesanya 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Stephens is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Adesanya.
Lee Stephens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stephens throws a body kick that misses.
Adesanya tries to clinch up.
Stephens bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A punch combination from Stephens misses.
Adesanya misses with a straight right.
Adesanya looks to score with a jab to the body but Stephens is just out of range.
Stephens lands a nice hook to Adesanya's body. Adesanya takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adesanya dodges the punch combination from Stephens.
Stephens scores with a one two! Adesanya had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Lee Stephens seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Adesanya throws a lazy uppercut

and Stephens counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Adesanya after a bit of a struggle.
Stephens blocks the elbow strike.
Adesanya trying to land knees to the body.
Adesanya looking to throw knees to the head but Stephens is blocking nicely.
Adesanya throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stephens blocks it with crossed arms.
Adesanya tries to land a knee to the head but Stephens blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, Adesanya throws an elbow but misses.
Adesanya keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stephens's efforts to push away.
Adesanya misses with the head strike.
Adesanya tries to land a knee to the head but Stephens blocks with his arms.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but Stephens blocks it.
Stephens has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Adesanya throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens tries for a takedown. No joy.
Adesanya tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stephens avoids it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stephens just misses with a elbow thrown towards Adesanya's brow.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Stephens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stephens uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Adesanya instigates a clinch.
Adesanya gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Adesanya pushes off an throws an elbow but Stephens leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Stephens breaks the clinch.
Stephens fails with a takedown attempt.
Anderson Adesanya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lee Stephens.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stephens misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Adesanya.
A little jabbing left from Stephens on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Stephens uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Adesanya.
Stephens throws a chopping leg kick but Adesanya manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stephens. Adesanya does a little dance to reset his feet.
Adesanya looks to land a combination but Stephens avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Adesanya looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Stephens! But no joy.
Adesanya misses with a wild combination.
Adesanya throws an off balance right hand
and Stephens makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Stephens waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Adesanya.
Stephens punishes Adesanya's body with a nice straight punch.
Adesanya looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Adesanya pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Adesanya throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya misses with a right hand
and Adesanya takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
No joy there for Stephens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.
Stephens throws a body punch but Adesanya moves out of range.
A jab from Adesanya misses.
Stephens jabs Adesanya right on the nose. Adesanya blinks but takes it well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Adesanya.
Stephens throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice defenses there by Stephens.
Adesanya wants to clinch but Stephens slips to the side
and Stephens counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Adesanya throws out a loose jab but Stephens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stephens finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Adesanya with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stephens to score with a decent uppercut.
An inside leg kick lands from Stephens.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Stephens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Adesanya is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Adesanya looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Adesanya throws a wild body kick that Stephens sees coming a mile off.
Stephens follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Adesanya drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A lazy body kick from Adesanya
and Stephens cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Stephens lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Adesanya misses with an uppercut.
Stephens swats away the attempt to clinch by Adesanya.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Stephens lands a glancing blow to the side of Adesanya's head.
A big left from Adesanya misses.
Adesanya moves in looking to clinch but Stephens pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens throws a front kick aimed at Adesanya's knee but Adesanya avoids it well.
Stephens avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Adesanya doesn't manage to clinch there - Stephens circles away.
Adesanya scores with a spinning back kick!
Nice straight punches there by Adesanya. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Adesanya.
Stephens feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Adesanyas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Nice uppercut there from Stephens.
Stephens fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Adesanya has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Stephens lands a really nice looking cross but Adesanya seems unphased.
Good exchange - Stephens coming out on top.
Adesanya rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Stephens counters with a stiff right hand.
Stephens scores with a hook to the body. Adesanya takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Adesanya tries to close the distance and clinch but Stephens swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Adesanya misses with a straight right.
Anderson Adesanya has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya throws a hook but Stephens blocks it.
Stephens fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Adesanya has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A punch combination from Stephens misses.
Stephens staying out of range there.
Adesanya fails to land with a series of punches.
Adesanya throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A telegraphed right hand from Stephens misses the target.
Adesanya throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Adesanya walks into a straight right hand from Stephens.
Adesanya thows a leg kick but Stephens checks it

and Stephens moves into the clinch.
Stephens lands a nice uppercut.
Adesanya misses with a knee to the head.
Adesanya tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stephens avoids it.
Nice elbow from Stephens.

It looks like Anderson Adesanya has been cut.
Anderson Adesanya has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stephens blocks it with crossed arms.
Stephens lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Stephens on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Adesanya throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Adesanya is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stephens is defending well for now.
Adesanya tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Adesanya tries to land knees in the clinch but Stephens avoids the damage to the body.
Adesanya's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Adesanya utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stephens working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Adesanya is rocked!
Adesanya is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stephens is defending well for now.
Oh Adesanya is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Stephens missing with knees to the body.
Adesanya seems to have got his legs back now.

Stephens connects with a big uppercut there that sends Adesanya tumbling to the ground! Stephens follows him down into his guard.
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 won't allow Adesanya to get back to his feet.
Stephens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Adesanya escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Stephens gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Stephens showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Stephens loads up on a big left hand. Adesanya felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Stephens looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Adesanya can't hide his disappointment, as Stephens celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lee Stephens!