PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gee Gutsu (ranked 3274 p4p, 3538 weight class) and Lee Stephens (ranked 396 p4p, 421 weight class). Lee Stephens is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Gutsu
vs
Stephens

193 cm
27
195
12 - 13 - 0

188 cm
29
195
9 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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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 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gee Gutsu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gutsu throws a series of punches but Stephens avoids them all with ease.
Stephens lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Gutsu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stephens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Stephens throws a counter combo.
Gee Gutsu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gutsu, as that shot connected.
Gutsu throws a body shot but no joy.
Despite the aggression on Stephens's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Gutsu lands a high kick!
Gutsu throws a combination. Stephens tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Gutsu tries to bum rush Stephens with a series of wild strikes but Stephens uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gutsu moves in looking to clinch but Stephens pushes him off.
Gutsu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.
Stephens looks to land a combination but Gutsu avoids it well.
Gutsu misses with a wild body shot.
Stephens throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stephens misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gutsu swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Stephens counters with a left and a right that stings Gutsu.

Gutsu closes the distance and clinches.
Gutsu tries for a takedown. No joy.

Gutsu drags the fight down to the ground.
Stephens looking to sit in guard and control but Gutsu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gutsu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stephens is looking to stand up but Gutsu isn't so interested in that idea.
Stephens can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gutsu controls the pace.
Stephens is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gutsu is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stephens is looking to stand up but Gutsu isn't so interested in that idea.
Gutsu tries to free his leg and advance position but Stephens is retaining full guard.
Gutsu is working hard here to advance position.
Gutsu is looking to work some ground and pound but Stephens has wrist control.
Gutsu is looking to work some ground and pound but Stephens has wrist control.
Stephens avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gutsu looking to pass the guard.
Gutsu pushing down on Stephens's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu trying to mount his opponent but Stephens defends it.
Stephens tries to kick Gutsu off but Gutsu keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gutsu doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Stephens counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gutsu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stephens paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gutsu defending well as Stephens loads up on a big left hand.
Stephens lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Gutsu shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stephens sprawls well. Stephens wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gutsu gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gee Gutsu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu is looking to clinch but Stephens is avoiding it.
We've been informed that Stephens has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Gutsu throws a hook but Stephens avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Stephens. No joy for Gutsu on that attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Stephens misses.
Gutsu tries to clinch up but Stephens circles away and keeps his distance.
Gutsu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stephens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stephens throws a chopping leg kick but Gutsu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
No joy there for Stephens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stephens pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Gutsu back to the cage. Stephens follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Gee Gutsu has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fight stays on the outside here - Gutsu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It seemed like Stephens was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Stephens lands with a cross.
Gutsu darts in trying to clinch
and Stephens counters with a series of strikes. Gutsu will be more careful next time no doubt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lee Stephens will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gee Gutsu's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A head kick misses from Gutsu.
Gutsu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Stephens circles away quickly and effectively.
Stephens misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lee Stephens seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stephens throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stephens throws a right and a left that Gutsu avoids nicely.
Gutsu doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Stephens to counter with a crisp jab.
Gutsu lands with an overhand left.
Stephens swats away the attempt to clinch by Gutsu.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Gutsu is looking to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Stephens on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Stephens misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens misses with a wild combination.
Gutsu feinted with a counter takedown.
Gutsu throws a head kick but Stephens moves out of range.
A nice combination there by Stephens.
Stephens has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Gutsu finds it's way round the side to connect with Stephens's head.
Nice straight punches there by Stephens. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Stephens.
Gutsu tries to clinch up.
A little jabbing left from Stephens on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Gutsu wants to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Stephens on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Stephens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gutsu tries to clinch up
and Stephens counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu moves out of range of the strikes.

Gutsu drives through and clinches with Stephens against the cage.
Stephens letting Gutsu take a breather here.
Gutsu tries for a takedown. No joy.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephens lands a right hand.

Gutsu gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Stephens regains guard.
Gutsu wants to control from the top but Stephens keeps moving.
Stephens preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gutsu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gutsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Stephens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gutsu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stephens has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gutsu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Stephens gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gutsu is looking to clinch.
Gutsu swinging wildly here.
Stephens digs a good hook to Gutsu's body.
Gutsu ducks under a wild hook from Stephens.
Gutsu wants to clinch.
Stephens swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Gutsu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Stephens doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Stephens stalks Gutsu and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gutsu's face. Gutsu staggers backwards, shaken.
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.
The cut man is working on Gee Gutsu's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Gutsu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Stephens counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Gutsu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stephens, pushing him back against the cage.
Gutsu can't get the takedown.
Stephens throws a head punch that misses.
Stephens prevents a takedown attempt there.
Gutsu has Stephens pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Stephens manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gee Gutsu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stephens blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gutsu turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gutsu manages to end up in side control.
Gutsu misses with the ground and pound.

Gutsu swings around for an armbar but Stephens sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gutsu's guard.
Gutsu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.
Gutsu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stephens is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gutsu trying to keep a closed guard but Stephens is proving a slippery customer.
Stephens throwing strikes from guard but Gutsu blocks nicely.
Gutsu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gutsu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Gutsu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gutsu wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Stephens is looking to work some ground and pound but Gutsu has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gutsu 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 control the position from guard on top but Gutsu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gutsu working a defensive guard here.
Gutsu is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Stephens is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gutsu throws a head kick that misses.
Gutsu listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gutsu is looking to clinch.
Gutsu throws a head kick but Stephens moves out of range.

Gutsu clinches with his opponent.

Stephens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gutsu wants to clinch.
A big right from Gutsu misses.
Stephens swinging wildly here.
Gee Gutsu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gutsu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Despite the aggression on Stephens's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Gutsu pushes Stephens up against the cage in a clinch.
Gutsu is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Stephens gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gutsu is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Stephens is defending well.
With the fighters up against the cage, Stephens throws an elbow but misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Stephens.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Stephens.
Gutsu has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Stephens after a bit of a struggle.
Gutsu tries to score a body lock takedown but Stephens shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gutsu is trying to drag Stephens to the mat but Stephens just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Gutsu tries for a takedown. No joy.
Stephens on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gutsu fails to pull guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gutsu tries to work over Stephens's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stephens swings wildly with an uppercut but Gutsu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lee Stephens is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gutsu is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lee Stephens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Stephens winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lee Stephens!
Lee Stephens really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Stoner's Killer Apparel logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.