PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Loc Dog (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashad Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevens is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2. Rashad Stevens has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dog
vs
Stevens

180 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Loc Dog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rashad Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dog pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dog tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dog looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stevens is fending him off so far but Dog persists. Nope, Stevens circles away and we're back to standing.
Dog tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dog throws a head kick but Stevens moves out of range.
Dog looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Dog fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Loc Dog. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dog moves in looking to clinch but Stevens pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dog tries to clinch but Stevens moves out of range.
Dog misses with a wild combination.
Dog looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dog fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Stevens gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Stevens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dog does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Stevens is looking to advance position but Dog won't allow it.
Dog is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dog is looking to control Stevens's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dog avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dog punching from the bottom.
Stevens with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Dog trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dog is breathing heavily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dog is looking to clinch.
Dog misses with a looping right.
Stevens circles away from the clinch attempt.

Stevens scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dog manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Stevens wants to get back to full guard.
Dog really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Stevens wants to control but Dog is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stevens wants to control but Dog is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dog missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Stevens gets full guard.
Stevens looking to control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Dog swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dog misses with a takedown

and Stevens decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dog's guard.
Stevens looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Stevens preventing the sweep.
Stevens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is working from the bottom.
Stevens really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dog. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dog trying to control the position.
Stevens looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dog throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Stevens sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Stevens slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Stevens dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stevens scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Stevens trying to control the position but Dog is working away.

Despite being in the dominant position, Rashad Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dog looks to clinch

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dog won't be happy with that.
Stevens controlling the position from side mount.
Dog wants to control but Stevens postures up.
Stevens wants to control but Dog is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevens controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens wants to control but Dog is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dog with a lazy takedown attempt

and Stevens counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rashad Stevens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevens tries to pass the half guard into mount. Dog knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Stevens is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Stevens trying to control the action but Dog is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Rashad Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dog misses with a takedown attempt

and Stevens counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dog!
Dog is working to get back to half guard.
Stevens content just to control the position here.
Dog flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is having none of it.
Dog really wants to buck Stevens off and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is having none of it.
Dog is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dog wants to control but Stevens is having none of it.
Dog is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is having none of it.
Stevens might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Dog kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Dog tries to hold on but Stevens postures up.
Stevens wants to control the pace but Dog is squirming around nicely.
Stevens wants to take his opponent's back but Dog doesn't allow it.

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.
Stevens controlling his opponent.
Dog tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Stevens sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Dog is squirming around, avoiding Stevens's attempts to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Rashad Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A leg kick checked by Stevens.

Stevens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is having none of it.
Stevens controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Dog looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Dog misses with a takedown attempt

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dog won't be happy with that.
Dog manages to get back to half guard.
Stevens wants to control but Dog is keeping him busy.
Dog is looking to improve his position.
Stevens wants to pass the guard but Dog is defending well.
Stevens wants to take a breather but Dog is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens trying to control the pace.
Dog is refusing to be controlled, as Stevens sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dog moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Stevens trying to control but Dog is working from the bottom.
Dog tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Dog is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dog keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.
Stevens is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Stevens controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Despite being in the dominant position, Rashad Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dog gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Stevens counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dog!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens controlling the pace for now.
Dog is trying to escape the mount.
Dog tries to buck Stevens off but he can't manage it.
Stevens wants to control the pace but Dog is squirming around nicely.
Dog gets back to half guard.
Stevens is looking to take a break and control but Dog is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dog trying to hold on to Stevens's head to control him but Stevens postures up.
Stevens wants to advance to full mount but Dog doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dog working a defensive guard here.
Dog looking to hit a scissor sweep but Stevens is one step ahead there.
Dog is working hard here to advance position.
Stevens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dog is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Dog.
Dog tries for a takedown but Stevens circles away easily

and Stevens counters with a shoot takedown. Dog fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Loc Dog. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Dog keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens postures up.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Dog keeps moving.
Stevens controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Dog working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stevens doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stevens manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Dog keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.
Dog looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dog wants to stand but Stevens is controlling the position.
Loc Dog has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stevens wants to control from the top but Dog keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashad Stevens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stevens has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Stevens!