PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brett Stokes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Stokes
vs
Swanson

183 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Brett Stokes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Swanson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Chris Downing and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stokes looks to land a body kick but Swanson moved away.
Stokes tries to clinch there but Swanson circles away.
Stokes takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Stokes tries for a takedown but Swanson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Swanson throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Swanson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Swanson lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Stokes sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Swanson lands a with a good body shot.
Swanson cracks Stokes with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Swanson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Swanson wants to free his trapped foot but Stokes is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Swanson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson wants to free his trapped foot but Stokes is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Stokes wants to improve his position but Swanson is controlling well.

Swanson is looking for a kimura but Stokes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Swanson to get the leverage.
Stokes trying to hold on to Swanson's head to control him but Swanson postures up.
Swanson tries to stand but can't do so whilst Stokes controls his leg.
Swanson working over Stokes with some ground and pound. Stokes looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stokes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Swanson explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A chopping leg kick lands by Swanson.

Swanson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Swanson tries to pass to full mount but Stokes defends it.
Stokes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swanson not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson blocks the strikes from Stokes.
Stokes tries to get to full guard but Swanson has control of the leg.
Swanson trying to control from half guard but Stokes is working away.
Swanson trying to control from Stokes's half guard. Stokes has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Stokes keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Stokes is looking for a triangle but Swanson pushes his legs off easily.
Stokes is breathing heavily.
Swanson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Swanson decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Swanson scores with a nice head shot.
Swanson lands with a kick to the ribs.
Swanson blocks a head kick by Stokes.
Stokes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Swanson counters with a slapping leg kick.
Stokes walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Swanson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Swanson lands in his opponent's guard.
Stokes wants to stand but Swanson is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Swanson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Swanson digs a good body shot into Stokes's ribs.
Stokes fails with the takedown

and Swanson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Stokes looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Stokes works his way to full guard. Good work.

Stokes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Stokes keeping moving, preventing Swanson from controlling successfully.
Stokes wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swanson is looking to work some ground and pound but Stokes has wrist control.
Swanson wants to control from the top but Stokes keeps moving.
Swanson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stokes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Swanson passes Stokes's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stokes regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Swanson.
Swanson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stokes is keeping the position for now.
Swanson wanted to stand there but Stokes had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Swanson is breathing heavily.
Stokes is trying to keep Swanson in close.
Swanson being controlled here momentarily.
Stokes working a defensive guard here.

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

and Swanson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stokes wants to control the position but Swanson says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stokes is refusing to be controlled, as Swanson sits in half guard.
Swanson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Swanson wants to control but Stokes is keeping him busy.
Stokes trying to control from the bottom.
Swanson passes into side control, despite Stokes's attempt to control the position.
Stokes struggling a bit here.

Swanson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for 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.
Stokes sneaks back into half guard.
Stokes is trying to stand up here but Swanson is controlling him well.
Stokes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Swanson controlling the action here.
Swanson is tying to control. Stokes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Stokes trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Swanson 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!

Swanson stalks Stokes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Stokes's face. Stokes staggers backwards, shaken.

Stokes gets a clinch.
Swanson landing knees to the head.

Stokes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Swanson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Swanson wants to take a breather but Stokes is having none of it.
Swanson is pressing down on Stokes's thigh, looking to free his foot. Stokes is holding on for now.
Joe Swanson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Swanson with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Stokes wants to control but Swanson is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stokes throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Stokes is trying to maintain the position but Swanson is very close to passing his half guard.
Stokes is looking to escape.
Stokes is refusing to be controlled, as Swanson sits in half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Stokes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Swanson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Swanson is looking for a kimura but Stokes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Swanson to get the leverage.
Stokes is refusing to be controlled, as Swanson sits in half guard.
Ground and pound from Swanson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stokes is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Swanson scores with a couple of nice shots.
Stokes is trying to stand up here but Swanson is controlling him well.
Swanson controlling the action here.
Stokes manages to get to full guard.

Stokes uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Swanson lands a jab to the head.
Stokes looks to clinch
enabling Swanson to counter with a crisp jab.
Stokes stuffs the takedown attempt from Swanson. Swanson gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson throws a wild body kick that Stokes sees coming a mile off.
Stokes shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Swanson counters with a stiff right hand.
Stokes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Swanson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brett Stokes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stokes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Swanson's guard.
Stokes wants to control from the top but Swanson keeps moving.
Swanson is trying to keep Stokes in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stokes stopping the sweep attempt from Swanson.
Swanson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stokes manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stokes keeping moving, preventing Swanson from controlling successfully.
Stokes wants to sweep but no luck.
Swanson tries to stand but Stokes is controlling from the bottom.
Swanson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Brett Stokes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Swanson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Swanson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Swanson 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Swanson!