PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lance Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John The Iron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The Iron has chosen Slippin as his entrance music. John The Iron has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Stevens
vs
The Iron

170 cm
25
143 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

183 cm
25
146 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Damnfield clothing
Kore Fight Nutrition [TG]

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 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lance Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, John The Iron!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Stevens.
Stevens has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
A shot to the liver by Stevens. Beautiful body shot.
Stevens rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and The Iron counters by clinching up.
The Iron can't get the takedown.
The Iron misses with a short punch on the inside.
The Iron is pushing Stevens up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from The Iron.
The Iron tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Stevens just stands there and leans against the cage.
Stevens blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stevens gets underhooks to prevent The Iron's takedown attempt.
Lance Stevens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John The Iron.
The Iron prevents Stevens from breaking the clinch.
Stevens tried to land a shot to the body but connects with The Iron's elbow.
Stalling in the clinch from The Iron.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Iron wants a takedown but no success here.
Stevens misses with a punch on the inside.
Stevens blocks an uppercut.
Stevens lands with a short shot to the head.

The Iron jumps guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The Iron has a closed guard, preventing Stevens from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Stevens stands up and waves to The Iron to follow him.
The Iron tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stevens swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Iron walks into a jab.
Stevens getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Stevens throws a right hand that misses

and The Iron moves into the clinch.
Stevens wants to break free but The Iron has control.
The Iron stalling against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stevens wants to get back to striking at distance but The Iron won't allow it.
Stevens goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The Iron has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. So far he's outscoring his opponent in the clinch so it seems to have been worthwhile.
The Iron has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stevens is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
The Iron pressing his opponent against the cage.
The Iron lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is trying to push The Iron away but The Iron has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Stevens is trying to push The Iron away but The Iron has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The Iron goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The Iron tries to pull guard but Stevens won't allow it.
The Iron pressing his opponent against the cage.
The Iron tries for a takedown but Stevens manages to get underhooks.
The Iron dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Stevens tries to break free but The Iron pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Stevens's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Iron lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stevens backwards.
Stevens wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but The Iron has him pressed against the cage.
Stevens blocks a body shot from The Iron.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as The Iron takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The Iron blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stevens can't break the clinch.
A short right from The Iron on the inside.
The Iron fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The Iron tries to work over Stevens's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nice body punch from The Iron - that landed with a thud.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The Iron lands a body shot in the clinch.
Stevens wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stevens wants to break free but The Iron has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John The Iron will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stevens lands a nice uppercut.

Stevens breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stevens swings away with a body shot that misses
and The Iron counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Stevens misses the shot to the body.
Stevens digs a good hook to The Iron's body.
The Iron fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

The Iron closes the distance and pushes Stevens back into the cage.
The Iron trying to stall but Stevens improves his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens wants to break free but The Iron has control.
The Iron has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stevens is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Stevens lands a left hand.
John The Iron seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The Iron misses with the head strike.
The Iron pushes Stevens back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The Iron throws a head punch that misses.
Stevens pushes The Iron back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Stevens wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The Iron lands a body punch.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
The Iron is trying to trip Stevens. He has hold of a leg but Stevens is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. The Iron persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Stevens avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stevens utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The Iron throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The Iron working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Stevens's head.
Stevens avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Iron looking to pass the guard.
Stevens preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The Iron drops back, looking for a kneebar! Stevens looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Stevens looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Stevens!
The Iron has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
I wouldn't like to be where The Iron is right now.

Stevens stands up and beckons The Iron to his feet.
Stevens misses with a hook. The Iron ducked under it nicely.
Stevens misses with a right hand

and The Iron counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Iron lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The Iron tries to throw a body punch but Stevens avoids it by throwing The Iron back against the cage.
The Iron keeps control of Stevens as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stevens has had enough of the clinch but The Iron keeps him there for the moment.
Stevens wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but The Iron has him pressed against the cage.
Stevens is trying to push The Iron away but The Iron has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The Iron throws a head punch that misses.
The Iron goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stevens prevents it.
Lance Stevens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John The Iron.
The Iron tries to work over Stevens's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stevens has had enough of the clinch but The Iron keeps him there for the moment.
The Iron swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stevens tries to circle away but The Iron has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Iron stalling in the clinch but Stevens improves position.
Stevens has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The Iron is trying to drag Stevens to the mat but Stevens just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Stevens blocking some punches.
The Iron wants a takedown.
The Iron has Stevens pressed against the cage, preventing Stevens from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The Iron wants to stall.
Stevens is trying to break the clinch but The Iron is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevens is trying to break free.
The Iron lands with a right to the head.
The Iron has Stevens pressed against the cage, preventing Stevens from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John The Iron showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

The Iron fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stevens, pushing him back against the cage.
Stevens wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but The Iron has him pressed against the cage.
Stevens blocks a body shot from The Iron.
The Iron is trying to stall.
Stevens is trying to break the clinch but The Iron has him pressed against the cage.

Stevens manages to break the clinch.
The Iron is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The Iron avoids the body shot from Stevens.
Nice takedown defense from Stevens. No joy for The Iron on that attempt.
The Iron on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Stevens swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Stevens. Those never looked like landing.
Stevens just misses with a punch to the body.
The Iron keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stevens throws a jab when The Iron was well out of range.
The Iron slips under a jab from Stevens.
Stevens circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lance Stevens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The Iron slips a jab and a cross from Stevens.
The Iron slips a straight right by Stevens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A jab lands there for Stevens.
John The Iron is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stevens rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and The Iron counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The Iron lands strikes from half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The Iron sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stevens defending well though.
The Iron throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The Iron sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stevens defending well though.
The Iron wants to pass to mount but Stevens is defending the position.
Stevens gets full guard.

Stevens pushes The Iron off and gets back to his feet.
Stevens misses with a two punch combination.
John The Iron is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Iron bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Stevens throws an off balance right hand

and The Iron counters by moving into the clinch.
The Iron wants to take the fight to the mat but Stevens manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The Iron fails to pull guard.
Lance Stevens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John The Iron.
The Iron looking to slow down the pace here.
The Iron is pushing Stevens up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Iron fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Stevens breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The Iron takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The Iron shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stevens but Stevens pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stevens tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but The Iron was well out of range. Poor timing from Stevens.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The Iron keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lance Stevens.
I think The Iron has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Josh West scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John The Iron!
After winning the bout, John The Iron thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.