PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bill Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sonny Diamante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bill Stephens has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Stephens
vs
Diamante

219 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

176 cm
24
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Bill Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sonny Diamante!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Atkins and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Diamante rushes Stephens and presses him up against the cage.
Diamante pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Diamante tightens his grip and picks Stephens up, before dumping him to the ground. Stephens manages to land in guard.
Diamante throwing strikes but missing.

Diamante drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Diamante jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Stephens looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Diamante wants to pass the guard but Stephens is keeping the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamante preventing the sweep.

Diamante thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Diamante has gone for a leg lock! Stephens slips out almost immediately though and dives into Diamante's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Diamante looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Diamante is trying to keep Stephens in close.
Stephens is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stephens wanted to stand there but Diamante had control of the position.

Diamante looking for a guillotine here but Stephens defends easily.

Diamante is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Stephens defends well.
Stephens is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Stephens is looking to stand up but Diamante won't let him.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamante trying to strike off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Diamante closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Stephens's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stephens is pulling down on Diamante's head. It's preventing any offense from Diamante, at least for the moment.
Diamante stopping the sweep attempt from Stephens.

Diamante drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Stephens manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Diamante has Stephens in his guard.

Stephens stands up and waves to Diamante to follow him.
Diamante tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stephens was well out of range. Poor timing from Diamante.
A head kick misses from Diamante.
Stephens blocks a head kick by Diamante.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamante is looking to slow Stephens down with leg kicks.

Diamante rushes Stephens and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Diamante.
Stephens has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Diamante is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Stephens working hard to break the clinch.
Stephens is trying to push Diamante away but Diamante has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Diamante gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Stephens regains guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stephens pulls Diamante in to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sonny Diamante dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Stephens swings for the body but Diamante moves out of range.
Diamante throws a lazy right hand but Stephens sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A punch combination from Diamante misses.
Stephens dodges the punch combination from Diamante.
An inside leg kick from Stephens misses.
No joy there for Diamante, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diamante misses with a looping left.
Stephens moves out of range as Diamante strikes.
Diamante looks to score with a jab to the body but Stephens is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diamante throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diamante throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Stephens counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stephens manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diamante utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Stephens is fighting off a takedown attempt but Diamante is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Stephens to the mat. Stephens regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Stephens is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Stephens will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diamante trying to control but Stephens is working from the bottom.
Diamante is fighting to break Stephens's control of his arms but Stephens is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Diamante tries to stand but Stephens is controlling from the bottom.
Stephens wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Diamante drives through and clinches with Stephens against the cage.
Stephens goes for a takedown attempt but Diamante pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diamante scores with a spinning back kick!
Stephens blocks the body kick.
A jab from Diamante misses.
Stephens feinted with a counter takedown.
Diamante misses with a straight right.
Diamante scores with a one two! Stephens had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Diamante throws a head kick but Stephens moves out of range.
Stephens feinted there with a counter leg kick.
A big left from Diamante misses.

Diamante instigates a clinch.
Stephens blocks the elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stephens breaks from the clinch.
Diamante throws a right hand that Stephens ducks under and follows up with a left that Stephens also avoids with ease.
Stephens half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A big right from Diamante misses.
Stephens is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Diamante.
Diamante throws a head kick that misses

and Stephens counters with a single leg into guard. Diamante didn't expect that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stephens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stephens scoring with punches to the head and body.
Stephens has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Diamante is breathing heavily.
Stephens stays in close to Diamante's body and controls the position.

Diamante had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Stephens defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Diamante is working an open guard so Stephens takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sonny Diamante showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Diamante with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Stephens shoots in looking for a takedown but Diamante manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stephens's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sonny Diamante seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Diamante misses with a double jab

and Stephens moves into the clinch.
Diamante wants to break the clinch but can't.

Diamante lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Diamante is trying to work for a kimura but Stephens is defending well.
Stephens has his hands clasped together around Diamante's back. He's all about the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Stephens really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Diamante is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Stephens sees it coming and defends easily.

Stephens makes his way to full guard, as Diamante worked for a kimura.
Diamante takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stephens wants to sweep but no luck.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet but Diamante is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Diamante stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stephens swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Diamante drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Diamante jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Stephens pulls Diamante in close to his closed guard and prevents Diamante from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stephens keeping moving, preventing Diamante from controlling successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Diamante is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Diamante misses with a wild combination.
Nice takedown defense from Diamante. No joy for Stephens on that attempt.

Diamante has closed the distance and engaged Stephens in a clinch.
Stephens is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bill Stephens. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens is trying to push Diamante away but Diamante has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Stephens is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Diamante is defending well.
Stephens dodges an elbow strike from Diamante.
Diamante tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stephens avoids it.

Diamante escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sonny Diamante is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diamante misses with a low kick as Stephens jumps back.
Sonny Diamante seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Diamante clinches.

Stephens is fighting off a takedown attempt but Diamante is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Stephens to the mat. Stephens regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diamante trying to control the position from guard on top but Stephens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Diamante has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Stephens has his hands on Diamante's head, controlling the position.
Diamante trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stephens pulls Diamante in close to prevent any damage.
Diamante pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Stephens is keeping the position for now.
Sonny Diamante is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Diamante being controlled here momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sonny Diamante comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Diamante 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sonny Diamante!