PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Conor Lee (ranked 109 p4p, 308 weight class) and Olenev Stepanovich (ranked 18 p4p, 45 weight class). Stepanovich has chosen Swallowing Dust as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Lee
vs
Stepanovich

187 cm
32
165
17 - 5 - 1

186 cm
31
165
23 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Sakura Style
Groove Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Conor Lee!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Olenev Stepanovich!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stepanovich slips a jab from Lee.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Stepanovich! But no joy.
Stepanovich checks the leg kick.
Stepanovich jabs Lee to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Lee looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Stepanovich moves away from the strike by Lee.
Stepanovich pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
As Stepanovich backs away, Lee returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Stepanovich throws a right hand that misses
and Lee counters with a straight right hand.
Stepanovich's jab looks to have found its range, popping Lee under the eye.
Lee misses with a hook.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lee takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Lee takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Lee throws a body shot but no joy.
Stepanovich slips a straight right by Lee.
Stepanovich throws a hook but Lee blocks it.
A little feinted left hand from Lee on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Lee moves out of range of the strikes.
Lee misses with the combination.
Lee does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Stepanovich misses with a hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stepanovich throws the left hand but Lee avoids the punch easily.
Lee throws a head kick that Stepanovich semi-blocks.
Nice defenses there by Stepanovich.
Stepanovich throws out a loose jab but Lee uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stepanovich lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee connects with an inside leg kick.
Lee fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Stepanovich on the side of the head.
Lee throws a nice inside leg kick.
Stepanovich misses with a straight right.
Stepanovich's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lee connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Stepanovich scrambles back to his feet.
Lee uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stepanovich.
Stepanovich with a jab.
Stepanovich's jab looks to have found its range, popping Lee under the eye.
Lee throws a hook but Stepanovich blocks it.
Stepanovich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lee lands a jab-cross combination.
Stepanovich moves away from the strike by Lee.
Olenev Stepanovich seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lee moves forwards but Stepanovich connects with a nice, crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lee wants to slow Stepanovich down by chopping away at his legs.
A telegraphed right hand from Stepanovich misses the target.
Lee swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lee throws out a loose jab but Stepanovich uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stepanovich pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stepanovich might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Stepanovich throws a body punch but Lee moves out of range.
Stepanovich throws a lazy right hand but Lee sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Conor Lee is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lee on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Stepanovich blocks a low kick nicely.
A jab from Stepanovich misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stepanovich.
Stepanovich throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Stepanovich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lee.
Stepanovich lunges at Lee with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Lee's hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stepanovich. Lee does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stepanovich just misses with a punch to the body.
Stepanovich is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lee.
The fighters circling - Stepanovich throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
An attempted straight right counter from Lee misses the target.
Stepanovich connects with a looping right hand.
Stepanovich clobbers Lee with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Stepanovich throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lee stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Stepanovich missing with a left hand there. Lee was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lee uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stepanovich.
Lee throws a low kick but Stepanovich avoids it.
Stepanovich moves out of range of the leg kick from Lee.
Stepanovich jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stepanovich moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Stepanovich is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Lee had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Lee takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Lee scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Stepanovich needs to keep his hands up - Lee had a free shot at his head there.
Lee does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
A slow jab from Stepanovich misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich throws an overhand right that lands on Lee's shoulder, as Lee tries to avoid the shot.
Stepanovich on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Lee keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stepanovich fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Stepanovich scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lee misses with a body kick.
Stepanovich on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Lee is looking to chop away at Stepanovich's legs.
Lee displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stepanovich throws out the jab.
Lee throws an overhand right that lands on Stepanovich's shoulder, as Stepanovich tries to avoid the shot.
Lee throws a hook but Stepanovich blocks it.
Lee misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Stepanovich.
Stepanovich looks to land a left hand but Lee moved out of range nicely.
Lee misses with a low kick.
Nice cross by Lee.
Stepanovich throws a hook but Lee blocks it.
Stepanovich throws an overhand right that lands on Lee's shoulder, as Lee tries to avoid the shot.
Stepanovich jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stepanovich misses with a hook. Lee ducked under it nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stepanovich throws a lazy right hand but Lee sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stepanovich lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich moves into range and connects with a jab.
Stepanovich steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lee.
Stepanovich throws a sloppy head kick and Lee moves out of range easily.
Lee defending well as Stepanovich loads up on a big left hand.
Lee bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lee looks to score with a jab to the body but Stepanovich is just out of range.
Stepanovich waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lee.
Stepanovich scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Lee throws a shot from downtown. Stepanovich moves away and avoids it.
Stepanovich misses with a body shot
and Lee connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lee throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lee misses with a body kick.
A swing and a miss from Stepanovich.
Stepanovich blocks a jab.
Lee throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stepanovich.
Lee scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lee throws out a powerful jab.
Lee takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Stepanovich shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lee's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Olenev Stepanovich will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lee throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Stepanovich sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Stepanovich throws a jab but it's blocked by Lee.
Stepanovich with a hook.
Lee connects with an inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Lee.
Lee looks to land a body kick but Stepanovich moved away.
It seemed like Stepanovich was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Stepanovich swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stepanovich misses the shot to the body.
Stepanovich misses the body punch
and Lee counters with a left and a right that stings Stepanovich.
Stepanovich takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Stepanovich misses with a straight right.
Lee throws a jab but it's blocked by Stepanovich.
Stepanovich misses the shot to the body.
Lee ducks under a wild hook from Stepanovich.
The fighters circling - Lee throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Stepanovich now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Stepanovich looks to land a left hand but Lee moved out of range nicely.
Lee throws a hook but Stepanovich avoids it easily.
Stepanovich swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Olenev Stepanovich seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lee throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lee throws a leg kick but Stepanovich checks it.
Lee staying out of range there.
Stepanovich connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Stepanovich shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lee's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stepanovich stands up over Lee, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Stepanovich wants to control from the top but Lee keeps moving.
Stepanovich connects with a couple of short punches.
Stepanovich trying to control the position from guard on top but Lee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stepanovich postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Stepanovich avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lee is trying to keep Stepanovich in close.

Lee is looking for a triangle but Stepanovich pushes his legs off easily.
Lee is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich tries to free his leg and advance position but Lee is retaining full guard.
Lee utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Stepanovich showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Lee has an active guard here but Stepanovich has managed to pass into half guard.

Lee looking for submissions off his back.
Lee on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Stepanovich there.
Lee slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Stepanovich wants to pass the guard but Lee is keeping the position.

Lee is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Lee looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Stepanovich scoring with some ground and pound.

Lee has his foot on Stepanovich's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Stepanovich works his way back into a safe position though.
Stepanovich throwing strikes from guard but Lee blocks nicely.
Stepanovich tries to free his leg and advance position but Lee is retaining full guard.
Stepanovich must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stepanovich trying to control but Lee is working from the bottom.
Stepanovich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lee swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stepanovich distracts Lee with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Stepanovich trying to control but Lee is working from the bottom.
Stepanovich postures up.

Lee looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Stepanovich trying to control but Lee is working from the bottom.

Lee has his feet on Stepanovich's thighs here. He's pushed Stepanovich off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Stepanovich screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Conor Lee!
Conor Lee retains his lightweight title!
Conor Lee thanked the fans post fight for their support.