PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Brett Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kim Stenemo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Richards
vs
Stenemo

176 cm
22
154 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Brett Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kim Stenemo!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Richards looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Stenemo!
Stenemo wants to control but Richards is having none of it.

Richards looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Stenemo is squirming around, avoiding Richards's attempts to control the action.

Richards working for a submission but Stenemo is keeping him at bay.
Richards controlling the position easily from mount.
Stenemo tries to hold on but Richards pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stenemo tries to control the position but Richards now has his back.
A lull in the action here.

Stenemo showing good submission defense here.
Richards missing with strikes.
Stenemo wants to control his opponent's hands but Richards gets his hands free.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stenemo tries to escape the position.
Richards landing with strikes.

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.

Stenemo manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Stenemo scores with a punch to the head.

Stenemo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Richards is breathing heavily.
Richards trying to control here.

Stenemo escapes and gets back to his feet.
Richards wants to clinch.
Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters circling a little - Stenemo finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stenemo tries for a takedown but Richards circles away easily
and Richards counters with a slapping leg kick.

Stenemo gets a clinch.
Stenemo lands a knee to the body.

Stenemo breaks from the clinch.
Richards looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Stenemo is fending him off so far but Richards persists. Nope, Stenemo circles away and we're back to standing.
Stenemo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Richards counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Richards.
Richards trying to control but Stenemo is working from the bottom.
Richards works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Stenemo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Stenemo tries to roll over but Richards keeps him under control.
Richards wants to pass the guard but Stenemo is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Richards wants to control but Stenemo is keeping him busy.
Stenemo is trying to control but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stenemo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brett Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kim Stenemo.
Stenemo avoids the body shot from Richards.
Richards scores with a shot to the body.
Richards fails to land the takedown.

Richards rushes Stenemo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Stenemo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Stenemo prevents Richards from breaking the clinch.

Stenemo has picked Richards up - he's going for a ride! Stenemo dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richards pushes Stenemo off looking to stand but Stenemo dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Brett Richards will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Richards fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stenemo misses with a takedown attempt

and Richards counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Stenemo pulls guard.
Stenemo is trying to control the position but Richards postures up.
Richards controls from within his opponent's guard.
Stenemo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Richards. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Richards in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Stenemo seems keen to control Richards's posture.
Richards stops Stenemo from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Richards throwing strikes from guard but Stenemo blocks nicely.

Stenemo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Richards can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Richards gets to his feet - Stenemo follows without any prompting.
Richards tries to clinch

and Stenemo counters by moving into the clinch.

Richards successfully pulls guard.
Richards tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Richards is trying to control the position but Stenemo postures up.
Stenemo throwing strikes from guard but Richards blocks nicely.
Richards seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Stenemo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Richards has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards is trying to keep Stenemo in close.
Richards manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Richards sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Brett Richards just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Stenemo misses with a takedown attempt
and Richards counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Brett Richards is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Richards shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Richards was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Stenemo tries to hold on but Richards postures up.
Stenemo regains half guard.
Stenemo is pressing down on Richards's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Stenemo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stenemo wants to stand and escape but Richards is having none of it.
Stenemo looking for a sweep. Not yet Stenemo, not yet.
Richards controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stenemo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Stenemo trying to control the position.
Stenemo has his hands on Richards's head, controlling the position.
Richards wants to control from the top but Stenemo keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Stenemo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Stenemo manages to pull guard.
Brett Richards overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Stenemo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Stenemo is looking for a triangle but Richards pushes his legs off easily.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Stenemo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Richards dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Stenemo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Richards counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Richards throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stenemo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Richards working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Richards thows a big elbow that misses.
Richards wants to control from the top but Stenemo keeps moving.
Richards works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Richards is tying to control. Stenemo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Richards is really struggling to control Stenemo but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Richards decides to stand and escape the position.

Richards shoots in and bounces Stenemo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Stenemo is trying to keep Richards in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stenemo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Stenemo wants to get back to his feet but Richards is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Stenemo looking to control.
Stenemo keeping moving, preventing Richards from controlling successfully.

Richards avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Stenemo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Richards throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Stenemo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Richards shoots in and drives through. Stenemo sprawls well.

Stenemo clinches up against the cage.

Stenemo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stenemo fails to land the takedown.
Richards tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Stenemo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Richards is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Richards prevents Stenemo from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stenemo is refusing to be controlled, as Richards sits in half guard.
Richards is thwarting Stenemo's attempts to control the position.

Stenemo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stenemo is trying to stand up here but Richards is controlling him well.
Richards is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Stenemo is trying to maintain the position but Richards is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Richards darts in trying to clinch

and Stenemo moves into the clinch.
Stenemo is trying to stall.
Richards tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Stenemo smiles and moves away.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Richards.
Richards throws a body punch but Stenemo moves out of range.
Richards moves in looking to clinch but Stenemo pushes him off.

Stenemo drives through and clinches with Richards against the cage.

Stenemo breaks from the clinch.

Richards scores a takedown into full mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richards throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brett Richards showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Richards, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brett Richards!