PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nate Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sylvester Stallone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nate Phillips has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Phillips
vs
Stallone

190 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
23
208 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Bling Bling

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nate Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Sylvester Stallone!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Andrew Berry and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stallone misses with a jab, cross combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Stallone fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Phillips avoids it really well and circles away.
Phillips throws a leg kick which misses Stallone's front leg but catches the back leg as Stallone tries to avoid it.
Phillips lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Phillips lands a lovely overhand right.
Phillips looks to land a body kick but Stallone moved away.
Phillips doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Phillips jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Phillips gets a clinch.
Phillips gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Sylvester Stallone has been cut.
Stallone jumps guard but Phillips stands there with Stallone around his waist. Stallone gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Stallone blocks a body shot from Phillips.
Phillips throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stallone blocks it with crossed arms.
Stallone tries to break the clinch but Phillips is controlling the position.
Phillips trying to land knees to the body.
Stallone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Phillips smiles and moves away.
Nate Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sylvester Stallone.
Phillips tries to bum rush Stallone with a series of wild strikes but Stallone uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
An inside leg kick lands from Phillips.
Stallone shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Phillips defends it nicely.
Phillips looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stallone takes one to the side of the head.

Phillips moves into the clinch.
Phillips looking to throw knees to the head but Stallone is blocking nicely.
A frustrated look appears on Stallone's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Phillips lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Stallone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Phillips just stands there and leans against the cage.
Phillips working aggressively here.
Phillips with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Stallone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Stallone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stallone shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Phillips tries to clinch there but Stallone circles away.
Stallone misses the shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Phillips as Stallone shoots in.
Phillips tries to clinch up.
Stallone misses the shot to the body.
Phillips thuds a left hand into Stallone's body.
Phillips throws a nice inside leg kick.

Phillips clinches with his opponent.
Phillips working Stallone over with knees to the body.
Stallone looks gassed!
Phillips utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips holds him up against the cage and eventually Stallone drops back down to his feet.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but Stallone blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throws a knee to the head but misses.
Phillips trying to land knees to the body.
Phillips cracks Stallone with a nice body shot.
Stallone wants to get back to striking at distance but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stallone avoids it.
Stallone managing to block the knees to the body from Phillips.
Stallone avoids a wild elbow strike from Phillips.
Stallone managing to block the knees to the body from Phillips.
Phillips putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Stallone in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Phillips is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stallone is defending well for now.
Stallone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Phillips throws a knee to the head but misses.
Phillips connects with a nasty looking knee right to Stallone's face.
Phillips throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Phillips misses with a knee to the head.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but Stallone blocks it.
Phillips lands an uppercut.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips lands a left hand.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Stallone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Phillips scores with a shot to the side of Stallone's head.
Stallone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Phillips smiles and moves away.
Phillips tries to clinch there but Stallone circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stallone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Phillips sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sylvester Stallone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stallone swings and misses with a hook to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stallone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Phillips just stands there and leans against the cage.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but Stallone blocks with his arms.
Stallone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Phillips smiles and moves away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Phillips.

Phillips darts in and clinches Stallone up against the cage.
Phillips using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stallone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A left hand lands to the body for Phillips.
Phillips crunches a lovely knee into Stallone's ribcage.
Phillips lands a body shot in the clinch.
Phillips landing knees to the body.
Phillips with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A shot in the inside from Phillips.
Stallone takes a knee right on the jaw!
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips holds him up against the cage and eventually Stallone drops back down to his feet.
Phillips connects with a nasty looking knee right to Stallone's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but Stallone blocks with his arms.
Nice body punch from Phillips.
Phillips lands a nice knee to the body.
Phillips lands a knee to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Phillips.
Still in the clinch, Phillips scores with a nice short uppercut.
Stallone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Stallone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Phillips feints and then cracks Stallone's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stallone down.
Stallone takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Phillips lands with a hook. Stallone tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Phillips scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Phillips avoids a punch combination nicely.
Phillips scores with a nice strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Phillips thows a body kick. Stallone tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Phillips blocks a jab.
Phillips lands a right hook to the body.
Phillips with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Phillips scores with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Phillips dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sylvester Stallone's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Phillips pushes Stallone up against the cage in a clinch.
Knees to the body from Phillips.
Stallone blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but Stallone blocks with his arms.
Phillips works on Stallone's body with a couple of short punches.

Stallone jumps into guard, dragging Phillips to the mat.
Phillips will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Phillips wants to stand but Stallone is controlling his posture from full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Phillips trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Phillips knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stallone on the ground.

Stallone looking for a guillotine here but Phillips defends easily.
Stallone has a closed guard, preventing Phillips from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips preventing the sweep.
Phillips trying to stand up but can't free himself from Stallone's guard.

Phillips stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Stallone will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Phillips takes the fight into the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Phillips.
Stallone takes a knee right on the jaw!
Phillips lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Stallone tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Nate Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sylvester Stallone.
Phillips throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stallone blocks it with crossed arms.
Phillips throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stallone blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Stallone tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stallone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Phillips is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stallone is defending well for now.
Phillips is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Still in the clinch, Stallone scores with a nice short uppercut.

Stallone gets control of Phillips's arms and successfully pulls guard. Stallone will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Phillips wants to get up but he can't break Stallone's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Stallone had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Phillips is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Stallone Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Phillips's back instead.
Stallone misses with a punch to the head.

Phillips is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.

Phillips gets a clinch.
Stallone trying to stall but Phillips improves his position.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stallone working hard to break the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Phillips.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but Stallone blocks it.
Stallone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Stallone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stallone throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Phillips wants to clinch up but Stallone keeps it at a distance.
Phillips lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Stallone backs up against the cage.
Stallone takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Stallone takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Phillips lands a two punch combo.
Stallone changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Phillips tries to avoid it but Stallone manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Phillips to the ground. Phillips escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A right-left combo lands from Phillips.
Phillips stuffs the takedown.
Phillips moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Phillips's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Phillips duly obliges.
Stallone stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Phillips.

Phillips gets a clinch.
Phillips using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stallone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Phillips lands a knee to the head.
Stallone is trying to break the clinch but Phillips is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Stallone in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Phillips.
Stallone's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Phillips misses with a knee to the head.
Phillips lands a knee to the head.
Phillips using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stallone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Phillips with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Stallone pulls guard effortlessly.
Phillips would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Phillips has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Stallone has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Phillips can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Phillips tries to stand but Stallone is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Phillips dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sylvester Stallone's cut.
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!

Stallone lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Phillips scores with a nice right hand.
Stallone shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Phillips has managed to clinch.
Stallone tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips holds him up against the cage and eventually Stallone drops back down to his feet.
Nate Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sylvester Stallone.
Phillips throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stallone blocks it with crossed arms.
Phillips pushes Stallone back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Phillips lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stallone backwards.
Phillips is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Phillips throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Stallone blocks it with crossed arms.
Nate Phillips has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stallone fails to pull guard.
A knee to the head by Phillips.
Phillips gets through Stallone's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Phillips.
Phillips scores with a knee to the head.
A short body shot lands from Phillips as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Phillips tries a knee to the head but Stallone blocks it.
Stallone fails to pull guard.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stallone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Phillips looking to throw knees to the head but Stallone is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stallone works on Phillips's body with a couple of short punches.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips won't allow it.

Stallone's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Phillips throws a good cross that connects.
Stallone misses with a body shot

and Phillips counters by moving into the clinch.
Phillips lands a good knee to the midsection. Stallone won't want to take too many of those.
Stallone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Phillips smiles and moves away.
Stallone takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Phillips moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Stallone tries for a takedown but Phillips circles away easily
and Phillips counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nate Phillips is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Phillips fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Phillips is looking to clinch.
Stallone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Phillips gets a clinch.
Phillips working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Phillips lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Stallone backwards.
Phillips putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Stallone in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Phillips.
Sylvester Stallone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stallone avoids it.
Phillips lands a body shot in the clinch.
Phillips looking to throw knees to the head but Stallone is blocking nicely.
Stallone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Phillips walks away with a smile on his face. Stallone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Phillips has managed to clinch.
Nice body punch from Phillips - that landed with a thud.
Stallone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Phillips with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Phillips softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Phillips is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Stallone is defending well for now.
Stallone jumps guard but Phillips stands there with Stallone around his waist. Stallone gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Stallone tries to pull guard but Phillips holds him up against the cage and eventually Stallone drops back down to his feet.
Phillips missing with knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Phillips.
Phillips lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Stallone tries to break the clinch but Phillips is controlling the position.
Phillips lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Phillips misses with a knee strike.
Stallone avoiding damage as Phillips throws knees to the body.

Stallone has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Phillips uses from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stallone looking for a sweep. Not yet Stallone, not yet.
Phillips tries to stand but Stallone is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phillips gets to his feet - Stallone follows without any prompting.
Stallone shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Phillips as he jumps to the side.
Phillips's corner calls for a 1-2. Phillips obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Stallone takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Phillips plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Phillips has taken the fight to the clinch.
Phillips digs a right hand into Stallone's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Stallone's gas tank.
A nice left hand lands by Phillips.
Stallone is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Phillips misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stallone.
Stallone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Phillips smiles and moves away.
Stallone takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nate Phillips is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Phillips lands with a shot to the body.
Phillips lands a body shot.
A chopping leg kick lands by Phillips.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stallone circles away from the clinch attempt.
Phillips walks into a stiff left hand from Stallone.
A left and a right from Phillips both land. Nice combination.
Phillips scores with a one two! Stallone had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Phillips clinches up against the cage.
Phillips misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stallone.
Stallone tries to break the clinch but Phillips is controlling the position.

Stallone pulls guard.
Phillips would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Stallone throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Stallone has his foot on Phillips's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Phillips works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Phillips stands and steps away. Stallone gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Left hook, right uppercut from Phillips.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Phillips showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Phillips, 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 Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Phillips!