PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Carlos Dalborga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stephens has chosen Someday-Flipsyde as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Dalborga
vs
Stephens

176 cm
24
168 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
174 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Warrior MMA
Warrior MMA

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Dalborga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Justin Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dalborga throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Stephens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Dalborga is trying to keep Stephens in close.

Dalborga pushes Stephens off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Dalborga has his takedown stuffed

and Stephens counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Stephens tries to stand but can't do so whilst Dalborga controls his leg.
Stephens is controlling the pace.
Stephens is looking to pass Dalborga's guard but actually Dalborga recovers to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Dalborga is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Stephens defends well.
Dalborga is breathing heavily.
Dalborga keeping moving, preventing Stephens from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stephens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dalborga is looking to stand back up but Stephens counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Dalborga.
Dalborga wants to control but Stephens is keeping busy.
Stephens trying to control from half guard but Dalborga is working away.
Dalborga keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dalborga has a hand on Stephens's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Stephens takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Dalborga tries to hold on but Stephens pushes him away.
Dalborga working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dalborga is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Stephens controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Stephens dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dalborga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stephens swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Stephens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Dalborga manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Stephens feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Dalborga tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stephens trying to control but Dalborga is working from the bottom.
Stephens controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dalborga manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Stephens manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Stephens really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dalborga. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Stephens keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dalborga trying to control the action but Stephens is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stephens keeping control of the position.

Dalborga wants to work for an arm triangle but Stephens is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Stephens manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Stephens shoots in for a takedown but Dalborga shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Stephens scores a takedown into full mount!
Dalborga is squirming around, avoiding Stephens's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens controlling from the full mount.
Dalborga wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four 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 controlling his opponent.
Dalborga is squirming around, avoiding Stephens's attempts to control the action.
Dalborga tries to hold on but Stephens pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Stephens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dalborga shoots and misses

and Stephens counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dalborga's guard now.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Justin Stephens.
Stephens is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Stephens keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Stephens drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dalborga being controlled here, momentarily.
Stephens is looking to work some ground and pound but Dalborga has wrist control.
Stephens pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dalborga is keeping the position for now.
Dalborga wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Stephens manages to pass to side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stephens stands up and beckons Dalborga to join him on the feet.

Stephens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Stephens content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Let's hope that Stephens has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Justin Stephens has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens wants to stand up but Dalborga is controlling the position.
Dalborga tries to get to full guard but Stephens has control of the leg.
Stephens controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dalborga is trying to stand back up but Stephens is controlling him
Still in half guard, Stephens seems content to control.
Stephens tries to stand and escape but Dalborga is controlling the position.
Dalborga wants to get back to his feet.
Stephens controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Dalborga is trying to stand.
Justin Stephens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
It looks like Stephens is going to stand back up.
Carlos Dalborga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Dalborga looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Stephens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stephens 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Stephens!