PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexej Stepanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dio Roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stepanov
vs
Roberts

180 cm
27
170 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
181 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Likes musicals

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexej Stepanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dio Roberts!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roberts wants to clinch up but Stepanov keeps it at a distance.
Stepanov misses with a wild body shot.
Roberts shoots in but Stepanov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
No joy there for Stepanov, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Stepanov looks to clinch
and Roberts counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stepanov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stepanov lands with a nice body punch.
Stepanov lands a lovely overhand right.
Roberts throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stepanov tries to clinch but Roberts moves away

and Roberts holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Roberts can't break the clinch.
Roberts goes for a takedown attempt but Stepanov pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Stepanov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stepanov stalks Roberts and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Roberts's face. Roberts staggers backwards, shaken.
Roberts misses with a left hand

and Stepanov counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Roberts!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Stepanov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stepanov tries to move to mount but Roberts blocks the move with his legs.
A lull in the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stepanov trying to control the position but Roberts is working away.

Stepanov wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Roberts, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Roberts's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Stepanov tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stepanov has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roberts is not content to let Stepanov control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Stepanov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Roberts knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Roberts takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Roberts is not content to let Stepanov control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roberts is looking to reverse the position.
Stepanov scoring with punches and elbows.
Roberts is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Roberts is trying to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Roberts taking punishment in the form of punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Roberts can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexej Stepanov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stepanov rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Roberts moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Stepanov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Roberts.

Stepanov lands a takedown into guard.
Stepanov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Roberts swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stepanov stands and throws Roberts's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Stepanov in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Roberts is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Alexej Stepanov!
A very excited looking Alexej Stepanov made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.