PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Xander Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Stankevich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cage
vs
Stankevich

185 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
180 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xander Cage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Igor Stankevich!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stankevich scores with a sloppy right hand. Cage should have avoided that one.
Stankevich lands a body shot.
We've been informed that Stankevich has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Cage slips under a jab.
Stankevich throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cage's waist but Cage gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stankevich off to one side.
Stankevich misses with a few strikes there.
Stankevich takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Stankevich fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stankevich loads up on a big right hand but Cage slips the punch.
Cage looks to throw the jab but Stankevich is out of range.
Cage slips under a jab from Stankevich.
Cage ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cage uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stankevich.
Cage misses with an uppercut

and Stankevich counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cage is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Stankevich sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stankevich is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Stankevich won't allow Cage to get back to his feet.
Stankevich trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Stankevich prevents Cage from getting back to his feet.
Stankevich trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Cage is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Cage has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Stankevich is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
A right handed body shot lands from Cage.
Cage leaning against his opponent.
Cage is struggling to control the position.
Stankevich blocks an uppercut.
Cage keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stankevich's efforts to push away.
Cage throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Cage fails to land.
Cage throws a head punch that misses.
Stankevich blocks an uppercut.
Stankevich changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cage fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cage definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Stankevich bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage lands a jab to the head.
Stankevich throws a big shot that misses.
Cage moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Igor Stankevich has been cut.
Cage slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Cage throws a jab when Stankevich was well out of range.
Stankevich slips under a jab from Cage.
Cage missing with a left hand there. Stankevich was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cage looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A little jabbing left from Stankevich on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Stankevich fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cage manages to avoid it.
Stankevich throws a shot from downtown. Cage moves away and avoids it.
Cage scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stankevich shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cage pinned against the cage. Cage gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Xander Cage has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Stankevich.
Stankevich throws a series of punches but Cage avoids them all with ease.
Stankevich on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Stankevich is rocked!
Stankevich throws a right and a left that both miss.
As Stankevich tries to get set, Cage tries to push him back and clinch up but Stankevich manages to avoid the attempt.
Stankevich is still on wobbly legs! Can Cage finish him?
Cage cracks Stankevich on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Stankevich falls backwards against the cage. Cage follows up with more strikes that drop Stankevich to his knees. Cage keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Stankevich! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Xander Cage!
A very excited looking Xander Cage 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.