PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cliff Leavitt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franco Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leavitt kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Scotland The Brave. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Leavitt
vs
Stephens

195 cm
21
265 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

193 cm
18
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cliff Leavitt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Franco Stephens!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Reed Andrews and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.
Leavitt looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Stephens shoots for a double leg takedown but Leavitt sprawls well. He's pushed Stephens's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Stephens has taken the fight to the clinch.
Leavitt goes for a takedown attempt but Stephens pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Leavitt stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Leavitt wants it to stay on the feet.
Stephens wants to clinch up but Leavitt keeps it at a distance.
Stephens's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Stephens duly obliges.
Leavitt tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Stephens is able to avoid easily.
Cliff Leavitt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leavitt avoids the head kick by Stephens.

Stephens instigates a clinch.
Stephens wants to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leavitt has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Stephens avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Stephens wants a takedown but no success here.
Cliff Leavitt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Franco Stephens.
Stephens jumps guard but Leavitt turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Stephens has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Leavitt is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Leavitt walks away with a smile on his face. Stephens gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Stephens should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Stephens is looking to clinch but Leavitt is avoiding it.
Stephens dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Leavitt tries to score a power double leg takedown but Stephens sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Leavitt somewhat.
Stephens pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Leavitt feinted with a counter takedown.

Stephens drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Stephens is looking to take a break and control but Leavitt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Leavitt can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stephens tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stephens has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stephens wants to control for a moment but Leavitt uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Stephens is looking to take a break and control but Leavitt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leavitt is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Leavitt trying to hold on to Stephens's head to control him but Stephens postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Stephens shoots in for a takedown but Leavitt shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Leavitt tries to clinch up but Stephens circles away and keeps his distance.

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.

Leavitt fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stephens to the ground. Leavitt is now in Stephens's guard.
Leavitt is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at V C L training center (HOME OF THE TRUE CHAMPION that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Leavitt pushes down on Stephens's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Stephens gets full guard.
Stephens keeping moving, preventing Leavitt from controlling successfully.
Leavitt landing some decent shots from guard.
Leavitt cracks Stephens with a solid left hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stephens controls Leavitt momentarily but Leavitt frees himself.
Leavitt landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Franco Stephens will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Leavitt misses with a head kick.
Stephens shoots for a takedown but Leavitt saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice sprawl there from Leavitt as Stephens shoots in.
Leavitt tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Stephens counters with a right hand to the body.
Stephens throws a sloppy head kick and Leavitt moves out of range easily.
Leavitt avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stephens cracks Leavitt with a good jab.
Horrible takedown attempt by Stephens or perhaps it was just good defense by Leavitt, which made it look bad.
Cliff Leavitt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Franco Stephens.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Leavitt darts in and clinches Stephens up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stephens has had enough of the clinch but Leavitt keeps him there for the moment.
Stephens is trying to force a seperation but Leavitt has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leavitt goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stephens prevents it.
Leavitt prevents a takedown attempt there.
Stephens pushes Leavitt back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Leavitt tries to pull guard but Stephens won't allow it.
Stephens wants a takedown but no success here.
Leavitt goes for a takedown in the clinch but Stephens prevents it.
Leavitt tries for a takedown. No joy.
Leavitt looking to stall.
Stephens is pushing Leavitt up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Stephens goes for a takedown in the clinch but Leavitt prevents it.
Stephens is looking to break free of the clinch but Leavitt has double underhooks.

Stephens drags the fight down to the ground.
Leavitt connects with a couple of short punches.
Leavitt has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Leavitt postures up and lands a big shot to Stephens's brow.
Leavitt content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Leavitt cracks Stephens with a solid left hand.
Leavitt is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leavitt scoring with punches to the head and body.
Leavitt is working Stephens over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Leavitt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Leavitt landing some decent shots from guard.
Leavitt distracts Stephens with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Leavitt keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Stephens's head.
Leavitt scoring with some ground and pound.

Leavitt stands up and waves to Stephens to follow him.
Leavitt shoots and misses
and Stephens counters with a left and a right that stings Leavitt.
Stephens tries to score a power double leg takedown but Leavitt sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stephens somewhat.
Leavitt throws a big counter combination but Stephens scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cliff Leavitt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Leavitt. No joy for Stephens on that attempt.
Leavitt misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stephens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Leavitt dives in and grabs Stephens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Stephens pushes down on Leavitt's head and hops out.
Leavitt tries to score a power double leg takedown but Stephens sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Leavitt somewhat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leavitt throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cliff Leavitt dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Stephens clinches with his opponent.
Leavitt is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Stephens pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stephens trying to control the position but instead, Leavitt has worked for underhooks and has pushed Stephens into the cage.
Leavitt keeps control of Stephens as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Leavitt keeps control of Stephens as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Leavitt keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stephens's efforts to push away.
Stephens tries for a takedown. No joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Leavitt backwards.
Leavitt has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stephens is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stephens is trying to maintain a safe position but Leavitt gets an underhook and turns Stephens into the cage.
Leavitt keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stephens's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens is trying to push Leavitt away but Leavitt has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Stephens pulls guard effortlessly.
Leavitt postures up.
Leavitt throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Stephens works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Leavitt gets to his feet - Stephens follows without any prompting.
Leavitt shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Stephens sprawls well. Stephens wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Leavitt gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cliff Leavitt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leavitt tries to clinch up but Stephens circles away and keeps his distance.
Leavitt tries to clinch up but Stephens circles away and keeps his distance.
Leavitt doesn't manage to clinch there - Stephens circles away.
Stephens is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Leavitt dives in and scores a takedown into Stephens's guard.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet but Leavitt passes into half guard.

Leavitt decides to stand and escape the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stephens dives in and grabs Leavitt's left leg, looking for a takedown. Leavitt pushes down on Stephens's head and hops out.
Leavitt pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stephens misses with a body kick.
As Stephens looks to move away, Leavitt throws a big counter combo but Stephens just gets out of the way.
Stephens shoots in looking for a takedown. Leavitt tries to sprawl out of it but Stephens keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Leavitt manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens tries to clinch but Leavitt is having none of it.
Leavitt tries to clinch there but Stephens circles away.
Stephens slips a jab and a cross from Leavitt.
Stephens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Leavitt gets a double leg takedown into Stephens's guard.
Leavitt connects with a couple of short punches.
Leavitt scoring with some ground and pound.
Leavitt working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Leavitt won't allow Stephens to sweep him here.
Leavitt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Leavitt distracts Stephens with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Leavitt landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leavitt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Leavitt is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Stephens tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Leavitt controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stephens will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Leavitt is working Stephens over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Stephens not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Leavitt connects with a couple of short punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cliff Leavitt showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Leavitt has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cliff Leavitt!
Cliff Leavitt tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.