PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Plamen Stefanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Quach Minh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Minh has chosen beautiful life as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Plamen Stefanov has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Stefanov
vs
Minh

183 cm
25
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
180 lbs
3 - 10 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Plamen Stefanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Quach Minh!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Gregory Folan and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Minh gets tackled into the cage by Stefanov. Stefanov maintains the clinch.
Minh looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Stefanov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Minh throws a right and a left that both miss.

Stefanov dives in and scores a takedown into Minh's guard.

Minh had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Stefanov defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stefanov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stefanov wants to control from the top but Minh keeps moving.
Stefanov preventing the sweep.
We've been hearing that Stefanov has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stefanov throws a big right hand that misses.

Minh is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Stefanov defends well.
Stefanov is working Minh over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Stefanov advances position into side control!
Stefanov lands a few punches from side control.
Stefanov scores with punches from side control.
Stefanov cracks Minh with a big right hand but Minh just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minh on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Stefanov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Minh some visible discomfort.

Stefanov decides to stand up, so the ref orders Minh to his feet.
Stefanov tries to score a power double leg takedown but Minh sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stefanov somewhat.

Stefanov 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.
Stefanov wants to control from the top but Minh keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minh is trying to control the position but Stefanov postures up.
Stefanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Minh is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Minh trying to keep a closed guard but Stefanov is proving a slippery customer.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Stefanov's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Minh keeping moving, preventing Stefanov from controlling successfully.
Stefanov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Stefanov shoots for a double leg takedown but Minh sprawls well. He's pushed Stefanov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Minh looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Minh shoots in for a takedown but Stefanov shows good takedown defense.
Plamen Stefanov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stefanov dives in for a single leg takedown but Minh sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Minh lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Plamen Stefanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stefanov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Minh fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stefanov throws a head kick that misses

and Minh moves into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stefanov breaks from the clinch.
Minh wants to clinch up but Stefanov keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Plamen Stefanov dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stefanov clinches.

Stefanov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Minh scores with a one two! Stefanov had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Stefanov throws a nice head kick!
Minh shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Stefanov but Stefanov pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Stefanov gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stefanov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Minh 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.
Stefanov closes this distance looking for a takedown but Minh circles away.
Minh throws a counter combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stefanov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Minh swivels and escapes.
Minh lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Stefanov checks a low kick from Minh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minh is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stefanov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Minh dodges the punch combination from Stefanov.
Stefanov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Plamen Stefanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stefanov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Minh tries to avoid it but Stefanov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Minh to the ground. Minh escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Stefanov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stefanov doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Minh counters with a one-two to the body.
Stefanov avoids the head kick by Minh.
A head kick misses from Stefanov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Minh shoots in looking for a takedown but Stefanov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Minh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stefanov misses with a takedown attempt - Minh sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Minh shoots in looking for a takedown but Stefanov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Minh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stefanov went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Stefanov has closed the distance and engaged Minh in a clinch.
Stefanov tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Stefanov jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Minh walks away with a smile on his face. Stefanov gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Stefanov takes the fight into the clinch.

Minh breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minh tries to clinch
and Stefanov counters with a one-two to the body.
Plamen Stefanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Minh displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Stefanov.
Stefanov doesn't manage to clinch there - Minh circles away.
Minh avoids a punch combination nicely.
Minh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Stefanov keeps Minh at a distance using the push kick.
Minh walks forward, straight into a front kick from Stefanov.

Stefanov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Minh looking for subs off his back but Stefanov has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minh is trying to maintain the position but Stefanov is very close to passing his half guard.
Stefanov trying to pass the guard but Minh defending well.
Stefanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Plamen Stefanov dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Minh closes the distance and clinches.

Minh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stefanov shoots in looking for a takedown but Minh manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Stefanov's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Minh throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Horrible takedown attempt by Minh or perhaps it was just good defense by Stefanov, which made it look bad.

Minh gets tackled into the cage by Stefanov. Stefanov maintains the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Minh tries to score a body lock takedown but Stefanov shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Stefanov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stefanov shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Minh defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minh tries for a takedown but Stefanov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As Minh looks to move away, Stefanov throws a big counter combo but Minh just gets out of the way.
Plamen Stefanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Quach Minh.
Minh dives in for a single leg takedown but Stefanov sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Stefanov seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Stefanov dives in for a single leg takedown but Minh sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Minh throws a head kick that misses.
Minh shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Stefanov eats them both and turns towards Minh to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Minh lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Stefanov has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Stefanov and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Stefanov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Minh tries a head kick but it misses.
Stefanov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stefanov tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stefanov tries to clinch up.
Quach Minh seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stefanov wants to clinch.
Minh tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stefanov swivels and escapes.
Stefanov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Minh.
Stefanov throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Stefanov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Minh but Minh pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Stefanov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Minh can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minh lands with a nice combination. Stefanov backs away looking to recover.

Stefanov closes the distance and clinches.

Minh breaks from the clinch.

Stefanov pushes Minh up against the cage in a clinch.
Stefanov landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Minh tries to pull guard but Stefanov won't allow it.

Minh's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Stefanov cracks the inside of Minh's front leg.
Stefanov throws a sloppy head kick and Minh moves out of range easily.
Plamen Stefanov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stefanov throws a series of punches but Minh moves out of range.
Stefanov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And Stefanov counters with a quick kick to the body but Minh blocks it.
Minh shoots and misses

and Stefanov counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Minh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stefanov goes for a double leg but Minh avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Minh continues to drive forward.
Minh is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
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!
Stefanov shoots for a takedown but Minh saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Minh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stefanov tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Minh manages to circle out of the way.
Minh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Minh shoots for a takedown but Stefanov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Minh gets caught flat footed, as Stefanov shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Minh manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Quach Minh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stefanov 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Plamen Stefanov!
Quach Minh was interviewed post fight and said 'fuck'.