PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brad Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tano Gianacopulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brad Stevens has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Stevens
vs
Gianacopulos

192 cm
20
201 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brad Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tano Gianacopulos!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Bruno Hogan and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens shoots in but Gianacopulos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stevens misses with a wild combination.
Stevens circles away from the clinch attempt.

Gianacopulos has managed to clinch.
Stevens stalling in the clinch but Gianacopulos improves position.

Gianacopulos pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Gianacopulos.
Stevens keeps the fight on the outside.
Gianacopulos throws a push kick but Stevens slaps the foot to one side.
Stevens shoots in and drives through. Gianacopulos sprawls well.
Gianacopulos wants to clinch.
Stevens changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gianacopulos tries to avoid it but Stevens manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gianacopulos to the ground. Gianacopulos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brad Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gianacopulos cracks the inside of Stevens's front leg.
Stevens is breathing heavily.
Gianacopulos throws a sloppy head kick and Stevens moves out of range easily.
Stevens wants to clinch up but Gianacopulos keeps it at a distance.
Gianacopulos keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gianacopulos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stevens checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gianacopulos turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch

and Stevens counters with a takedown into side control.
Gianacopulos pushes Stevens away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Stevens gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Gianacopulos is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gianacopulos darts in and clinches Stevens up against the cage.
Gianacopulos with a knee to the head.
Gianacopulos landing knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gianacopulos unloads a knee to the mid-section. Stevens lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Stevens takes a knee right on the jaw!
Stevens takes a knee right on the jaw!

Gianacopulos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch.
Gianacopulos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gianacopulos wants to clinch.
Stevens shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gianacopulos but Gianacopulos pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens misses with a takedown attempt - Gianacopulos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gianacopulos doesn't manage to clinch there - Stevens circles away.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch but Stevens is having none of it.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch but Stevens is avoiding it.
Stevens fails to land the takedown.
Stevens tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Gianacopulos clinches up against the cage.
Stevens takes a knee right on the jaw!

Gianacopulos breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens misses with a body kick.
Gianacopulos scoring well with a low kick there.
Gianacopulos plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Brad Stevens has been cut.
Stevens on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Gianacopulos. Gianacopulos obviously looking to wear him down.
Stevens throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gianacopulos's waist but Gianacopulos gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stevens off to one side.

Gianacopulos has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gianacopulos crunches a lovely knee into Stevens's ribcage.

Gianacopulos breaks the clinch.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch up but Stevens circles away and keeps his distance.
Gianacopulos throws and low kick but Stevens moves out of range easily.

Gianacopulos has Stevens up against the cage in a clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevens's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gianacopulos using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stevens has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Gianacopulos looking to throw knees to the head but Stevens is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tano Gianacopulos dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brad Stevens's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gianacopulos wants to clinch.
Tano Gianacopulos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gianacopulos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Stevens or perhaps it was just good defense by Gianacopulos which made him look bad.
Gianacopulos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gianacopulos throws a nice outside leg kick.

Stevens clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gianacopulos breaks the clinch.

Gianacopulos drives through and clinches with Stevens against the cage.
Stevens goes for a takedown attempt but Gianacopulos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gianacopulos tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Stevens was well out of range. Poor timing from Gianacopulos.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gianacopulos closes the distance and pushes Stevens back into the cage.
Gianacopulos lands a nice uppercut.
Gianacopulos scores a nice knee to the body.
Stevens tries for a takedown but Gianacopulos manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brad Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stevens ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Stevens no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gianacopulos wants to stand but Stevens has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Stevens trying to control the position.
Gianacopulos stopping the sweep attempt from Stevens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gianacopulos has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Stevens is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gianacopulos won't allow Stevens to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch but Stevens moves out of range.
Gianacopulos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch but Stevens is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gianacopulos pinned against the cage. Gianacopulos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Gianacopulos has closed the distance and engaged Stevens in a clinch.

Gianacopulos pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Gianacopulos moves into the clinch.

Gianacopulos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stevens.
Gianacopulos throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Stevens.
Gianacopulos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gianacopulos feints and then cracks Stevens's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Stevens down.

Gianacopulos takes the fight into the clinch.
Gianacopulos lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gianacopulos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gianacopulos working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Gianacopulos pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gianacopulos misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Gianacopulos closes the distance and clinches.

Gianacopulos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stevens throws a series of punches but Gianacopulos avoids them all with ease.
Stevens walks forward, straight into a front kick from Gianacopulos.
Gianacopulos looks to clinch
and Stevens counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Gianacopulos moves in looking to clinch but Stevens pushes him off.

Gianacopulos gets a clinch.
Gianacopulos unloads a knee to the mid-section. Stevens lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Gianacopulos breaks from the clinch.
Gianacopulos fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gianacopulos drives through and clinches with Stevens against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tano Gianacopulos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Brad Stevens's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stevens darts in trying to clinch

and Gianacopulos counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gianacopulos tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gianacopulos lands a shot to the body.
Stevens drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gianacopulos gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Stevens tries to pull guard but Gianacopulos holds him up against the cage and eventually Stevens drops back down to his feet.

Gianacopulos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stevens is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Stevens checks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevens chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gianacopulos can pounce on him.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch but Stevens is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gianacopulos rushes Stevens and presses him up against the cage.
Gianacopulos landing knees to the head.

Gianacopulos breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens is looking to clinch.
Gianacopulos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stevens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch but Stevens is avoiding it.
Stevens stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gianacopulos.
Gianacopulos lands with a thumping leg kick.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch but Stevens is avoiding it.
Stevens moves out of range as Gianacopulos throws a body kick.
Gianacopulos throws a nice outside leg kick.
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brad Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gianacopulos is looking to clinch.

Gianacopulos fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stevens, pushing him back against the cage.
Stevens trying to control the position but instead, Gianacopulos has worked for underhooks and has pushed Stevens into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gianacopulos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gianacopulos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Stevens decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gianacopulos's guard.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Gianacopulos keeps moving.

Stevens postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Gianacopulos is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Stevens, into his guard.
Gianacopulos really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stevens. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gianacopulos postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevens is working an open guard so Gianacopulos takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Stevens keeps the fight on the outside.
Gianacopulos tries to clinch up but Stevens circles away and keeps his distance.
Gianacopulos will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gianacopulos throws a head kick but Stevens moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gianacopulos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Brad Stevens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gianacopulos throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tano Gianacopulos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gianacopulos throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Stevens's head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gianacopulos.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gianacopulos closes the distance but Stevens moves to the side

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gianacopulos wants to stand but Stevens is controlling the position.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Gianacopulos keeps moving.
Stevens is really struggling to control Gianacopulos but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gianacopulos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tano Gianacopulos.
I've got Gianacopulos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tano Gianacopulos!