PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between William Bonin (ranked 4484 p4p, 5605 weight class) and Lee Stephens (ranked 562 p4p, 657 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bonin
vs
Stephens

195 cm
19
195
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
195
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Likes musicals

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 Helsinki, William Bonin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, William Gold and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Stephens throws a counter combo.
Bonin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Stephens closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bonin's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stephens accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Bonin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stephens.
Bonin wants to stand but Stephens is controlling the position.
Stephens seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bonin pushes Stephens off and scrambles back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stephens shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bonin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stephens throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bonin is not content to let Stephens control the position.
Bonin pushes Stephens away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Stephens gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens is chipping away with strikes.
Bonin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Stephens working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Bonin is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Stephens is controlling him well.
Stephens in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Bonin is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Stephens is controlling him well.

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!
Bonin is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Bonin bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bonin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Stephens trying to control the position from guard on top but Bonin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bonin wants to get back to his feet but Stephens is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Stephens lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Bonin wants to stand but Stephens is controlling the position.
Stephens trying to control but Bonin is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bonin wants to get back to his feet but Stephens is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bonin trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Stephens has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
No joy there for Stephens, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
It looked like Bonin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Stephens.
Stephens slips a straight right by Bonin.
Stephens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A slow jab from Stephens misses its intended target.
Stephens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bonin throwing a counter right hand but Stephens manages to avoid it.
Bonin loads up on a big right hand but Stephens slips the punch.
Stephens throws an off balance right hand
and Bonin counters with a stiff right hand.
Bonin works over Stephens's head and body with a nice combination.
Bonin jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bonin connects with the punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stephens looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Bonin!
Stephens prevents Bonin from escaping the position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Stephens in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Stephens is looking to take a break and control but Bonin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stephens tries to score with some ground and pound. Bonin controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Bonin is trying to buck Stephens off.
Stephens trying to control the action but Bonin is working from the bottom.
Stephens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bonin dodges the ground and pound from Stephens.
Bonin tries to escape but Stephens is in control.
Stephens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bonin keeps working.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that William Bonin will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stephens moves to clinch but Bonin breaks away
and Bonin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bonin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bonin with a hook.
Bonin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Stephens blocks a jab.
Bonin misses with a left hand
and Stephens counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bonin's knee momentarily.
Bonin lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bonin lunges at Stephens with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Stephens's hand.
Stephens fails to land with a series of punches.
Left hook, right uppercut from Bonin.
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!
Bonin ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stephens walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens shoots in and drives through. Bonin sprawls well.
Stephens throws a head kick that Bonin semi-blocks.
Stephens shoots and misses
enabling Bonin to counter with a crisp jab.
William Bonin is winning the standup battle so far.
Bonin throws a shot to the body.
Stephens has a takedown stuffed.
It looked like Bonin wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
William Bonin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lee Stephens.
Stephens is breathing heavily.
Bonin fails to land with a series of punches.
A countering left hand to the body from Stephens misses.
Stephens shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Stephens fails with the takedown.
Bonin lands a really nice looking cross but Stephens seems unphased.

Stephens is rocked!
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Bonin! Stephens is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). William Bonin!