PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Elskamp (ranked 2642 p4p, 4333 weight class) and Lee Stephens (ranked 357 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Elskamp
vs
Stephens

185 cm
20
194
5 - 0 - 0

188 cm
24
195
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dirk Elskamp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Jeff Smith and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Stephens.
We've been told by Elskamp's head coaches at Aloha MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Elskamp throws a lazy right hand but Stephens sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Elskamp drops his hands momentarily and Stephens takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Stephens moves away from the strike by Elskamp.
Elskamp tries to clinch up but Stephens circles away and keeps his distance.
Stephens fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Elskamp pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Stephens throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Elskamp tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Stephens is in Elskamp's guard.
Stephens postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Elskamp utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stephens scoring with some ground and pound.
Stephens controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stephens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens postures up and lands a big shot to Elskamp's brow.
Stephens working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Elskamp's head.
Elskamp is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stephens is controlling him.
Stephens not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Stephens looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Let's hope that Stephens has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Elskamp scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Elskamp walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Elskamp lands a slapping body shot.
Stephens lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Dirk Elskamp has been cut.
Stephens uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Elskamp.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Stephens! But no joy.
Elskamp misses with a straight left.

Stephens throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Elskamp was covering up waiting for the punch and Stephens finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Stephens engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Stephens landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stephens postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Stephens makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Stephens's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Stephens is pushing down on Elskamp's leg trying to pass to half guard. Elskamp is fighting to maintain full guard but Stephens has managed to sneak the leg through.
Stephens seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Stephens seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stephens slips a nice elbow through Elskamp's hands, connecting with Elskamp's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephens with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Stephens scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Still in half guard, Stephens seems content to control.
Stephens landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Stephens lands strikes from half guard.
Stephens is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Elskamp knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stephens on the ground.
It looks like Stephens might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Stephens connects with a nice short shot to Elskamp's temple.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Stephens dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dirk Elskamp's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Elskamp misses with a looping right.
Stephens misses with a head kick.

Stephens fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Elskamp, pushing him back against the cage.
Elskamp wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stephens softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Elskamp wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Stephens has him pressed against the cage.
Elskamp misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Stephens pulls guard.

Stephens kicks Elskamp off and gets to his feet.
Stephens slips under a jab from Elskamp.

Stephens moves into the clinch.
Nice body punch from Stephens.
Stephens blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stephens tries a knee to the head but Elskamp blocks it.
Stephens lands with a right to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stephens.

Elskamp pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Elskamp misses with a body shot.
Lee Stephens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elskamp waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stephens.
Stephens feints and then cracks Elskamp's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Elskamp down.
Stephens keeps the fight on the outside.
Stephens throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Elskamp swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Elskamp looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stephens steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Elskamp.
Elskamp thows a left - swing and a miss!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Stephens lands with a short shot to the head.
Elskamp swings wildly with an uppercut but Stephens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Elskamp looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Stephens escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stephens displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Elskamp throws out the jab.
Dirk Elskamp is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Elskamp throws a right hand that Stephens ducks under and follows up with a left that Stephens also avoids with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Stephens gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Stephens lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Elskamp backwards.
Elskamp taking a breather.

Elskamp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Elskamp throws a body shot but no joy.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stephens has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Stephens there as he acknowledges the shot.
Elskamp wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Stephens on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Elskamp throws a right hand that misses
and Stephens connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Elskamp lands a slapping body shot.
Stephens throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Elskamp pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Stephens wants to counter the offense by Elskamp and move into the clinch position.
Elskamp misses with an uppercut
and Elskamp takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Elskamp misses with a body shot
and Stephens counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Stephens swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Lee Stephens seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Elskamp misses.

Stephens closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Stephens cracks Elskamp with a big right hand but Elskamp just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Stephens has an Americana. Elskamp didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Stephens is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Stephens hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Lee Stephens!