PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lee Stephens (ranked 5327 p4p, 5802 weight class) and Ruben Flijers (ranked 575 p4p, 596 weight class). Ruben Flijers has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Stephens
vs
Flijers

188 cm
27
195
5 - 9 - 0

188 cm
30
200
5 - 14 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

High Peak Fightwear

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 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Ruben Flijers!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephens lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Flijers just misses with a punch to the body.
Stephens swinging wildly here.
Ruben Flijers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Flijers throws the left hand but Stephens avoids the punch easily.
Stephens misses with a series of wild punches.
Flijers throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Stephens throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stephens avoids the body shot from Flijers.
Stephens tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Flijers just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens misses with a hook.
Stephens chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Flijers sizes up Stephens with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Stephens shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stephens showed some decent athleticism there.
Flijers has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA Sydney. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
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!
Flijers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flijers gets full guard.
Flijers trying to keep a closed guard but Stephens is proving a slippery customer.
Flijers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Flijers seems keen to control Stephens's posture.
Flijers is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Flijers perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Stephens is trying to stand up here but Flijers is controlling him well.
Stephens definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flijers is keen to just control but Stephens is a slippery customer.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Flijers in particular looking to stall.
Stephens is trying to get back to full guard.
Flijers controlling the pace.
Flijers is keen to just control but Stephens is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flijers seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Flijers wants to free his trapped foot but Stephens is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens misses with a two punch combination.
Ruben Flijers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Flijers lands with a good body shot.

Stephens clinches up against the cage.
Flijers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Stephens backwards.
Stephens swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Flijers tries to land knees in the clinch but Stephens avoids the damage to the body.
Stephens drops down looking for an ankle pick but Flijers pulls his leg out and moves away.
Flijers misses with a shot to the body
and Stephens counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Stephens darts in and clinches Flijers up against the cage.
Stephens tries a knee to the head but Flijers blocks it.
Flijers softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Flijers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Stephens unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Flijers is trying to maintain a safe position but Stephens gets an underhook and turns Flijers into the cage.
Stephens trying to control the position but instead, Flijers has worked for underhooks and has pushed Stephens into the cage.
Flijers lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Flijers looking to slow down the pace here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Stephens.

Stephens pulls guard.
Flijers 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.
Stephens wants to get back to his feet but Flijers is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Flijers not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Flijers trying to control the position from guard on top but Stephens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stephens is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Flijers is controlling him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Stephens dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Stephens scores with a one two! Flijers had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Flijers takes a swing at Stephens's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Stephens on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Stephens takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lee Stephens is winning the standup battle so far.
Stephens throws a nice looking combination but Flijers bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Stephens has taken the fight to the clinch.
Stephens is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Flijers can do to turn this around?

Flijers drags the fight down to the ground.
Stephens postures up.
Flijers looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Stephens scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Flijers wants to sweep but no luck.
Stephens is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Stephens chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Flijers holds on and takes a little breather.
Flijers looking for a sweep. Not yet Flijers, not yet.
Lee Stephens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stephens with a flurry of punches that miss.
Stephens cracks Flijers with a solid left hand.
Flijers looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Flijers trying to control the position.
Stephens won't allow Flijers to sweep him here.
Flijers keeping moving, preventing Stephens from controlling successfully.
Stephens works over Flijers with some ground and pound from guard.
Flijers working a defensive guard here.
Stephens throwing strikes from guard but Flijers blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens landing some decent shots from guard.
Stephens 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.
Flijers wants to sweep here but Stephens controlling him for the moment.
Stephens connects with a couple of short punches.
Flijers is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stephens is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Stephens cracks Flijers with a solid left hand.
Flijers is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Stephens passes Flijers's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Flijers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens trying to pass the guard but Flijers defending well.
Stephens not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Stephens not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Flijers is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stephens thows a huge punch but Flijers dodges it nicely.
Stephens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Flijers keeps working.
Flijers has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stephens is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flijers won't allow Stephens to pass to mount.
Flijers wants to control but Stephens is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Stephens prevents Flijers from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flijers is still trying to improve position.
Stephens wants to control but Flijers is keeping him busy.
Stephens seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Flijers controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Flijers trying to control from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Well, if Stephens is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Stephens is thwarting Flijers's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stephens scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Stephens dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Flijers loads up on a big right hand but Stephens slips the punch.
Flijers throws a low kick but it's checked well by Stephens.
Stephens misses with a wild combination.
Stephens goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Flijers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stephens uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Flijers.
Stephens on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Flijers missing with a left hand there. Stephens was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stephens steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Flijers.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flijers throws an off balance right hand
and Flijers takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Flijers misses with a left hand
and Stephens counters with a nice uppercut.
Flijers misses with an uppercut. Stephens saw that one coming.
Flijers goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Stephens is looking to counter the offense by Flijers and move into the clinch.
Stephens throws a head kick but Flijers moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens cracks Flijers with an open hand slap.
Stephens lands a really nice looking cross but Flijers seems unphased.
Stephens connects with a looping right hand.
Flijers misses the shot to the body.
Flijers swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stephens uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Flijers.
Flijers is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Stephens rather than just go for the knockout.
Flijers throws a predictable looking body shot
and Stephens counters with a three punch combo that has Flijers backing up. Flijers nods at Stephens to acknowledge the strikes.
Flijers thows a left - swing and a miss!

Stephens clinches with his opponent.
Flijers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stephens.
Flijers tries to pull guard but Stephens won't allow it.
Flijers takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stephens scores with a knee to the head.
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!

Stephens breaks from the clinch.
Flijers swats away the attempt to clinch by Stephens.
Flijers looks to score with a jab to the body but Stephens is just out of range.
Lee Stephens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flijers misses with an uppercut.
Stephens went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Flijers's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Stephens connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Flijers scrambles back to his feet.
Stephens misses with a few strikes there.
Stephens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Flijers misses with a hook. Stephens ducked under it nicely.
Stephens scores with a jab. Flijers acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Flijers connects with a body shot.
Stephens takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Flijers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stephens manages to avoid it.
Stephens throws a big counter combination but Flijers scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Flijers takes a swing at Stephens's ribcage but misses.
Stephens misses with a two punch combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Flijers. Stephens does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stephens getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nice uppercut there from Flijers.
Flijers misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stephens lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Flijers backs up against the cage.
Flijers throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Flijers lands a body shot.
Flijers waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stephens.
Stephens connects with a crisp jab.
Stephens lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Flijers works Stephens's body with a nice hook.
Stephens slips a jab from Flijers.
Flijers fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Stephens manages to avoid it.
Flijers swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Stephens counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Flijers is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stephens misses with a kick to the body.
Flijers is still on wobbly legs! Can Stephens finish him?
Stephens misses with the combination.
Flijers seems to have recovered his senses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stephens looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephens throws a leg kick which misses Flijers's front leg but catches the back leg as Flijers tries to avoid it.
Flijers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Flijers looks to score with a jab to the body but Stephens is just out of range.
Flijers throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stephens throws a series of punches but Flijers avoids them all with ease.
Flijers dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Flijers throws a looping overhand right but Stephens ducks down to avoid it.
Stephens ducks under a wild hook from Flijers.
Stephens fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stephens looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stephens tries to clinch up.
Ruben Flijers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lee Stephens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stephens looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lee Stephens showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stephens has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lee Stephens!
Lee Stephens took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, HELLBENT for their support in the buildup to the fight.