PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sufjan Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felton Schupt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stevens comes into the arena with They Are Zombies blaring out of the sound system. Schupt has chosen The Ramones - I wanna be sedated as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stevens
vs
Schupt

176 cm
24
143 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

175 cm
24
146 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Quality Nutrition Only - 150Q $40

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sufjan Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Felton Schupt!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stevens throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Schupt misses with a wild combination.
Schupt misses with the combination.
Schupt tried to score with a low kick but Stevens checks it.
Felton Schupt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevens uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Schupt.
Schupt listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Schupt moves out of range of the body kick from Stevens.
Stevens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A bone on bone clash there as Schupt blocks the leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stevens misses with a body kick.
Schupt fails to land with a series of punches.
Schupt's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Schupt duly obliges.
Stevens defending well as Schupt loads up on a big left hand.
Schupt changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens throws a head kick that half lands.
Stevens wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
No luck for Stevens with that takedown attempt.
Felton Schupt is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Stevens slips a jab from Schupt.
Schupt looks to score with a jab to the body but Stevens is just out of range.
Schupt lands a jab-cross combination.
Schupt swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Schupt throws a right and a left that both miss.
Schupt goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Stevens tries to clinch but Schupt is having none of it.

Stevens fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Schupt sprawls well initially but Stevens persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Stevens is looking for a kimura but Schupt is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Stevens to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Schupt wants to improve his position but Stevens is controlling well.

Stevens seems to be looking for submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Schupt controlling the position well.

Stevens seems to be looking for submissions.
Stevens is breathing heavily.
Stevens thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Stevens looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Schupt is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Stevens's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Stevens's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control the action but Schupt just sinks the hooks in.
Stevens rolls, trying to escape but Schupt keeps control of the position.
Schupt is riding his opponent, not letting Stevens buck him off.
Stevens tries to break free.
Schupt biding his time, controlling Stevens.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Schupt tries to get the hooks in deep but Stevens pushed the leg off.
Stevens just trying to survive but Schupt is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Schupt is looking to control Stevens but Stevens is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Stevens tries to break free.
Schupt controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felton Schupt dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Stevens takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Stevens lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Felton Schupt has been cut.
Schupt looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Stevens avoids the head kick by Schupt.
Schupt lands a lovely overhand right.
Sufjan Stevens is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Schupt throws the left hand but Stevens avoids the punch easily.
Schupt throws a nice looking combination but Stevens bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stevens tries a head kick but it misses.
Stevens tries to score a power double leg takedown but Schupt sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stevens somewhat.
Stevens throws a low kick but it's checked well by Schupt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schupt misses with a double jab.
Schupt loads up on a big right hand but Stevens slips the punch.
Schupt throws a series of punches but Stevens avoids them all with ease.
Stevens throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Schupt.
Schupt swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Schupt stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Stevens.
Stevens checks the leg kick.
Stevens moves out of range as Schupt strikes.
Schupt jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Schupt misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Schupt is breathing heavily.
Schupt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Schupt looks to land a combination but Stevens avoids it well.
No joy there for Schupt, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

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.
Schupt cracks Stevens with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Schupt misses with a wild body shot.
Stevens throws out a leg kick but Schupt moves out of range and Stevens only half commits.
Schupt throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Stevens sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Stevens scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Stevens staying out of range there.
Schupt pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Schupt swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Schupt misses with a hook to the body
and Stevens counters with a body kick that stops Schupt in his tracks momentarily.
Schupt throws a sloppy head kick
and Stevens counters with a body kick.
Schupt avoids the head kick by Stevens.
A big right from Stevens misses.
Schupt misses with a straight left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Stevens.
Stevens bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Felton Schupt seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stevens tries to score a power double leg takedown but Schupt sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Stevens somewhat.
Stevens uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Schupt.
Stevens tries a head kick but it misses.
Schupt slaps away a takedown attempt from Stevens, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sufjan Stevens. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Schupt throws a sloppy head kick
and Stevens counters with a slapping leg kick.
Stevens throws a head kick but Schupt moves out of range.
Schupt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Schupt misses with a straight left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stevens.
A head kick misses from Stevens.
Nice defenses there by Stevens.

Stevens fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Schupt sprawls well initially but Stevens persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Stevens missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stevens sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Schupt defending well though.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Stevens lands a nice short elbow.

Stevens is looking for a kimura but Schupt is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Stevens to get the leverage.

Stevens is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Schupt doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Stevens.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sufjan Stevens dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Felton Schupt's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Schupt scores with a kick to the midsection.
Schupt loads up on a big right hand but Stevens slips the punch.
Stevens staying out of range there.
Stevens staying out of range there.
Stevens throws a head kick that misses.
Schupt throws out a loose jab but Stevens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Schupt misses with a looping left.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Stevens.
Schupt stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Schupt wants it to stay on the feet.
Schupt throws a leg kick that is checked

and Stevens counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Schupt takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stevens loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Stevens wants to control from the top but Schupt keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stevens postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Schupt is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Stevens, into his guard.
Stevens 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.
Stevens controlling the position.
Stevens looking to hit a scissor sweep but Schupt is one step ahead there.
Schupt trying to stand up but can't free himself from Stevens's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Stevens is looking for a triangle but Schupt pushes his legs off easily.

Stevens had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Schupt is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Stevens Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Schupt's back instead.
Stevens gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Schupt holding both Stevens 's hands and preventing any damage.

Schupt showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens not allowing Schupt to control his hands.

Stevens has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Schupt has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Stevens's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Stevens somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Schupt covering up well under a series of strikes from Stevens.

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.
Stevens struggling to land strikes to the head as Schupt covers up.
Stevens controlling well, preventing Schupt from escaping the position.
Stevens 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.

Stevens is looking for the choke from the back position but Schupt is controlling his hands well.
Stevens lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Schupt hold on?!
Stevens trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Stevens doesn't have the hooks in and Schupt manages to turn into his guard.
Stevens is trying to control the position from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sufjan Stevens showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stevens 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight for Sufjan Stevens!
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight for Sufjan Stevens!
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight for Sufjan Stevens!

Sufjan Stevens wins by unanimous decision!