PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Juliano Marquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marquez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mean Mug. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Marquez
vs
Stevens

193 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juliano Marquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Stevens!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Marquez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Marquez is looking to clinch.
Stevens defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Marquez.
Marquez shoots in but no luck this time.
Marquez wants to clinch.
Marquez tries to clinch but Stevens is having none of it.

Marquez gets caught flat footed, as Stevens shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Marquez trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Stevens preventing the sweep.
Marquez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Stevens slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Stevens is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens passes Marquez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stevens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Marquez has hold of Stevens's hands but Stevens slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Marquez is looking to control Stevens's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Marquez avoid being mounted?
Marquez blocking the ground and pound attempt from Stevens.
Marquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stevens wants to control but Marquez is keeping him busy.

Stevens gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Marquez looks to land a combination but Stevens avoids it well.

Stevens drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Marquez is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Stevens creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Marquez wants to control but Stevens postures up.
Stevens advances to full mount.
Stevens looks gassed!
Stevens with a couple of short strikes.
Marquez throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Stevens putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Stevens jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Marquez manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Marquez can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens scores with a couple of short elbows.
Marquez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Marquez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stevens on the ground.
Stevens in side control lands a decent elbow.
Marquez on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Stevens trying to control the action but Marquez is working from the bottom.

Stevens wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Marquez, who protects the arm well.
Marquez tries to buck Stevens off but Stevens is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Marquez down.
Marquez wants to control but Stevens postures up.
Marquez misses with a strike from the bottom.
Marquez is working to avoid the ground and pound but Stevens connects with a decent elbow.
Stevens in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Stevens goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Marquez rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Stevens's guard! Nice work there by Marquez!
Marquez wants to pass the guard but Stevens is keeping the position.
Marquez postures up in Stevens's guard and throws a big left but Stevens blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Stevens dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stevens circles away from the clinch attempt.
Marquez misses with a double jab.
Marquez moves in looking to clinch but Stevens pushes him off.
Marquez tries to clinch but Stevens moves out of range.
Juliano Marquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marquez lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Stevens shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Stevens showed some decent athleticism there.

Stevens wants to work for an arm triangle but Marquez is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Marquez wants to control but Stevens is keeping busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marquez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez wants to get back to full guard but Stevens has mounted him!
Stevens landing punches.
Stevens prevents Marquez from getting the reversal.
Marquez takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Stevens tries to control but Marquez wriggling away.
Marquez takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Stevens punishing his opponent with strikes.
Stevens lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Stevens unloading with bombs!
Stevens with a couple of short strikes.
Stevens has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Marquez's face.
Stevens trying to control but Marquez is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens scoring with strikes but Marquez is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marquez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Stevens landing punches.
Stevens landing shots from mount.
Stevens tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Stevens has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Marquez's face.
Stevens thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Stevens thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Stevens thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Marquez flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Marquez is desperately trying to improve his position but Stevens has a good base and remains in mount.
Stevens working the ground and pound effectively.
Marquez is trying desperately to improve position.
Stevens lands a heavy elbow.

Stevens is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Marquez is surviving well by controlling Stevens's body position as best he can.
Stevens with shots to the head and body - Marquez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Marquez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Stevens lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Stevens cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Marquez tries to reverse the position but Stevens maintains control.
Stevens controlling from the full mount.
Marquez is desperately trying to improve his position but Stevens has a good base and remains in mount.
Stevens controlling the pace for now.

Stevens is working for a guillotine from mount but Marquez frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Marquez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stevens avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Juliano Marquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marquez misses with a takedown attempt
and Stevens makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Stevens bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Stevens working the ground and pound.
Stevens advances to mount.
Stevens landing strikes from the mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stevens lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez taking shots to the head.
Marquez tries to hold on but Stevens postures up.

Stevens is controlling this nicely and is looking to make no mistakes. Marquez is trying to wiggle out of this horrible position. Marquez flips to his side and attempts to get a leg in for half guard. Stevens anticipates the leg and manages to get behind Marquez and secures both hooks! This could be bad! Stevens slips an arm under Marquez chin and tries to position for a rear naked choke. Stevens has worked the choke in now and it looks tight. Stevens is squeezing on Marquez like an anaconda would it's prey. Marquez fails to tap and has fallen unconscious! We've got ourselves a winner by way of a rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). John Stevens!