PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between George Bono (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Chen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bono
vs
Chen

185 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
18
140 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, George Bono!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Stephen Chen!
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bono fails to land the takedown.
Bono takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Chen is looking to clinch but Bono is avoiding it.

Chen rushes Bono and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bono jumps guard but Chen stands there with Bono around his waist. Bono gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bono is trying to push Chen away but Chen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bono goes for a takedown attempt but Chen pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George Bono. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Chen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bono avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bono works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Chen pulls Bono into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Chen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bono showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Bono wants to control from the top but Chen keeps moving.
Chen working a defensive guard here.
Chen tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Chen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bono is aware though and is defending well.
Chen trying to strike off his back.
Bono really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Chen trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chen misses with a takedown attempt - Bono sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bono or perhaps it was just good defense by Chen, which made it look bad.
Bono has a takedown stuffed.
Bono closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bono circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bono misses with a kick to the body.
Bono throws a leg kick but Chen checks it.
Bono goes for a double leg but Chen avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Chen continues to drive forward.

Chen pulls guard successfully.
Chen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Bono won't allow Chen to get back to his feet.
Chen wants to sweep but no luck.
Bono postures up in Chen's guard and throws a big left but Chen blocks it.
Chen trying to keep a closed guard but Bono is proving a slippery customer.
Bono will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bono is controlling him.
Chen looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chen throws a sloppy head kick and Bono moves out of range easily.
Chen fails to land the takedown.
Bono throws a sloppy head kick
and Chen counters with a leg kick.
Bono avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chen misses with the combination.
Chen misses with a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chen slips a jab and a cross from Bono.

Bono has managed to clinch.
Chen has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bono avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Bono pulls guard effortlessly.
Chen tries to stand but Bono is controlling from the bottom.
Chen trying to control but Bono is working from the bottom.
Chen won't allow Bono to sweep him here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chen trying to control the position from guard on top but Bono is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chen throwing strikes from guard but Bono blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bono striking off his back but it's not causing Chen any problems.
Chen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Bono keeping full guard, as Chen tries to pass.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bono tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Chen swivels and escapes.

Chen forces Bono back against the cage and clinches.
Chen can't get the takedown.

Chen jumps into guard, dragging Bono to the mat.

Chen looking for a guillotine here but Bono defends easily.

Chen working for a triangle but Bono defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chen is trying to keep Bono in close.

Bono is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Chen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Chen has escaped and now he's on top!

Chen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bono controlling the position.
Bono avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Chen trying to control but Bono is working from the bottom.
Chen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bono swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Chen throwing strikes but missing.
Bono is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Chen is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A nice combination there by Bono.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bono takes the fight into the clinch.
Chen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bono's elbow.
Bono misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that George Bono will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bono's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bono shoots in looking for a takedown but Chen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bono's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Chen wants it to stay on the feet.
Chen stuffs the takedown attempt from Bono. Bono gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George Bono. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Chen takes the fight into the clinch.
Bono is trying to break free.

Chen breaks the clinch.
Bono shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Chen defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bono will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Chen takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chen successfully pulls guard.
Chen working a defensive guard here.
Chen wants to stand up but Bono is controlling him.
Bono slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bono won't allow Chen to sweep him here.

Chen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bono doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bono manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Chen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Bono trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Chen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bono defends well and Chen ends up having to push Bono into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Chen.
Bono is trying to break the clinch but Chen is controlling him.
Chen stalling against the cage.
Chen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bono gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Chen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Chen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bono will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Stephen Chen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Chen moves into the clinch successfully.
Chen wants a takedown but no success here.

Bono pulls Chen into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chen trying to control the position from guard on top but Bono is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bono works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Chen wants to stand but Bono has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bono 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bono trying to control the position.
Chen preventing the sweep.
Chen throws a big right hand that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Bono keeps the fight on the outside.
Bono shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Chen but Chen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
George Bono is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice sprawl there from Chen as Bono shoots in.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Chen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bono tries to avoid it but Chen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bono to the ground. Bono escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Bono on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Chen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Chen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Chen!