PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bill Stephens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Buckley Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bill Stephens is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Stephens
vs
Buckley Jr

219 cm
24
162 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

188 cm
23
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Bill Stephens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Luke Buckley Jr!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Buckley Jr moves into the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Buckley Jr just misses with a elbow thrown towards Stephens's brow.
Buckley Jr wants to break free but Stephens has control.

Stephens breaks the clinch.

Buckley Jr decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Stephens wants to improve his position but Buckley Jr is controlling well.
Buckley Jr is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Buckley Jr tries to pass to full mount but Stephens defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buckley Jr trying to control from half guard but Stephens is working away.
Stephens is controlling Buckley Jr's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Stephens is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Buckley Jr's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Buckley Jr's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stephens biding his time, looking for the opening.
Buckley Jr is trying to stand back up.
Stephens controlling the position well here. Buckley Jr rolled but Stephens kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Buckley Jr tries to escape but Stephens has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Stephens has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Buckley Jr's body.
Stephens will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Stephens knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Buckley Jr on the ground.

That's two 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.
Stephens not allowing Buckley Jr to control his hands.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Stephens controlling the positon.
You can see the frustration on Buckley Jr's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Buckley Jr trying to control the hands but Stephens won't let him.
Buckley Jr tries to escape but Stephens has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Stephens looking for the choke from the back.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Stephens controlling the positon.
Buckley Jr tries to roll but Stephens sticks to his back.
Stephens biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckley Jr tries to roll but Stephens sticks to his back.
Stephens connects with a big shot to the side of Buckley Jr's head.
Stephens is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Buckley Jr just trying to survive but Stephens is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Buckley Jr is trying to get back to his feet but Stephens has full control of the position and if anything, Buckley Jr has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Stephens is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Buckley Jr is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Stephens dominated that 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.

Buckley Jr fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stephens to the ground. Buckley Jr is now in Stephens's guard.
Buckley Jr trying to control but Stephens is working from the bottom.
Stephens seems keen to control Buckley Jr's posture.
Bill Stephens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Buckley Jr wants to control from the top but Stephens keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephens 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.
Buckley Jr 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.
Buckley Jr being controlled here momentarily.

Buckley Jr stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Buckley Jr fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Stephens to the ground. Buckley Jr is now in Stephens's guard.
Buckley Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Stephens is retaining full guard.
Stephens is pulling down on Buckley Jr's head. It's preventing any offense from Buckley Jr, at least for the moment.
Stephens throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Stephens looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stephens lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Stephens can't keep his opponent in guard - Buckley Jr advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Buckley Jr is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Stephens doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Buckley Jr.
Buckley Jr wants to advance to full mount but Stephens doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Stephens pulls Buckley Jr in close to prevent any damage.
Stephens has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Stephens really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckley Jr wants to control from the top but Stephens keeps moving.
Stephens is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Buckley Jr trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Stephens dives in for a single leg takedown but Buckley Jr sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Buckley Jr shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephens wants to improve his position but Buckley Jr is controlling well.
Stephens keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Stephens tries to kick Buckley Jr off but Buckley Jr keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Stephens keeping hold of Buckley Jr's head, controlling as best he can.
Buckley Jr trying to control the action but Stephens is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Buckley Jr thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Stephens is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Buckley Jr sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stephens defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Buckley Jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Buckley Jr shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Buckley Jr showed some decent athleticism there.
Stephens holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Buckley Jr trying to mount his opponent but Stephens defends it.
Buckley Jr seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Buckley Jr throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stephens keeping hold of Buckley Jr's head, controlling as best he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stephens is defending against the submission attempts here by Buckley Jr.
Stephens desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckley Jr seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Stephens keeps control of the position for the meantime.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Stephens shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Stephens was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckley Jr wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Stephens working away.

Stephens has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Buckley Jr clinches up with Stephens and pushes him back against the cage.

Buckley Jr jumps guard and drags Stephens to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckley Jr is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Buckley Jr can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Stephens controls the pace.
Stephens has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Buckley Jr is proving hard to escape from.
Stephens's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Buckley Jr wants to sweep but no luck.
Buckley Jr is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Stephens engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Buckley Jr looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Stephens pushes Buckley Jr off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Buckley Jr fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Stephens sprawls well initially but Buckley Jr persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Stephens is trying is best to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stephens continues to stall.

Buckley Jr is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Stephens defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Luke Buckley Jr.
Well Buckley Jr 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Buckley Jr!