This is the Brand Risk 14 live blog for Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson, the influencer MMA fight on Saturday night at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Drafted second overall in the 2008 NBA draft, Beasley is a longtime professional basketball player, playing 11 years in the NBA, and several more years in international leagues. Beasley last played in 2022 for the Shanghai Sharks, and now turns his attention to the combat sports world, taking on a former NBA rival in the process. The two have some history, competing against each other in Big3 basketball and playing a game of 1-on-1 against each other for $100,000 last year.
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Chosen in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft, Stephenson followed a similar career path to Beasley, playing over 10 years in the league, bouncing among different teams, with some international stints as well. Known for his chaotic and pestering playstyle, Stephenson looks to bring that same sort of energy to his first MMA fight.
Check out the live blog for Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson below.
Preamble
This event sure has been something. A lot of weirdness, and Ray J even acting real weird after losing his fight, like they were trying to do something.
Anyway, let’s watch some former NBA players fight.
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Pre Fight
If nothing else, at least both Stephenson and Beasley are former professional athletes and in good shape. That has not been the case for many of the bouts tonight. And both men look like they’re ready to actually get into a fight. But we will see.
Round 1
Beasley looks much taller but already the difference can be seen between these two. Beasley is feinting a lot and then lands a sharp left hand at range. But Stephenson charges in gets a body lock, lifts and takes Beasely down. Beasley going for a guillotine choke but he definitely doesn’t know how to do that.
Stephenson breaks free and Beasley rolls and Stephenson to the back as Beasley rolls! He grabs the rear-naked choke! Stephenson doesn’t have any sort of control here, but Beasley has no clue what he’s doing and Stephenson has a choke in! He squeezes and there’s the tap!!
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Official Decision
Lance Stephenson def. Michael Beasley via submission (rear-naked choke) — 1:26, Round 1.
Post Fight
“Practicing getting choked and getting choked ain’t the same!” – Michael Beasley.
Beasley then says he’ll box but he’s not playing with “that choking shit” again.
Stephenson then says he’s from the hood, and they joke around with Beasley fake punching him.
Then Stephenson says Beasley beat him in 1-on-1, he won the fight, so “next time we’ll do something he wants to do.”
That was silly but kinda fun.
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