[2014] TRAVIS STEVENS VS LÉO NOGUEIRA - SEASON 2 FINALE - HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX - RIO DE JANEIRO 

I just asked Leo this today and he didn’t know. I said that Travis probably did not want to end up in Leo’s deep half from Leo pulling and then getting smashed once he got swept. After that deep half sweep you end up in that over under pass which is a nightmare against a guy of Leo’s or Bernardo’s size and strength. How many people could pass Leandros guard but you saw what happened when Bernardo came up from the deep half and he was already deep in the over under with him stacked and spread apart. Absolute nightmare. And also looks like Travis prepared really well against the São Paulo pass and utiiized good frames and hip movement to keep Leo from getting his arm around his collar. If Leo had pulled, Travis would’ve been swept from deep half and then in a really compromised position to being passed right after the sweep. Good strategy. Thought maybe he could play defensive from closed guard and maybe catch a sweep or a submission.

yeah it didn't make sense. But the explanation below makes sense.