PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Monroe (ranked 1461 p4p, 181 weight class) and Steven Steele (ranked 2240 p4p, 269 weight class). Steele has chosen Bloody Sunday as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Monroe
vs
Steele

191 cm
28
185 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

184 cm
28
197 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Powerful

Sportivité

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Monroe !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steven Steele!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steele circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've been told by Monroe 's head coaches at Core Academy that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Steele keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Monroe is looking to clinch.
Monroe throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Steele counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Monroe manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Monroe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Steele takes the fight into the clinch.
Steele throws an elbow that misses.
Steele has Monroe pressed against the cage, preventing Monroe from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Steele lands a damaging elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monroe blocks the elbow strike.
Monroe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Steele avoids it.
Steele gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Monroe 's defenses.

Steele is trying to trip Monroe . He has hold of a leg but Monroe is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Steele persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Monroe is wriggling around but Steele manages to pass to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Monroe is pressing down on Steele's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Monroe wants to get back to his feet but Steele is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Monroe lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Monroe stopping the sweep attempt from Steele.
Steele has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Iron Man (Fitness & Sparring). Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Steele trying to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steele utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele managing to control the position.
Steele's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Monroe preventing the sweep.
Monroe wants to control from the top but Steele keeps moving.
Monroe being controlled here momentarily.
Monroe throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Steele looking for a sweep. Not yet Steele, not yet.
Steele really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Monroe . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Monroe being controlled here momentarily.
Monroe is looking to stand up but Steele won't let him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Steele clinches.
Steele lands a nice elbow.
Monroe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Steele has him pressed against the cage.

Steele lands a takedown into guard.
Monroe wants to stand and escape but Steele is having none of it.
Monroe wants to control but Steele passes easily into half guard.
Monroe wants to improve his position but Steele is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Steele's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Steele's back!
Monroe lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Steele.
Steele wants to escape the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monroe missing with strikes.
Monroe not allowing Steele to control his hands.
Monroe trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steven Steele will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Monroe doesn't manage to clinch there - Steele circles away.
Steele feints the counter takedown.
Monroe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Steele circles away quickly and effectively.
Monroe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Steele is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Monroe throws a hook but Steele avoids it easily.

Steele fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Monroe , pushing him back against the cage.
Monroe takes an elbow to the temple.
Monroe blocks an uppercut.
Monroe blocks the elbow strike.
Monroe dodges an elbow strike from Steele.
Monroe is looking to break free of the clinch but Steele has double underhooks.
Monroe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Steele misses with an elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steele blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Steele throws an elbow but it misses.
Monroe tries to circle away but Steele has him pinned against the cage.
Monroe leaning against his opponent.
Monroe is trying to break free.
Steele tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monroe dodges an elbow strike from Steele.
Steele lands a damaging elbow.
Steele blocking some punches.
Monroe can't break the clinch.
Steele pushes off an throws an elbow but Monroe leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Steele has a couple of punches blocked by Monroe .
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Steele throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Steele throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Monroe dodges an elbow strike from Steele.
Steele looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Steele swings wildly with an uppercut but Monroe uses good head movement to avoid it.

Monroe breaks from the clinch.
Jab by Monroe .
Monroe misses with a leg kick

and Steele counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Steele.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monroe wants to get back to his feet but Steele is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele wants to get up but he can't break Monroe 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Monroe working a defensive guard here.
Monroe has control of Steele's left arm, preventing Steele from doing any damage.
Steele wants to stand and escape but instead Monroe has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe trying to control the position from guard on top but Steele is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steele working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Monroe .
Monroe wants to control from the top but Steele keeps moving.
Steele tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Steele looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Steele looking for a sweep. Not yet Steele, not yet.
Steele seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Monroe is looking to work some ground and pound but Steele has wrist control.
Monroe throwing strikes but missing.
Steele pulls Monroe in close to prevent any damage.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Steele takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Joe Monroe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Monroe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Steele changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Steele walks into a jab.

Steele takes the fight into the clinch.
Steele throws an elbow but it's blocked.
With the fighters up against the cage, Steele throws an elbow but misses.
Steele pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Monroe is trying to maintain a safe position but Steele gets an underhook and turns Monroe into the cage.

Monroe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steele avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steele feints the counter takedown.

Monroe has taken the fight to the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steven Steele will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Steele closes the distance and pushes Monroe back into the cage.

Monroe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Monroe .

Steele closes the distance and clinches.
Steele misses with an elbow over the top.
Steele throws a head punch that misses.
Steven Steele seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Steele swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Monroe manages to break the clinch.

Steele moves into the clinch.
Monroe is looking to break free of the clinch but Steele has double underhooks.

Monroe breaks the clinch.
Monroe goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Steele moves into the clinch.
Monroe missing with knees to the body.
Monroe is trying to maintain a safe position but Steele gets an underhook and turns Monroe into the cage.
Monroe stalling in the clinch but Steele improves position.
Monroe seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Steele is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Monroe 's defenses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele gets through Monroe 's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Steele just misses with a elbow thrown towards Monroe 's brow.
Nice elbow from Steele.
Monroe blocks an elbow strike from Steele.
Steele throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Steele pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Monroe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Steele tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steele throws an elbow but it misses.
Steele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Joe Monroe has been cut.
Monroe tries to circle away but Steele has him pinned against the cage.
Monroe tries to land knees in the clinch but Steele avoids the damage to the body.
Monroe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Steele backwards.
Monroe takes an elbow to the temple.
Monroe taking a breather.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Steele just misses with a elbow thrown towards Monroe 's brow.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Steele just misses with a elbow thrown towards Monroe 's brow.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Monroe .

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Monroe 's efforts to push away.
Steele gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steele throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Steele creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Monroe avoids the elbow strike from Steele, against the cage.
Monroe blocks the elbow strike.
Steele looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Monroe tries to land knees in the clinch but Steele avoids the damage to the body.
Steele lands an elbow just above Monroe 's eye.
Monroe avoids a wild elbow strike from Steele.
Steele throws a punch but it's blocked by Monroe .
Monroe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Steele lands an elbow that stopped Monroe in his tracks for a moment.
Monroe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Steele pushes off an throws an elbow but Monroe leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Monroe trying to land knees to the body.
Monroe blocks an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Steele.
Steele keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Monroe 's efforts to push away.

Steele has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Monroe clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Monroe is in bad spot here.
Steele is not going to allow Monroe to sit and survive in this position.
Monroe tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Monroe is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steele is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Steven Steele is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Steele darts in and clinches Monroe up against the cage.
Monroe is trying to break free.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Steele.
Joe Monroe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steele is looking for a takedown.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steele keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Monroe 's efforts to push away.
Monroe 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A frustrated look appears on Monroe 's face as he tries to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Steele comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Steele winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Steven Steele!