PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between gary steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fei Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fei Li is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

steel
vs
Li

200 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, gary steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fei Li!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Li tries to clinch but steel is having none of it.

steel scores with a takedown into Li's guard.
steel won't allow Li to get back to his feet.
Li keeping full guard, as steel tries to pass.
Li trying to control the position.
steel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Li keeping full guard, as steel tries to pass.
steel prevents Li from getting back to his feet.
steel slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
steel trying to control the position from guard on top but Li is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
steel is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
steel wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
steel slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Li trying to control the position here.
steel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Li on the ground.
steel not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
steel prevents Li from getting back to his feet.
Li looks gassed!

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.
Li can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as steel controls the pace.
Li is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst steel is controlling him.
steel is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee stands the fighters back up. gary steel just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Li moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like gary steel has been cut.
steel thuds his shin into the meat of Li's side.

steel closes the distance and clinches.
steel lands a hook to the side of the head.
Li keeps control of steel as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

steel successfully pulls guard.

steel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
steel can't keep his opponent in guard - Li advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

steel pushes Li off and gets back to his feet.
Li tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and steel counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Li's guard now.

Li is working an open guard so steel takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Li slips a jab and a cross from steel.

steel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

steel has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Li uses from the top position.
Li wants to control from the top but steel keeps moving.

steel kicks Li off and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li throws a push kick but steel slaps the foot to one side.
Li keeps the fight on the outside.
Li throws a head kick that misses.
Li wants to clinch but steel slips to the side

and steel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Li.
steel trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
steel has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
steel slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
steel stopping the sweep attempt from Li.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

gary steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on gary steel's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Li tries to clinch but steel moves away

and steel counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Li's guard now.
steel wanted to stand there but Li had control of the position.
Li tries to land a sweep but no joy.
steel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.
steel sitting in guard, not really doing much.
steel prevents Li from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

steel stands up from Li's guard - steel perhaps looking for a knockout.
No joy there for steel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
steel looks to land a body kick but Li moved away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Li.
Li wants to clinch
and steel counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
steel scores with a shot to the body.
steel throws a lazy head kick

and Li counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Li.
steel is pressed up against the cage. Li has hold of a leg and is looking to drag steel down to the mat. steel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
steel takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
steel dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and steel moves out of range easily.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Li forces steel back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

steel is trying to trip Li. He has hold of a leg but Li is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. steel persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
steel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.
steel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Li works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
steel wants to get up but he can't break Li's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Li is trying to control the position but steel postures up.
Li being controlled here, momentarily.
Li trying to keep a closed guard but steel is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

steel stands and steps away. Li gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
steel misses with an attempted mid kick.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
steel wants to clinch but Li slips to the side
and Li counters with a big head kick but steel shrugs it off.
steel misses with a wild combination.
steel fails to land the takedown.
Li shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Li has managed to clinch.
Li blocks the elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li throws an elbow that misses.
steel fails to pull guard.
Li lands a knee to the head.
Li misses with a knee to the head.
Li tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

steel pulls guard.
steel tries to land a sweep but no joy.
steel has a closed guard, preventing Li from standing up.
Li stopping the sweep attempt from steel.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
steel is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Li stands up from steel's guard - Li perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

gary steel dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on gary steel's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

steel shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Li manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Li closes the distance and clinches up with steel, looking for a takedown. Li pushes steel against the cage but steel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
steel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Li tries to avoid it but steel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Li to the ground. Li escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A left and a right from steel both land. Nice combination.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but steel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Li is looking to clinch.
Li connects with a high kick.

steel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Li gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Li wants to hold on but steel pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
steel takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
steel trying to control but Li is having none of it.
steel raining down shots from the mount!
steel tries to control but Li wriggling away.
steel is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Li can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
steel postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Li looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
steel controlling from mount.
steel working away from the top, dropping strikes.
steel moves to the back.
Li has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

steel is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Li knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Li for a finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
steel scoring with strikes but Li is staying in there.
Li wants to control but steel is having none of it.
Li regains half guard.
steel is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Li wants to stand up but steel is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Li is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst steel is controlling him.
steel wants to pass the guard but Li is keeping the position.
steel won't allow Li to sweep him here.
Li keeping moving, preventing steel from controlling successfully.

Li kicks steel off and gets to his feet.
Fei Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
gary steel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fei Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
steel wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
gary steel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for steel, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... gary steel!