PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sami Steele (ranked 2927 p4p, 2222 weight class) and Juan Kemonito (ranked 169 p4p, 135 weight class). Kemonito has chosen Kemonito Entrance Music as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Steele
vs
Kemonito

173 cm
27
142
13 - 12 - 1

150 cm
29
130
15 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sami Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Juan Kemonito!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steele fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kemonito is looking for the big counter here.

Kemonito decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
It looks like Kemonito is going to stand back up.
Kemonito with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Kemonito thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Steele's head.
Steele is refusing to be controlled, as Kemonito sits in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kemonito thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Steele pushes Kemonito off looking to stand but Kemonito dives back in and keeps control.

Kemonito looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kemonito.
Kemonito landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Kemonito is trying to control. Steele wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kemonito throws a strike but Steele avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kemonito controlling from the top position.
Kemonito loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Kemonito trying to control but Steele is working from the bottom.
Kemonito controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kemonito throwing strikes from guard but Steele blocks nicely.
Kemonito chips away with some ground and pound.
Kemonito looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
It looks like Kemonito might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kemonito lands a couple of digs.
Kemonito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Kemonito working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kemonito postures up in Steele's guard and throws a big left but Steele blocks it.
Kemonito throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Steele works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kemonito keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Steele's head.
Kemonito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Steele is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Kemonito dives into side control.
Kemonito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steele keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kemonito is trying to ground and pound but Steele uses the momentary lack of control by Kemonito to regain half guard.
Steele looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kemonito is taking a breather. Steele says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Kemonito not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kemonito trying to control the action but Steele is working from the bottom.
Kemonito thows a huge punch but Steele dodges it nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Kemonito dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kemonito fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Steele, pushing him back against the cage.
Kemonito taking a breather.
Kemonito lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Steele is trying to force a seperation but Kemonito has the dominant position.
Kemonito tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Steele just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kemonito is working for takedown but Steele is calmly controlling the position for now.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steele blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kemonito misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele blocking some punches.
Kemonito misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kemonito makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Steele wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kemonito has him pressed against the cage.
Kemonito is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Steele is defending well.
Sami Steele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juan Kemonito.
Kemonito taking a breather.
Kemonito tries to score a body lock takedown but Steele shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Steele escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steele misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele throws a nice looking combination but Kemonito bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kemonito steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Steele.
Steele pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kemonito back to the cage. Steele follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Kemonito walks into a jab.
Kemonito tries to clinch but Steele is having none of it.
Steele defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kemonito.
Steele stuffs the takedown attempt from Kemonito. Kemonito gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kemonito doesn't manage to clinch there - Steele circles away.
Steele connects with an inside leg kick.
Steele throws a right hand that Kemonito ducks under and follows up with a left that Kemonito also avoids with ease.
A low kick lands for Steele.
Sami Steele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kemonito shoots for a takedown but Steele saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kemonito uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Steele.
A jab from Steele misses.
Sloppy strikes from Steele. Those never looked like landing.
Kemonito feints the counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele scores with a head kick.

Kemonito closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Steele's guard.
Kemonito throws a strike but Steele rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

We've been hearing that Steele has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kemonito has his hands on Steele's head, controlling the position.
Steele tries to stand but Kemonito is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Steele dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Steele throws a nice looking combination but Kemonito bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kemonito changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Steele misses with a leg kick.
Kemonito closes the distance and clinches up with Steele, looking for a takedown. Kemonito pushes Steele against the cage but Steele circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kemonito or perhaps it was just good defense by Steele, which made it look bad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kemonito throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Steele tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Kemonito is in Steele's guard.
Kemonito working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kemonito engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Let's hope that Kemonito has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Kemonito trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kemonito advances position into side control!
Kemonito grinds an elbow into Steele's temple.
Kemonito landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kemonito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steele keeps working.
Steele dodges the ground and pound from Kemonito.
Kemonito wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steele keeps working.
Steele wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Kemonito misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kemonito tries to advance to mount but Steele denies him.
Kemonito cracks Steele with a big elbow.
Kemonito is looking to take a break and control but Steele is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Steele dodges the ground and pound from Kemonito.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kemonito tries to move into full mount but can't pass Steele's legs.
Kemonito wants to control but Steele is keeping him busy.
Kemonito has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kemonito might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Steele haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kemonito lands a nice forearm strike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kemonito misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Kemonito throwing strikes but Steele manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Juan Kemonito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kemonito has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Kemonito!
After the fight, Juan Kemonito was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.