PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tatu Kurri (ranked 1457 p4p, 664 weight class) and Jay Steve (ranked 198 p4p, 98 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kurri
vs
Steve

184 cm
31
176
18 - 9 - 0

185 cm
38
177
30 - 22 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Altitude Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tatu Kurri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jay Steve!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kurri bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kurri drops down looking for a counter takedown but Steve sprawls and moves away.
Steve has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Steve misses with a hook to the body

and Kurri counters with a shoot takedown. Steve fights it but they end up in guard.

Kurri thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Kurri drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Steve dives on top into guard.

Kurri looking for a sweep. Not yet Kurri, not yet.
Steve wants to stand but Kurri is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Steve got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kurri has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Steve has managed to get both his arms back between Kurri's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steve stands and steps away. Kurri gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Steve misses with a body shot.

Steve forces Kurri back against the cage and clinches.
Steve doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Steve tries a body shot but Kurri blocks it.
Steve misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kurri is trying to drag Steve to the mat but Steve just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Steve breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steve throws a body shot but no joy.
Steve misses with a wild body shot.
Kurri tries to counter with a takedown but Steve is quick to defend against it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kurri shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kurri showed some decent athleticism there.
Steve wants to get back to his feet.

Kurri is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Steve doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kurri.

Kurri wants to work for an arm triangle but Steve is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Steve is trying to stand up here but Kurri is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Kurri seems to be working for a kimura but Steve defends the submission attempt.
Kurri looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Steve with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Kurri 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.

Steve is defending against the submission attempts here by Kurri.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Kurri is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Steve defends it well.
Kurri prevents Steve from standing back up.

Kurri wants to work for an arm triangle but Steve is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Kurri is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Steve wants to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tatu Kurri will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Steve swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kurri is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Steve.
Kurri changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Steve tries to avoid it but Kurri manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Steve to the ground. Steve escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Steve now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Steve throws a body kick that misses.
Steve throws a hook but Kurri blocks it.
Kurri half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kurri shoots for a takedown but Steve saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A big right from Kurri misses.
Steve throws out a counter right but Kurri avoids it with no problem.
Steve fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Kurri is out of range.
Kurri feinted with a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kurri misses with a takedown
and Steve counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tatu Kurri. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kurri throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Steve's waist but Steve gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kurri off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steve misses with a straight left.
Kurri dives in for a single leg takedown but Steve sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Steve tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Steve pushes Kurri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kurri wants a takedown but no success here.
Kurri wants a takedown but no success here.
Steve fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Steve breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steve has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Steve fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kurri manages to avoid it.
Steve lands a nice looking body shot.
An inside leg kick lands from Steve.
Steve takes a swing at Kurri's ribcage but misses.
Jay Steve seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurri keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Kurri instigates a clinch.
Steve misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kurri tries to score a body lock takedown but Steve shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Steve tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steve doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kurri blocks a body shot from Steve.
I was talking to Kurri's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Steve lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kurri backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Steve throws a head punch that misses.
Steve tries a body shot but Kurri blocks it.
A short right from Steve.
Kurri prevents a body shot from Steve.
Steve tries to work over Kurri's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A left hand lands to the body for Steve.
Kurri blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurri has Steve pressed against the cage.
Steve can't find room to land a body shot as Kurri controls the action.
Steve working aggressively here.

Steve breaks from the clinch.
Jay Steve is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Steve tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kurri was well out of range. Poor timing from Steve.
Kurri tries to land a front kick but Steve steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Steve gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kurri to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Steve has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Kurri is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Kurri wants a takedown.
Kurri is trying to drag Steve to the mat but Steve just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurri changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Steve fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Steve scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kurri doesn't seem bothered though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steve fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kurri moves away from the strike by Steve.
Steve lands a nice hook to Kurri's body. Kurri takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kurri shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Steve defends it nicely.
A nice side step and Steve releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Steve showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Steve misses the target.

Kurri clinches with his opponent.
Steve lands a shot to the body.
Kurri is trying to maintain a safe position but Steve gets an underhook and turns Kurri into the cage.
Steve lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Steve lands with a left to the head.
Steve on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kurri blocks a body shot from Steve.
Still in the clinch, Steve scores with a nice short uppercut.
Jay Steve seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Steve lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steve lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kurri prevents a body shot from Steve.
Kurri wants a takedown but no success here.
Steve struggles to land a body shot inside as Kurri controls his hands.
Steve tries to work over Kurri's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Steve works on Kurri's body with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Steve on the inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Steve digs a right hand underneath Kurri's ribcage. Kurri let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Steve tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kurri's elbow.

Steve manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Steve. Kurri does a little dance to reset his feet.
Steve misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kurri counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The fighters circling - Steve throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kurri attempts a counter takedown but Steve avoids it well and moves away.
Steve misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kurri.

Steve has closed the distance and engaged Kurri in a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Steve.
Steve working aggressively here.
Kurri goes for a takedown attempt but Steve pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurri uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Steve.
Steve slaps away a takedown attempt from Kurri, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tatu Kurri. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kurri closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Steve to the mat! Steve manages to get full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Steve is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Steve throws a head punch that misses.
Steve misses with a body punch.

Steve breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steve pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steve lands the left hand.
Steve swings for the body but Kurri moves out of range.
Steve tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kurri was well out of range. Poor timing from Steve.
Steve misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Steve thows a leg kick but Kurri checks it

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

Steve pushes Kurri off and gets back to his feet.
Steve tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kurri manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kurri attempts a counter takedown but Steve avoids it well and moves away.
Kurri shoots in looking for a takedown. Steve tries to sprawl out of it but Kurri keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Steve manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steve tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kurri was well out of range. Poor timing from Steve.
Kurri feinted with a counter takedown.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kurri misses with a looping left.
Steve scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Kurri is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Steve's half guard.

Steve makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Steve displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kurri defending well as Steve loads up on a big left hand.
Kurri drops down looking for a counter takedown but Steve sprawls and moves away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Steve comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Steve has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jay Steve!
Jay Steve was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.
Tatu Kurri spoke after the fight, saying 'ggwp'.