PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jacob Durkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gunner Steen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Durkin
vs
Steen

200 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light 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, Jacob Durkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gunner Steen!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Steen does no damage.
Sloppy strikes from Steen. Those never looked like landing.

Steen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Steen wants to pass to mount but Durkin is defending the position.
Steen looks to land a strike but Durkin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Steen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Steen thows a big elbow that misses.
Steen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Durkin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Steen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Durkin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Steen postures up in Durkin's guard and throws a big left but Durkin blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durkin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Steen wants to control but Durkin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Steen tries to kick Durkin off but Durkin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Durkin decides to stand and escape the position.
Durkin drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Durkin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Durkin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Steen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steen wants to clinch

and Durkin counters with a shoot takedown. Steen fights it but they end up in guard.

Durkin gets to his feet. Steen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Steen looks gassed!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steen dodges the punch combination from Durkin.

Steen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Steen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Durkin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Steen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Durkin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Durkin scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Durkin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Steen is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Durkin will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Durkin is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Steen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Steen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Steen looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Durkin is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steen swings around for an armbar but Durkin sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Steen's guard.
Durkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Steen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steen trying to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steen keeping moving, preventing Durkin from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gunner Steen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Durkin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Steen swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Durkin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Steen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Steen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Durkin is one step ahead there.
Durkin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Durkin is controlling the pace.
Durkin is keen to just control but Steen is a slippery customer.
Durkin tries to stand but can't do so whilst Steen controls his leg.
Jacob Durkin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Durkin.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Durkin trying to control from half guard but Steen is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jacob Durkin just wasn't active enough.

Durkin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Steen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Steenis looking to pass into half guard but Durkin pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Durkin is in guard.
Durkin is looking to stand up but Steen won't let him.

Durkin gets to his feet. Steen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Steen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Jacob Durkin has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Durkin's half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Steen prevents Durkin from standing back up.
Steen tries to pass to full mount but Durkin defends it.
Steen is just content to waste time from the top position. Durkin takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Steen preventing the sweep.
Steen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steen postures up.
Steen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Durkin lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Steen!
Steen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Durkin content just to control the position here.

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.
Durkin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steen is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Durkin controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gunner Steen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jacob Durkin's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Steen tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Durkin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gunner Steen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Steen takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Steen fails to land with a series of punches.
Durkin doesn't manage to clinch there - Steen circles away.
Durkin misses with a two punch combination.
Steen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Durkin tries to avoid it but Steen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Durkin to the ground. Durkin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Durkin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Steen.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Durkin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durkin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Steen counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Durkin!
Steen looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Durkin taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steen looking to finish Durkin with some ground and pound. This is bad for Durkin!
Steen has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Durkin's face.
Steen controlling his opponent.
Steen lands with some strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Durkin is looking to escape.
Steen lands a big elbow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steen thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Steen landing punches.
Jacob Durkin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steen lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Durkin tries to hold on but Steen pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steen goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Durkin is on top in guard.
Steen keeping moving, preventing Durkin from controlling successfully.
Steen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Durkin is one step ahead there.
Durkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Steen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Jacob Durkin wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Durkin enables Steen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Durkin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Durkin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Steen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Steen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Steen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gunner Steen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Steen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gunner Steen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Steen 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gunner Steen!