PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Lidae (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Toney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lidae kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Lighters. Toney has chosen Wicked as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lidae
vs
Toney

185 cm
24
224 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

179 cm
21
220 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steven Lidae!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Toney!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lidae misses with a straight right.

Lidae gets tackled into the cage by Toney. Toney maintains the clinch.
Toney lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Lidae or not.
Lidae tries to pull guard but Toney holds him up against the cage and eventually Lidae drops back down to his feet.
Lidae tries to pull guard but Toney forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Lidae jumps guard but Toney turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Lidae. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lidae jumps guard but Toney stands there with Lidae around his waist. Lidae gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Toney manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Lidae ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lidae no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Lidae is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Toney is aware though and is defending well.

Lidae has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Toney is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Lidae.
Lidae tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Toney wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Lidae is trying to control Toney's posture but Toney avoids it.
Toney in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Lidae is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney controls the position.
Lidae tries to improve position but can't.
Lidae is working hard here to advance position.
Lidae throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Lidae is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Lidae's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lidae is looking for a sweep.
Lidae can't do much from the bottom here.
Lidae is looking to regain half guard here but Toney keeps moving and retains side control.
Lidae is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Toney's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Lidae with the active half guard here but Toney passes nicely into side control.
Lidae is trying to control Toney's posture but Toney avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lidae is letting Toney control him for a moment.
Lidae is looking to regain half guard here but Toney keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Lidae's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Lidae dominated that round.
That's time! Lidae's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Toney darts in and clinches Lidae up against the cage.

Lidae decides to pull guard.

Toney avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Lidae isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Toney stacks Lidae on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Toney!
Steven Lidae overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lidae is looking to regain half guard here but Toney keeps moving and retains side control.
Toney happy to just control the position for now.
Lidae misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lidae manages to work his way to half guard, despite Toney's best efforts.

Lidae actively working from the bottom here.
Toney looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Lidae looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Toney uses his free foot to push down on Lidae's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lidae.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney controlling from the full mount.
Lidae is working to get back to half guard.
Toney controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lidae tries to hold on but Toney pushes him away.
Lidae working to try and regain half guard.
Toney content just to control the position here.
Lidae is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toney content just to control the position here.
Let's hope that Toney 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lidae wants to hold on but Toney pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Toney showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Toney has closed the distance and engaged Lidae in a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Toney.
Toney lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lidae backwards.
Lidae is trying to pull guard but Toney turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Toney lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Toney lands a body punch in the clinch.
Lidae fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lidae jumps guard but Toney stands there with Lidae around his waist. Lidae gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steven Lidae. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney stalling against the cage.
Toney lands a shoulder strike.
Toney holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lidae tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A right hook to the body lands for Toney.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lidae tries to pull guard but Toney won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Toney lands a left hand.
Toney lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Toney.
Toney has Lidae pushed against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Toney creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Toney.
Toney lands a nice uppercut.
Lidae is working for takedown but Toney is calmly controlling the position for now.
Toney working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Toney cracks Lidae with a nice body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Toney just leaning against Lidae, taking a breather.
Lidae is trying to pull guard but Toney has him pressed against the cage.
Toney stalling the fight.
A short right from Toney on the inside.
Toney lands with a light punch inside.

Lidae is rocked!
Toney lands a right hand.
Oh Lidae is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Toney works on Lidae's body with a couple of short punches.
Toney creates some distance for himselfand unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Lidae's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Lidae drops to his knees and Toney pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Toney!
In his post fight interview, James Toney gave a big smile as he said 'Mailetoa, I knew you weren't anything but a can crusher. This is what happens when you fight a real fighter. '.