PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jim Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Pendragon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Steel
vs
Pendragon

190 cm
23
260 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

188 cm
23
245 lbs
8 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jim Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Pendragon!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel tries to close the distance and clinch but Pendragon swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Steel tries to clinch there but Pendragon circles away.
Steel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pendragon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Steel tries to clinch up but Pendragon circles away and keeps his distance.

Steel has closed the distance and engaged Pendragon in a clinch.
Steel with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Steel breaks the clinch.

Steel clinches.
Pendragon has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Steel after a bit of a struggle.
Steel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pendragon.
Steel misses with an elbow strike.
Steel tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.
Steel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pendragon.
Steel lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel throws a knee to the head but misses.
Steel tries to throw a body punch but Pendragon avoids it by throwing Steel back against the cage.
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.
Steel missing with knees to the body.
Pendragon wants a takedown but no success here.
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.
Pendragon goes for a takedown attempt but Steel pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jim Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Pendragon.
Pendragon looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Steel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steel throws a push kick but Pendragon slaps the foot to one side.
Steel misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel wants to clinch up but Pendragon keeps it at a distance.
Steel tries to clinch but Pendragon is having none of it.
Steel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pendragon.
Steel feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Pendragon's calf.
Pendragon moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Steel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steel tries to clinch but Pendragon is having none of it.
A big right from Steel misses.
Steel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pendragon paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Steel swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Pendragon.
Steel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pendragon shoots in for a takedown but Steel shows good takedown defense.
Jim Steel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Steel struggles to land a body shot inside as Pendragon controls his hands.
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.
Steel landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Steel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pendragon blocks it with crossed arms.
Steel trying to land knees to the body.
Pendragon is trying to break the clinch but Steel is controlling him.
Steel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Pendragon backwards.
Pendragon is working for takedown but Steel is calmly controlling the position for now.
Steel scores with a hook to the body.
Steel tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Steel using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pendragon avoids it.
Pendragon avoiding damage as Steel throws knees to the body.
Pendragon blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Pendragon prevents a body shot from Steel.
Steel tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Steel looking to throw knees to the head but Pendragon is blocking nicely.
Steel with a knee to the head.

It looks like Mike Pendragon has been cut.
Steel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pendragon tries to score a body lock takedown but Steel shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Pendragon can't break the clinch.
Steel misses with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Pendragon'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.

Steel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pendragon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch lands to the side of Pendragon 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Steel has Pendragon up against the cage in a clinch.
Pendragon tries to break the clinch but Steel is controlling the position.

Pendragon gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Steel trying to hold on to Pendragon's head to control him but Pendragon postures up.
Steel keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Steel trying to hold on to Pendragon's head to control him but Pendragon postures up.
Pendragon trying to pass the guard but Steel defending well.
Pendragon seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Steel does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pendragon is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Pendragon is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Pendragon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Steel defending well though.
Pendragon thows a huge punch but Steel dodges it nicely.
Pendragon looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Steel wants to get back to his feet.
Steel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Pendragon is working away from the top position though.
Steel tries to roll over but Pendragon keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel is pressing down on Pendragon's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Pendragon advances to half guard.
Pendragon is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Pendragon wants to control from the top but Steel keeps moving.
Steel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pendragon is one step ahead there.
Pendragon wants to pass the guard but Steel is keeping the position.
Pendragon postures up and lands a big shot to Steel's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pendragon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel is keeping the position for now.
Pendragon is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Steel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Pendragon manages to get himself to full guard.
Pendragon tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Steel is pushing down on Pendragon's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pendragon is fighting to maintain full guard but Steel has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pendragon tries to get to full guard but Steel has control of the leg.
Pendragon gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel wants to control from the top but Pendragon keeps moving.
Pendragon bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Steel's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Steel holds on and takes a little breather.
Pendragon trying to control but Steel is working from the bottom.
Pendragon landing some decent shots from guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Steel working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pendragon doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pendragon manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Pendragon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mike Pendragon's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Steel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pendragon swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Steel drives through and clinches with Pendragon against the cage.

Steel breaks the clinch.
Steel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pendragon.
Steel avoids the head kick by Pendragon.
Steel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pendragon paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Pendragon instigates a clinch.
Steel missing with knees to the body.
Steel is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pendragon is defending well for now.
Steel lands an uppercut.
Steel throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Steel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steel tries to clinch there but Pendragon circles away.
Pendragon circles away from the clinch attempt

so Pendragon counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Pendragon wants to pass the guard but Steel is keeping the position.
Pendragon forces his way into half guard.
Steel blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pendragon.
Steel avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pendragon.
Steel wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon tries to pass to full mount but Steel defends it.

Pendragon is working for a kimura but Steel is defending it quite comfortably.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Steel wants to control but Pendragon is keeping busy.
Pendragon uses his free foot to push down on Steel's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Steel.
Steel wants to hold on but Pendragon pushes him away.
Steel really wants to buck Pendragon off and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel has given up his back here. Will Pendragon look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Pendragon tries to get the hooks in deep but Steel pushed the leg off.

Steel is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Pendragon gets his way!
Pendragon has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Steel trying to control but not successfully.
Steel rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Steel is refusing to be controlled, as Pendragon sits in half guard.

Steel pushes Pendragon off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pendragon keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Steel.

Pendragon tries to keep at a distance but Steel has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pendragon tries to break free but Steel pushes him back against the cage.
Steel crunches a lovely knee into Pendragon's ribcage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Steel lands a shoulder strike.
Steel tries to land knees in the clinch but Pendragon avoids the damage to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steel tries to land knees in the clinch but Pendragon avoids the damage to the body.
Steel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Steel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jim Steel.
I think Steel has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jim Steel!
After winning the bout, Jim Steel thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.