PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mitch Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jon Finch (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.

Steele
vs
Finch

185 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mitch Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jon Finch!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finch swings widly with a right hand

and Steele moves into the clinch.
Steele wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Steele's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Finch is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Steele can't fight it off and eventually Finch manages to take the fight to the floor. Steele looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Steele is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Finch stays in close to Steele's body and controls the position.
Steele wants to stand up but Finch is controlling him.
Steele controls Finch momentarily but Finch frees himself.
Steele wants to stand and escape but Finch is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finch's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mitch Steele.
Steele misses with a head kick.
Steele uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Finch.
Steele misses with a takedown
and Finch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Finch tries a head kick but it misses.

Steele instigates a clinch.
Finch swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Steele is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Finch is defending well for now.
Finch holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Steele tries to circle away but Finch has him pinned against the cage.
Steele jumps guard but Finch stands there with Steele around his waist. Steele gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch leaning his opponent against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Finch as Steele tries to tie him up.
Finch leaning his opponent against the cage.
Finch lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Finch's defenses.

It looks like Jon Finch has been cut.
Finch misses with the head strike.
Finch effectively controlling the action here.
Finch misses with a hook from the clinch.
Finch slows down the pace here.
A frustrated look appears on Finch's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Steele's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Finch scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Steele. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Steele's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Steele is trying to pull guard but Finch turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Steele gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Finch regains guard.
Finch controlling the position.
Finch looking to hit a scissor sweep but Steele is one step ahead there.
Steele wants to control from the top but Finch keeps moving.
Finch is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Finch. That's going to slow Steele down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steele is trying hard to land a takedown here. Finch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jon Finch will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jon Finch's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Steele uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Finch.
Steele shoots in looking for a takedown but Finch manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Steele's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Finch gets caught flat footed, as Steele shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Steele throws a big elbow that misses.
Finch is controlling Steele's posture.
Finch's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Jon Finch has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Steele tries for a takedown but Finch sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finch fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Steele sprawls well initially but Finch persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Finch in particular looking to stall.
Steele trying to control from the bottom.
Finch sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Steele is looking for a sweep. Finch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Steele on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Finch misses the shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Finch as Steele shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Steele. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele shoots in for a double leg but Finch sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steele is trying hard to land a takedown here. Finch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Steele swats away the attempt to clinch by Finch.
A leg kick checked by Steele.
Steele is looking to clinch but Finch is avoiding it.
Finch tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Steele is able to avoid easily.
Finch is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Steele.

Finch looking to score a takedown here. Steele is defending well but Finch drives through and ends up in Steele's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Finch not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Finch stands up over Steele, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Steele looking to hit a scissor sweep but Finch is one step ahead there.
Finch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Finch controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jon Finch has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Finch misses with a looping right.
Steele fails in his attempt to clinch.
A good leg kick by Finch.
Steele misses with a takedown attempt
and Steele takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Steele shoots and misses
and Finch counters with a big head kick but Steele shrugs it off.
Steele swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Finch tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Steele tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Finch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Finch is looking to chop away at Steele's legs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steele checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
No luck for Steele with that takedown attempt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Finch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Finch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jon Finch's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Steele displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Finch throws out the jab.
Steele tries to clinch there but Finch circles away.
Finch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Steele misses with a takedown attempt

and Finch counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Finch takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Still in half guard, Finch seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ground and pound from Finch.
Finch perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Steele trying to hold on to Finch's head to control him but Finch postures up.
Finch 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jon Finch hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Finch moves in looking to clinch but Steele pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finch drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Steele can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Finch controls the pace.
Steele doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Finch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jon Finch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Steele being controlled here, momentarily.
Finch cracks Steele with a solid left hand.
Finch controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jon Finch was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Steele is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steele closes this distance looking for a takedown but Finch circles away.
Finch ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Steele has his takedown stuffed

and Finch decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Steele's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Steele. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finch postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Finch looking to pass the guard.
Finch controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jon Finch has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Steele checks a leg kick.
Jon Finch is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Steele is looking to clinch but Finch is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab, jab by Finch - just one landing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steele looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Steele defending well as Finch loads up on a big left hand.
Jon Finch seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Steele fails with an attempt to clinch.
Finch rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Steele moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Finch pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Finch throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Finch circles away from the clinch attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steele fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab from Finch misses.
Mitch Steele has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A slow jab from Finch misses its intended target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Finch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Finch 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Finch!