PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leon Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Gonalez (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
Gonalez

180 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

KAISER

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 Rio de Janeiro, Leon Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Manny Gonalez!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonalez fails with a takedown attempt.
Gonalez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Gonalez gets a clinch.
Steele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Gonalez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gonalez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Steele closes this distance looking for a takedown but Gonalez circles away.
Gonalez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gonalez closes the distance and clinches up with Steele, looking for a takedown. Gonalez pushes Steele against the cage but Steele circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Leon Steele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Gonalez.
Steele lands with a thumping leg kick.
Gonalez avoids the head kick by Steele.
Steele throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Steele shoots and misses

and Gonalez counters with a shoot takedown. Steele fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Steele tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gonalez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Steele is proving hard to escape from.
Gonalez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gonalez stopping the sweep attempt from Steele.

Steele is looking for a triangle but Gonalez pushes his legs off easily.
Gonalez trying to control but Steele is working from the bottom.
Steele might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gonalez wanted to stand there but Steele had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez trying to control the position from guard on top but Steele is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gonalez stands and steps away. Steele gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Steele looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gonalez.
Steele misses with a body kick.

Gonalez moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Steele walks away with a smile on his face. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gonalez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Steele manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Steele tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gonalez swivels and escapes.
Steele shoots in for a takedown but Gonalez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Steele is breathing heavily.
Nice sprawl there from Steele as Gonalez shoots in.
Steele tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gonalez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Steele tries to clinch up.
Steele scores with a kick to the midsection.
Nice sprawl there from Steele as Gonalez shoots in.
Gonalez on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Steele. Steele obviously looking to wear him down.
Gonalez tries a head kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steele closes the distance and pushes Gonalez back into the cage.

Steele jumps into guard, dragging Gonalez to the mat.
Steele looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gonalez is one step ahead there.

Steele working for a triangle but Gonalez defends it easily.
Gonalez wants to control from the top but Steele keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Manny Gonalez will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gonalez takes the fight into the clinch.

Steele ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Steele no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gonalez trying to move into half guard but instead Steele has managed to sweep!

Gonalez has his feet on Steele's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Steele is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gonalez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Gonalez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gonalez lands in his opponent's guard.
Gonalez wants to control from the top but Steele keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonalez wants to stand but Steele is controlling his posture from full guard.

Steele throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Steele wants to get back to his feet but Gonalez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gonalez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Steele throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Steele isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gonalez stacks Steele 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 Gonalez!
Gonalez trying to control the action but Steele is working from the bottom.

Gonalez stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez throws a leg kick
and Steele counters with a straight right hand.
Leon Steele is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gonalez drives through and clinches with Steele against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gonalez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Steele's brow.
Steele gets underhooks to prevent Gonalez's takedown attempt.
Steele looking for a takedown.
Steele wants to break free but Gonalez has control.
Steele blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Steele could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Gonalez breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gonalez looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gonalez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gonalez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Steele is trying to control Gonalez's posture but Gonalez avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gonalez trying to control the position but Steele is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Gonalez 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gonalez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Steele is fending him off so far but Gonalez persists. Nope, Steele circles away and we're back to standing.
Steele fails with a takedown attempt.
Gonalez shoots for a takedown but Steele saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Steele throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Steele cracks Gonalez with an open hand slap.
Nice takedown defense from Gonalez. No joy for Steele on that attempt.
Gonalez shoots in but no luck this time.
Leon Steele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Gonalez.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Steele fails to land the takedown.
Steele changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gonalez tries to avoid it but Steele manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gonalez to the ground. Gonalez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Steele.
Steele stuffs the takedown attempt from Gonalez. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet.

Gonalez gets a clinch.
Steele tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gonalez smiles and moves away.
Gonalez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gonalez tries to clinch but Steele moves out of range.

Gonalez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez is trying to control. Steele wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Steele is trying to get back to full guard.
Gonalez controlling the action here.
Gonalez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Steele!
Gonalez controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gonalez goes for an armbar but Steele turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Steele.
Gonalez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Steele decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gonalez, up you get!

Gonalez has managed to clinch.
Gonalez working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Steele tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gonalez has Steele pressed against the cage, preventing Steele from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gonalez has Steele pressed against the cage, preventing Steele from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Gonalez manages to break the clinch.
Steele closes the distance and clinches up with Gonalez, looking for a takedown. Steele pushes Gonalez against the cage but Gonalez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Gonalez forces Steele back against the cage and clinches.
Gonalez goes for a takedown attempt but Steele pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gonalez blocks a head kick by Steele.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manny Gonalez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gonalez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight for Manny Gonalez!
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Manny Gonalez!
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Manny Gonalez!

Manny Gonalez wins by unanimous decision!
Manny Gonalez very nearly forgot to thank KAISER amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.