PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roland Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali Aliev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ali Aliev has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Roland Steele's chin.

Steele
vs
Aliev

221 cm
21
161 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
159 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roland Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ali Aliev!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aliev shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Steele but Steele pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Aliev misses the shot to the body.
Aliev thows a leg kick but Steele checks it

and Steele counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Steele.
Steele throws a strike but Aliev rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Steele looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Aliev stays in close to Steele's body and controls the position.
Aliev would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steele is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Aliev is controlling him.
Aliev's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele pulls Aliev in to control the position.
Steele working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Aliev.
Aliev's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Steele escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aliev gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Steele looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Steele escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Aliev gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Steele scores with a nice shot.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's two 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.
Steele can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Aliev controls the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Aliev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Steele is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Steele will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Aliev wants to stand but Steele has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Aliev preventing the sweep.
Steele is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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.

Steele is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Aliev defends well.
Aliev is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Steele seems keen to control Aliev's posture.
Steele looking for a sweep. Not yet Steele, not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Aliev shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele trying to control but Aliev postures up.
Steele wants to control but Aliev passes into side.
Steele regains half guard.
Steele wants to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Steele is trying to control but Aliev manages to pass to mount!
Steele is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali Aliev dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Aliev moves into the clinch.
Aliev tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Aliev wants to take the fight to the mat but Steele manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Aliev prevents a body shot from Steele.
Steele is trying to push Aliev away but Aliev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Steele tries to throw a body punch but Aliev avoids it by throwing Steele back against the cage.
We've been informed that Aliev has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Aliev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Steele breaks the clinch.
Aliev throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Steele.

Steele closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Aliev did well to prevent Steele getting side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steele throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Aliev trying to hold on to Steele's head to control him but Steele postures up.
Aliev taking some punishment here, with Steele in his half guard.
Aliev is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Aliev blocking the ground and pound attempt from Steele.
Aliev scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Steele manages to mount him!
Steele scoring with strikes but Aliev is staying in there.
Steele scoring with strikes but Aliev is staying in there.
Aliev tries to lock up and control but Steele gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Steele punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele lands with some strikes.
Aliev is looking to improve his position but Steele isn't that keen on the idea.
Aliev sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Aliev wants to improve his position but Steele is controlling well.
Steele lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele throwing shots but Aliev is blocking nicely.
Steele tries to stand and escape but Aliev is controlling the position.
Steele lands with a punch from half guard.
Aliev wants to get back to full guard.

Steele is working for a submission of some sort.
Steele tries to stand but can't do so whilst Aliev controls his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Steele working Aliev over with strikes.
Aliev is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Steele gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Steele bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Aliev tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Steele really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roland Steele dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes 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.

Aliev shoots in for a double leg but Steele sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Aliev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Steele, pushing him back against the cage.

Steele breaks from the clinch.

Steele feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Aliev wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Steele manages to pass to side control.

Steele is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Aliev manages to get to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aliev wants to hit a switch here but Steele passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Aliev there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele working Aliev over with strikes here.
Aliev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Steele lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Aliev wants to control but Steele is having none of it.
Aliev flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Aliev can't escape the position.
Steele postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Aliev looks a forlorn figure.
Steele landing shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Steele.
Steele with shots to the head and body - Aliev looks very uncomfortable down there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Steele cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Steele has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Aliev's face.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Steele raining down shots from the mount!
Steele avoids the attempt from Aliev to control.
Aliev stops Steele from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele wants to control the pace but Aliev is squirming around nicely.
Steele scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Aliev?
Steele scoring with strikes but Aliev is staying in there.
Aliev really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Steele lands with some strikes.
Steele raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele is landing with some decent strikes but Aliev is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Steele with a couple of short strikes.
The referee warns Aliev that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Aliev can do anything to dispel that myth.
Steele with a couple of short strikes.
Steele landing strikes from the mount and Aliev is in trouble!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aliev tries to reverse the position but Steele maintains control.
Steele putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Steele fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Steele lands a couple of good shots and Aliev has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

And that's the end of the fight!
Roland Steele showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Steele 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roland Steele!