PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Sapolu (ranked 3928 p4p, 485 weight class) and Steve Steward (ranked 4886 p4p, 558 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Steward's choice of entrance music: CFO% - Worlds Apart. Steve Steward is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Sapolu
vs
Steward

190 cm
23
216 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
208 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Power Matrix Nutrition

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mickey Sapolu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Steward!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sapolu fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Steward has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sapolu moves in looking to clinch but Steward pushes him off.
Sapolu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Steward was well out of range. Poor timing from Sapolu.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Sapolu lands a left hand that snaps the head of Steward backwards.
Steward has had enough of the clinch but Sapolu keeps him there for the moment.
Sapolu misses with a punch to the body.
Steward lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sapolu tries to work over Steward's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sapolu misses with some punches.
Sapolu misses with a hook from the clinch.

Steward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sapolu does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
The fighters circle momentarily. Steward darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Sapolu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steward lands a nice looking body shot.
A jab from Steward finds it's way through Sapolu's defenses.

It looks like Mickey Sapolu has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steward is looking to clinch but Sapolu is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapolu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sapolu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Steward manages to avoid it.
Sapolu closes the distance but Steward moves to the side
and Steward counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Steward fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sapolu misses the body punch
and Steward counters with a straight right hand.
Steward connects with a right hand. Sapolu shakes it off.
Nice uppercut there from Steward.
Sapolu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Steward counters with a stiff right hand.
Steward takes a swing at Sapolu's ribcage but misses.
Sapolu looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Mickey Sapolu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jab from Sapolu.
Sapolu tries to clinch up.

Sapolu gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
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!
Sapolu throws a punch but it's blocked by Steward.
Steward has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapolu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Steward's elbow.
Steward working hard to break the clinch.
Sapolu with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sapolu lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Steve Steward has been cut.
Steward has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Sapolu seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Steward can turn it around.
Sapolu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Steward has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sapolu lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Steward backwards.
Steward is trying to force a seperation but Sapolu has the dominant position.
Sapolu tries to throw a body punch but Steward avoids it by throwing Sapolu back against the cage.
Sapolu misses with a knee strike.
Sapolu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Steward's efforts to push away.
Sapolu lands with a right to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Steward tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nice body punch from Sapolu.
Sapolu connects with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steward prevents a body shot from Sapolu.
Sapolu scores with a hook to the body.
Sapolu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sapolu throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sapolu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sapolu tries to work over Steward's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Steward pushes Sapolu back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Steward wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Steward can't find room to land a body shot as Sapolu controls the action.
Steward tries to break free but Sapolu pushes him back against the cage.
Sapolu makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Steward blocks a body shot from Sapolu.
Steward prevents a body shot from Sapolu.
Sapolu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Steward blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sapolu scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sapolu misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Steward.
Sapolu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sapolu with a knee to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sapolu.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sapolu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sapolu lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Steward backwards.
Sapolu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sapolu.
Sapolu working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Sapolu misses with a hook to the ribs.
A frustrated look appears on Steward's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sapolu misses with some punches.
Steward has had enough of the clinch but Sapolu keeps him there for the moment.
Sapolu swings wildly with an uppercut but Steward uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey Sapolu dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sapolu tries to clinch but Steward moves away
and Steward counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Steward connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sapolu's hands.
Steward throws a low kick but it's checked well by Sapolu.
Sapolu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Sapolu moves into range and clinches up with Steward.
Sapolu tries to throw a body punch but Steward avoids it by throwing Sapolu back against the cage.
Steward has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sapolu avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Steward is working for takedown but Sapolu is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sapolu has a couple of punches blocked by Steward.
A frustrated look appears on Steward's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sapolu taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steward misses with the head strike.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sapolu throws a knee to the head but misses.
Steward lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Steward lands with a light punch inside.
Sapolu prevents a body shot from Steward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sapolu connects with a knee to the head.
Steward can't break the clinch.
Sapolu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Steward's efforts to push away.
Sapolu gets through Steward's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Steward tries to pull guard but Sapolu won't allow it.
Mickey Sapolu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Steward.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Steward.
Mickey Sapolu has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Sapolu manages to break the clinch.
Sapolu closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Steward misses with a looping left.
As Steward tries to get set, Sapolu tries to push him back and clinch up but Steward manages to avoid the attempt.
Steward throws a body punch but Sapolu moves out of range.
Steve Steward seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Steward lands a slapping body shot.
A left lands for Sapolu.
Steward shoots in for a takedown but Sapolu shows good takedown defense.
Steward scores with a jab. Sapolu acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steward pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sapolu tries to clinch there but Steward circles away.
Nice cross by Steward.
Steward chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sapolu can pounce on him.
Sapolu scores with a body shot.
Steward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sapolu moves away.
Steward misses the jab.
Sapolu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Steward paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Sapolu has managed to clinch.
Sapolu lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sapolu can't find room to land a body shot as Steward controls the action.
Steward stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sapolu lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Steward backwards.
Sapolu scores with a shot to the side of Steward's head.
Sapolu misses with the head strike.
Sapolu with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sapolu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Steward's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steward fails to pull guard.
Sapolu lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Sapolu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Steward can do to turn this around?
Steward misses with a punch to the body.
Sapolu scores with a knee to the head.
Steward tries to break free but Sapolu pushes him back against the cage.
Steward lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Steward throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Sapolu blocks it with crossed arms.
Steward tries to break the clinch but Sapolu is controlling the position.
Steward pushes Sapolu back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Sapolu lands with a left to the head.
Sapolu struggles to land a body shot inside as Steward controls his hands.
Sapolu working aggressively here.
Sapolu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Steward has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sapolu misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sapolu misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steward fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Sapolu throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Stewards head.
Sapolu tries a knee to the head but Steward blocks it.
Sapolu working aggressively here.
Sapolu lands with a right to the head.
Sapolu gets through Steward's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sapolu throws a punch but it's blocked by Steward.
Sapolu throws a punch but it's blocked by Steward.
Steward blocking some punches.
Steward has had enough of the clinch but Sapolu keeps him there for the moment.
Steward tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Sapolu drops Steward with a big knee straight up the middle! Steward is covering up against the cage but manages to escape and gets back to his feet!

Steward is rocked!

Steward gets tackled into the cage by Sapolu. Sapolu maintains the clinch.
Steward is still on wobbly legs! Can Sapolu finish him?
Steward wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sapolu has him pressed against the cage.
Sapolu unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Steward! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Sapolu is unloading with more strikes now! Steward drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mickey Sapolu!