PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darren Steward (ranked 5638 p4p, 459 weight class) and Steven Steele (ranked 3986 p4p, 389 weight class). The key to victory for Darren Steward has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Steward
vs
Steele

182 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

184 cm
25
181 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Solid chin

This Is England (Everything $25)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Darren Steward !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steven Steele!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, William Gold and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Steele has closed the distance and engaged Steward in a clinch.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Steward 's defenses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Steward creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Steele throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Our sources have told us that Steward has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Steward lands a shoulder strike.
Steward dodges an elbow strike from Steele.
Steele lands an elbow just above Steward 's eye.
Steele misses with an elbow over the top.
Steele lands an elbow inside.
Steward avoids a wild elbow strike from Steele.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Steward 's defenses.

It looks like Darren Steward has been cut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Steward .
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!
Steward misses with a hook from the clinch.
Steward is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Steele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Steward swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Steele lands a damaging elbow.

Steele gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Steward is trying to get back to full guard.
Steward makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Steward .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steward looking to hit a scissor sweep but Steele is one step ahead there.
Steele has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Steward is proving hard to escape from.

Steele gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A low kick from Steward misses

and Steele counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Steward trying to control the position.
Steele has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Steward is proving hard to escape from.
Steward trying to control the position.

Steward is looking for a triangle but Steele pushes his legs off easily.
Steward is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steward wants to sweep here but Steele controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Steward tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Steward feints and then cracks Steele's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Steele down.
Steele avoids the body shot from Steward .
A head kick by Steward misses

and Steele counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Steward wants to get back to his feet but Steele passes into half guard.

Steele stands up and beckons Steward to join him on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steward pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Steele gets in close and instigates a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Steele throws an elbow but misses.

Steele has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Steward regains guard immediately.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Steward trying to control the position.
Steward looking for a sweep. Not yet Steward , not yet.
Steward is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Steele dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Darren Steward '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.

Steward pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Steward throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Steele counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Steele preventing the sweep.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Steward holds on and takes a little breather.
Steward looking for a sweep. Not yet Steward , not yet.
Steward wants to stand up but Steele is controlling him.
Steven Steele has got the better of the ground game so far.
Steward trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steward has a closed guard, preventing Steele from standing up.
Steele looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele preventing the sweep.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Steele displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Steward throws out the jab.

Steele gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Steele has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Steward takes an elbow to the forehead.
Steward avoids the elbow strike from Steele, against the cage.
Steward blocks an elbow strike from Steele.
Steward takes an elbow to the temple.
Steele misses with an elbow over the top.
Steele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Steward tries to land knees in the clinch but Steele avoids the damage to the body.
Nice elbow from Steele.
Steward fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Steele looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Steele blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Steward tries to land knees in the clinch but Steele avoids the damage to the body.
Steward tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Steele avoids it.
Steele blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steward tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Steward dodges an elbow strike from Steele.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Steward blocks the elbow strike.
Steward lands a knee to the head.
Steele pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Steele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Steele lands a takedown into guard.
Steele wants to get up but he can't break Steward 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Steele stops Steward from standing up.
Steward looking for a sweep. Not yet Steward , not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steele wants to get up but he can't break Steward 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steward working a defensive guard here.
Steward is really struggling to control Steele but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Steele on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Steward misses with a head kick.

Steele forces Steward back against the cage and clinches.
Steele managing to block the knees to the body from Steward .
Steward avoids a wild elbow strike from Steele.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Steward 's defenses.
Steven Steele seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Steele creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Steele misses with an elbow over the top.
Steele pushes off an throws an elbow but Steward leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Steele lands an elbow inside that Steward shrugs off.
Steele lands an elbow just above Steward 's eye.
Steele working aggressively here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Steele.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Steele misses with some punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steward taking a breather.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Steele.
Steele comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Steele pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Steward .
Steele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Steele wants the takedown. Steward is fighting it off but Steele persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Steward 's guard against the cage.
Steele has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Steward is proving hard to escape from.

Steele stands up and waves to Steward to follow him.
Steele throws a wild body kick that Steward sees coming a mile off.
Steward seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Steward .
Darren Steward seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steele uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Steward .
Steward tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Steele counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A lazy body kick from Steward

and Steele decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Steward 's guard.

Steward scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Steward smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Steward gets tackled into the cage by Steele. Steele maintains the clinch.
Steele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Steele misses with some punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steward misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Steward tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steward misses with a knee to the head.
Steele lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Steele throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Steele misses with an elbow over the top.
Steele throws an elbow that misses.
Steele lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Steele lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Steward wants to improve his position but Steele is controlling well.
Steele tries to stand but can't do so whilst Steward controls his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steward wants to control but Steele is keeping busy.

Steele decides to return to a standing position.
Steele misses with an attempted mid kick.
Steward misses with an uppercut. Steele saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A big left from Steward misses.
Steward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Steele moves away.
Steward throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Steele counters with a nice double leg into side control. Steward won't be happy with that.

Steward explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Steele clinches with his opponent.
Steward takes an elbow to the temple.
Steward blocks an elbow strike from Steele.
Steele misses with an elbow strike.
Steele comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Steele avoiding damage as Steward throws knees to the body.
Steele lands a damaging elbow.
Steele blocks the elbow strike.
Steele creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Steward 's defenses.

Steele gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Steele tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Steward tries to roll over but Steele keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steward wants to get back to his feet.
Steele tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Steward .
Steele prevents Steward from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Steele postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Steward to stand up.
Steward lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Steward lands a high kick!
Steven Steele is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Steele ducks under a wild hook from Steward .

Steele closes the distance and clinches.
Steward tries a knee to the head but Steele blocks it.
Steele misses with an elbow strike.
Steward throws a punch but it's blocked by Steele.

Steele tightens his grip and picks Steward up, before dumping him to the ground. Steward manages to land in guard.
Steele is looking to stand up but Steward won't let him.

Steele stands and steps away. Steward gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Darren Steward has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Steele has taken the fight to the clinch.
Steward is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Steele is defending well for now.
Steele creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Steele comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Steele 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

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