PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Steel (ranked 1205 p4p, 2348 weight class) and Demir Kocak (ranked 140 p4p, 277 weight class). Daniel Steel has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Steel
vs
Kocak

225 cm
30
265
14 - 9 - 0

210 cm
36
261
25 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Demir Kocak!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Jeff Smith and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kocak moves away.
Kocak appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Steel digs a good body shot into Kocak's ribs.
Steel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kocak manages to avoid it.
Kocak is trying to counter with his kicks.
Kocak has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Steel walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

It looks like Daniel Steel has been cut.
Steel misses with a right hand

and Kocak counters with a crisp right hand that drops Steel! Kocak lets Steel back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
A looping hook to the body misses from Steel. Kocak does a little dance to reset his feet.
Steel connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kocak slips a straight right by Steel.
Steel punishes Kocak's body with a nice straight punch.
Steel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kocak swings widly with a right hand
and Steel counters with a nice uppercut.
Kocak looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kocak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kocak takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Steel misses
and Kocak counters with a straight right hand.
Kocak moves away from the strike by Steel.
A little jabbing left from Kocak on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Steel moves into the clinch.

Steel jumps guard and drags Kocak to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kocak stays in close to Steel's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Steel is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kocak is aware though and is defending well.
Steel seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Kocak pushes down on Steel's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kocak perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Steel trying to hold on to Kocak's head to control him but Kocak postures up.
Steel tries to get to full guard but Kocak has control of the leg.
Steel holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Steel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Steel looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel tries to roll over but Kocak keeps him under control.

Steel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Steel is looking to wear down Kocak with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Steel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kocak throws out the jab.
Kocak walks into a stiff left hand from Steel.
Steel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kocak.
Kocak throws a body kick that misses
and Steel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kocak throws a leg kick
enabling Steel to counter with a crisp jab.
Kocak has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kocak there as he acknowledges the shot.
Steel lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kocak throws a leg kick that is checked
and Steel counters with a straight right hand.
Steel is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Steel works Kocak's body with a nice hook.
Kocak throws a jab when Steel was well out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kocak jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Steel is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Steel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kocak throws out the jab.
Steel takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Kocak on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kocak misses with a body kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Steel misses the target.
Kocak misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Steel really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Steel misses with a straight right.
Kocak throws a fast counter high kick but Steel manages to duck under it in time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Daniel Steel's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kocak throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Steel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kocak manages to avoid it.
Kocak misses with a combination
enabling Steel to counter with a crisp jab.
Kocak moves out of range of the strikes.
Kocak throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Daniel Steel is winning the standup battle so far.
Steel looks to land a right hand but Kocak moved out of range.
Kocak takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Steel throws a looping overhand right but Kocak ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel scores with a nice strike.
Kocak moves out of range as Steel strikes.
Kocak tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Steel was well out of range. Poor timing from Kocak.
Steel moves in looking to clinch but Kocak pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kocak lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Steel circles away quickly and effectively.
Kocak ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A telegraphed right hand from Kocak misses the target.
Steel on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Daniel Steel's cut is getting worse.
Steel lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Kocak looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Good leg kick by Kocak.
Kocak connects with a good right hand that stumbles Steel. Steel circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Steel is rocked!
A shot to the body from Steel misses
and Kocak counters with an outside leg kick.
Kocak lands a front kick.
Kocak throws a lazy right hand but Steel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A slow jab from Kocak misses its intended target.
Steel has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kocak throws a right hand that misses
and Steel counters with a stiff right hand.
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!
Steel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kocak was well out of range. Poor timing from Steel.
Steel scores with a decent looking hook.
Kocak throws a looping overhand right but Steel ducks down to avoid it.
Steel is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Kocak.
Kocak throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Steel counters with a series of strikes. Kocak will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kocak walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kocak throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Steel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Steel staying out of range there.
Kocak throws a series of punches but Steel moves out of range.
Kocak misses with an attempted mid kick.
Steel takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kocak throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Steel throws a big shot that misses.
Kocak has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kocak there as he acknowledges the shot.
Steel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kocak is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Steel throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kocak counters with a good low kick that Steel was not able to check.
Steel keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kocak.
Kocak misses with a kick to the body.
Steel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kocak manages to avoid it.
Kocak's corner calls for a 1-2. Kocak obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Kocak tests Steel's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Steel connects with a right hand. Kocak shakes it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kocak gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steel swings for the body but Kocak moves out of range.
Kocak throws a counter combo.
Kocak blocks a jab.
Kocak swings for the body but Steel moves out of range.
Steel misses with a body shot.
Steel missing with a left hand there. Kocak was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kocak misses with a low kick.
Steel tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kocak manages to circle out of the way.
Steel throws a big shot that misses.
Kocak looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kocak misses with an uppercut.
Steel misses with a lunging right hand
and Kocak finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Steel. Kocak does a little dance to reset his feet.
It seemed like Kocak was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Daniel Steel will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Daniel Steel's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kocak throws a right hand that misses
letting Steel counter with a right hand.

Steel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kocak, pushing him back against the cage.
Kocak digs a right hand into Steel's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Steel's gas tank.
Kocak has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kocak.
Steel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Kocak breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steel is looking to clinch but Kocak is avoiding it.
Kocak is looking to land body kicks.
Steel moves out of range as Kocak strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Steel on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Steel cracks Kocak with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kocak punishes Steel's body with a nice straight punch.
Kocak throws a body shot but no joy.
Kocak throws a leg kick that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kocak throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Steel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel slips under a jab from Kocak.
Kocak tries to land a body kick
and Steel counters with a straight right hand.
Steel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Steel slips a jab from Kocak.
Kocak throws a big shot that misses.
Steel moves in looking to clinch but Kocak pushes him off.
Good shot there by Kocak.
Kocak fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Steel to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Steel looks to clinch but Kocak throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Steel taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Demir Kocak!
A relieved looking Demir Kocak thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.