PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cole Steel (ranked 1015 p4p, 538 weight class) and Sparring John (ranked 135 p4p, 75 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Steel
vs
John

193 cm
23
218
6 - 4 - 1

194 cm
24
205
8 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

BKC Nutrition and Laundry [30%]

Shadow Realm Apparel
Black Lab Clothing

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 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Cole Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sparring John!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, John Kavanagh and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
John misses with a wild combination.
John misses with a series of wild punches.
Steel is on the wrong end of a nice combination from John.
Steel tries a head kick but it misses.
Steel throws a lazy uppercut
and John counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
John jabbing away but nothing is landing.
John slips a straight right by Steel.
John bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Steel's head.
Steel throws a shot to the body.
Steel scores with a nice head shot.
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 shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. John eats them both and turns towards Steel to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Steel scores with a three punch combo!

John gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

John pushes Steel off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John misses with a double jab
and Steel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
John just misses with a punch to the body.
Steel scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. John doesn't seem bothered though.
Steel swings and misses with a hook to the body.
John has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Steel finds it's way round the side to connect with John's head.
A left lands for Steel.
Steel misses with a telegraphed body shot
and John counters with a lovely straight right hand!
John keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Steel moves out of range of the strikes.
Steel with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Steel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but John swivels and escapes.
John misses with a wild body shot.

John tries to keep at a distance but Steel has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Steel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John is looking to break free of the clinch but Steel has double underhooks.

Steel has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics John uses from the top position.
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.
Steel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. John manages to get himself to full guard.

Steel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Steel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
John controls Steel momentarily but Steel frees himself.
Steel passes into half guard.

Steel seems to be looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
John is trying to get back to full guard.

Steel is looking for a kimura but John is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Steel to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel is trying to control the action in half guard but John is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Steel seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
John felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Steel wants to pass to mount but John is defending the position.
Steel working over John with some ground and pound. John looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
John avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Steel.
Steel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
John is trying is best to control the position here.
Steel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
John is trying to maintain the position but Steel is very close to passing his half guard.
Steel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Steel works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on John's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
John defending against the ground and pound.
Steel tries to score with some ground and pound. John controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Steel cracks John with a big right hand but John just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
John can't do much from the bottom here.
Who's going to make the next move?

Steel thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Steel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, John has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Steel dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Steel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Steel misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Steel landing strikes.
John tries to bench press Steel off him but Steel keeps the position.
Steel tries to score with some ground and pound. John controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
John struggling a bit here.

Steel is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but John is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A lull in the action here.

Steel is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. John knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel throwing strikes but John manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
John wants to stand but Steel has his arm trapped.
Steel is trying to improve his position.
Steel is trying to control John's posture but John avoids it.
John wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steel keeps working.
Steel can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John taking a breather here.
John tries to stand but Steel is controlling his head.
Steel tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but John wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Steel struggling a bit here.
John controlling the position.
Steel is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
John tries to stand but Steel is controlling his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel is looking to reverse the position.
Steel regains half guard.
Steel has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Steel is trying to maintain the position but John is very close to passing his half guard.
Steel is refusing to be controlled, as John sits in half guard.
Steel is looking to improve his position.
Steel makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Steel.
Steel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
John trying to control but Steel is working from the bottom.
Steel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

John got a little sloppy there for a moment and Steel has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, John has managed to get both his arms back between Steel's legs - danger averted.
John stopping the sweep attempt from Steel.
Steel looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steel keeping moving, preventing John from controlling successfully.
John pushes down on Steel's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Steel regains full guard. Nicely done.
John trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Steel has control of John's left arm, preventing John from doing any damage.
Steel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that John can do to turn this around?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Steel is looking for a triangle but John pushes his legs off easily.

Steel is looking for a triangle but John pushes his legs off easily.
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 Cole Steel will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Steel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from John.
John ducks under a wild hook from Steel.
John looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cole Steel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steel throws the left hand but John avoids the punch easily.
Steel dives in for a single leg takedown but John sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Steel digs a right hand into John's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on John's gas tank.

John escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cole Steel is winning the standup battle so far.
Steel throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
John with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Steel to score with a decent uppercut.
Steel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A little jabbing left from John on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
John connects with a body shot that sends Steel's belly button to the back.
John misses with a double jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from John.
Some wild striking there from John.
Steel throws a big counter combination but John scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Steel lands with an uppercut that bounces John off the cage and back into range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel looks to land a left hand but John moved out of range nicely.
Steel throws a hook but John blocks it.
John throws a looping overhand right but Steel ducks down to avoid it.

John drops Steel with a beautiful combination! Steel stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - John is looking for the KO!

It looks like Cole Steel has been cut.
Steel works the jab nicely.
Steel slips a jab and a cross from John.
Sparring John is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Steel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but John was well out of range. Poor timing from Steel.
Steel looks to land a combination but John avoids it well.
John lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
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 lands a glancing blow to the side of John's head.
Steel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from John.
John connects with a jab.
Steel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. John sees it coming and avoids it easily.
John let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Steel displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Steel misses with a straight right.
A slow jab from Steel misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left and a right from Steel both land. Nice combination.
John looks to score with a jab to the body but Steel is just out of range.
Steel takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Steel lands a lovely overhand right.
John throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Steel lands with a hook. John tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Steel slips under a jab.
John swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
John scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Steel doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice uppercut lands for Steel. That snapped John's head back.
Steel misses with an uppercut
and John connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Steel lands with a good body shot.
Steel throws a lazy right hand but John sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A combination from Steel does no damage.
John looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel takes a swing at John's ribcage but misses.
Steel slips under a jab.
John throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Steel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
John is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Steel scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sparring John has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John gets back to full guard.
John controls Steel momentarily but Steel frees himself.
Steel trying to control but John is working from the bottom.
John is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel postures up in John's guard and throws a big left but John blocks it.
John avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Steel wants to control from the top but John keeps moving.

John has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Steel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
John keeping full guard, as Steel tries to pass.
Steel lands a couple of digs.
Steel wants to pass the guard but John is keeping the position.
Cole Steel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cole Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Steel got a little sloppy there for a moment and John has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Steel has managed to get both his arms back between John's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Cole Steel.
Well Steel has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cole Steel!
Our winner, Cole Steel, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.