PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Middle Weight (ranked 1479 p4p, 194 weight class) and Steve Butabi (ranked 1469 p4p, 193 weight class). Steve Butabi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Weight
vs
Butabi

170 cm
31
195 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

180 cm
24
186 lbs
18 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Middle Weight!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Butabi!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Weight waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Butabi.
Middle Weight seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Weight misses with a hook to the body
letting Butabi counter with a right hand.
Weight seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

Butabi clinches.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Butabi has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Butabi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Weight tries a body shot but Butabi blocks it.
Butabi lands a hook that snaps the head of Weight backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Butabi.
Butabi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Weight misses with a hook to the ribs.
A left hand lands to the body for Weight.
Butabi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Butabi misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Weight to keep the fight standing.
Butabi lands a hook to the side of the head.
Butabi fails to pull guard.
Butabi struggles to land a body shot inside as Weight controls his hands.
Butabi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Middle Weight has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Butabi.
Butabi tries to work over Weight's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weight fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Good body shot from Weight.
Butabi tries to pull guard but Weight won't allow it.
Butabi prevents a body shot from Weight.
Butabi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Butabi can't find room to land a body shot as Weight controls the action.
Butabi fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Butabi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Weight misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Weight lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Weight blocks an uppercut.
Butabi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Weight lands with a short shot to the head.
Butabi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short body shot lands from Weight as the two fighters clinch.
Butabi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Weight misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Butabi manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Weight seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weight continues to stall.

Butabi working for a triangle but Weight defends it easily.

Butabi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Weight sitting in guard here, content to control.

Weight avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weight controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Butabi looking for a guillotine here but Weight defends easily.
Weight's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Weight has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Butabi working for a triangle but Weight defends it easily.

Butabi looking for a guillotine here but Weight defends easily.

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.
Weight slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Butabi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Butabi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Weight gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Butabi is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Weight defends well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Butabi is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Weight has his hands clasped together but Butabi extends and breaks Weight's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Butabi.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Steve Butabi!
Steve Butabi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.