PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stanley Steele (ranked 173 p4p, 28 weight class) and John Lawrence (ranked 379 p4p, 53 weight class). Steele's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Manowar - Heart of Steel. Lawrence is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: No Surrender. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Steele
vs
Lawrence

179 cm
27
185 lbs
18 - 6 - 0

180 cm
25
195 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Urban Fighter
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 18 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Stanley Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Lawrence!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Atkins and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawrence lands with a nice body punch.

Lawrence gets the takedown into side control.

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

Lawrence thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lawrence lands a nice forearm strike.
Lawrence trying to control the position but Steele is working away.
Lawrence throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawrence tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Steele's coaches at Chris Leben KO Academy have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Lawrence wants to control but Steele is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lawrence goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Steele has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Lawrence but great work by Steele.
Steele working away.
Steele controls the position.
Lawrence is trying to get back to half guard.
Steele is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Lawrence is trying to control Steele's posture but Steele avoids it.
Lawrence tries to improve position but can't.
Steele takes a little break here. Lawrence wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Lawrence is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Steele just content to control the position.
Lawrence is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Steele off and has taken his back!

Lawrence working for a choke but Steele reverses nicely into Lawrence 's guard.
Steele 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.
Lawrence looking to control.
Lawrence tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Lawrence has an active guard here but Steele has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawrence is looking for a sweep. Steele is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lawrence keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Steele is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Lawrence gets full guard.
Lawrence can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Steele controls the pace.
Steele stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lawrence swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Steele is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Lawrence wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lawrence is trying to keep Steele in close.
Lawrence looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Steele works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lawrence is trying to maintain the position but Steele is very close to passing his half guard.
Lawrence is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Steele's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Steele's back!

Lawrence working for the choke.
Steele holding both Lawrence 's hands and preventing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Steele is having to fend off submission attempts from Lawrence, who is looking to sink in the choke. Lawrence doesn't have the hooks in though and Steele manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Steele passes Lawrence's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Lawrence will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Lawrence thows a left - swing and a miss!
Steele keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lawrence.
Steele thows a left - swing and a miss!
Steele misses with a looping right.
Lawrence steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Steele.
Steele displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lawrence throws out the jab.
Lawrence scores with a jab. Steele acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Steele walks into a left hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Lawrence misses the target.
Lawrence ducks under a wild hook from Steele.
Lawrence has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Steele is landing a low percentage of strikes.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Steele enables Lawrence to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Steele manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Steele looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Lawrence postures up in Steele's guard and throws a big left but Steele blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawrence wants to control from the top but Steele keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lawrence looking to pass the guard.
Lawrence is looking to pass into half guard but Steele pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Steele is in guard.

Lawrence is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lawrence wants to sweep but no luck.
Steele's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lawrence had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Steele defends it easily.
Steele showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Lawrence throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Lawrence looking to hit a scissor sweep but Steele is one step ahead there.
Lawrence has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Lawrence working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Steele doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Steele manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele tries to free his leg and advance position but Lawrence is retaining full guard.

Lawrence looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lawrence working a defensive guard here.
Steele not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Steele misses with a straight left.
Decent striking displayed by Lawrence there.
Lawrence moves forwards but Steele connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Lawrence thuds his right hand into Steele's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Lawrence cracks Steele with an open hand slap.
Lawrence throws a poor cross that misses
and Steele makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Lawrence misses with a right hand
and Steele counters with a stiff right hand.
Stanley Steele is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Lawrence misses its intended target.
Lawrence blocks a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lawrence. Steele does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lawrence misses the shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Steele.
Lawrence uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Steele.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steele dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Danga de danga de dang - Lawrence scores with a four punch combination!
Steele slips under a jab from Lawrence.
Lawrence missing with a left hand there. Steele was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Lawrence looks for a takedown but Steele sprawls well.
Lawrence moves out of range as Steele strikes.
Steele punishes Lawrence's body with a nice straight punch.
Lawrence looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lawrence showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Lawrence lands with a cross.
Steele defending well as Lawrence loads up on a big left hand.
Lawrence takes a swing at Steele's ribcage but misses.
Steele throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Steele with a jab.
Steele takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lawrence misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steele.
A combination from Lawrence does no damage.
Steele ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lawrence moves away.
Lawrence throws out a loose jab but Steele uses good head movement to avoid it.
Steele digs a good hook to Lawrence's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Lawrence throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lawrence swings for the body but Steele moves out of range.
Lawrence bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Steele's head backwards.
Steele avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steele has Lawrence up against the cage in a clinch.
Steele with a knee to the head.

It looks like John Lawrence has been cut.
Steele is working Lawrence over against the cage.
Lawrence takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Steele scores with a knee to the head.
Steele is leaning against Lawrence and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Steele creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Steele lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lawrence backwards.
Steele landing knees to the head.

Lawrence is rocked!
Steele lands an uppercut.
Lawrence is still on wobbly legs! Can Steele finish him?
Steele scores with an uppercut up the middle.
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!
Steele with the Thai clinch, moves his hips back and unleashes a brutal knee to the head! Lawrence drops to the mat in a crumpled heap! Huuuuuuge knee there! WOW!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Stanley Steele!
Our winner, Stanley Steele, 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.
The defeated John Lawrence had this to say: 'Cobra Kai Rules!! Ill be back. No retreat! No surrender! Strike First! Strike Hard!'.