PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pat O Brien (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Michaels might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Lose Yourself - Eminem. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Michaels
vs
O Brien

205 cm
22
245 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Steve Michaels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Pat O Brien!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Paul Tew and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

O Brien gets caught flat footed, as Michaels shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
O Brien looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Michaels postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
O Brien avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Michaels missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Michaels trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Michaels has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michaels is in close to O Brien's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Michaels connects with a couple of short punches.
Michaels lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Michaels working some strikes from top position.
Michaels with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Michaels wants to control from the top but O Brien keeps moving.
Michaels landing with the ground and pound.
Michaels postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
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!
Michaels with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
O Brien keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michaels postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Michaels postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Michaels working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Michaels knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for O Brien on the ground.
Michaels chips away with some ground and pound.

Michaels avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Michaels stands up over O Brien, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Michaels content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Michaels lands a couple of elbows.
Michaels scoring with punches to the head and body.
Michaels content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michaels working some strikes from top position.
Michaels scoring with punches to the head and body.
Michaels chips away with some ground and pound.
Michaels is in close to O Brien's body, working some short punches and elbows.

O Brien working for a triangle but Michaels defends it easily.
O Brien is trying to control the position but Michaels postures up.

O Brien working for a triangle but Michaels defends it easily.
Michaels is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Michaels will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Michaels lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Brien has momentary wrist control but Michaels slips an elbow through the middle.
Michaels is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Michaels landing with the ground and pound.
Michaels is in close to O Brien's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Michaels postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Michaels is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Michaels works over O Brien with some ground and pound from guard.
Michaels stops O Brien from standing up.

O Brien looking for a guillotine here but Michaels defends easily.
Michaels trying to control but O Brien is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels distracts O Brien with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michaels trying to control but O Brien is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
O Brien with a poor takedown

so Michaels counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Michaels working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of O Brien's head.
Michaels postures up in O Brien's guard and throws a big left but O Brien blocks it.
O Brien not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Michaels landing with the ground and pound.
Michaels throwing strikes but missing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Michaels connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Michaels dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Michaels bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
O Brien is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Michaels is controlling him well.
Michaels grinds an elbow into O Brien's temple.
O Brien takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Michaels scoring with punches from side control.
O Brien is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
O Brien taking a bit of punishment here - Michaels scoring with strikes.
O Brien is trying to improve his position.
Steve Michaels overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Michaels lands a decent elbow from side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Michaels working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Michaels is looking to take a break and control but O Brien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
O Brien takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Brien is trying to improve his position.
O Brien is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
O Brien is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Michaels working the head with strikes.
O Brien takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
O Brien can't do much from the bottom here.
Michaels landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
O Brien regains half guard.
Michaels sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. O Brien defending well though.
Ground and pound from Michaels.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
O Brien wants to control but Michaels is keeping busy and won't allow it.
O Brien flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
O Brien tries to roll over but Michaels keeps him under control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Michaels fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. O Brien sprawls well initially but Michaels persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Michaels drops an elbow to the side of O Brien's head.
Michaels misses with a head shot. O Brien uses the momentum to regain guard.
Michaels is looking to work some ground and pound but O Brien has wrist control.
Michaels throws a big right hand that misses.
Michaels distracts O Brien with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

O Brien throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Michaels trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Brien utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Michaels scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
O Brien keeping moving, preventing Michaels from controlling successfully.
Michaels postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
O Brien lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Michaels!
O Brien misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Michaels blocking the ground and pound.
O Brien blocks Michaels's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Michaels really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Michaels is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Michaels on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Michaels tries to get out of the position.
Michaels is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Michaels tries to control O Brien's body but O Brien pushes him off. Michaels squirms to his side and now O Brien has his back!
O Brien has the hooks in. Michaels is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

O Brien is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

O Brien working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Michaels trying to control but not successfully.
Michaels tries to roll but O Brien sticks to his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Michaels dominated that second round.
That's time! Michaels's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

O Brien misses with a takedown

and Michaels counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Michaels looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks O Brien with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Michaels working O Brien over with strikes.
Michaels looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks O Brien with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Michaels is looking to take a break and control but O Brien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
O Brien is trying to control but can't.
Nice strikes from Michaels there.
Michaels winds up and cracks O Brien with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Michaels lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
O Brien wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
O Brien moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michaels distracts O Brien with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
O Brien has momentary wrist control but Michaels slips an elbow through the middle.

O Brien working for a triangle but Michaels defends it easily.
O Brien working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Michaels.
Michaels works over O Brien with some ground and pound from guard.
Michaels distracts O Brien with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

O Brien is looking for a triangle but Michaels pushes his legs off easily.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Michaels's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Michaels throwing strikes but missing.

O Brien is looking for a triangle but Michaels pushes his legs off easily.
Michaels throwing strikes from guard but O Brien blocks nicely.
Michaels landing with the ground and pound.
Michaels trying to control but O Brien is working from the bottom.
O Brien throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Michaels lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels stopping the sweep attempt from O Brien.
Michaels is looking to work some ground and pound but O Brien has wrist control.
O Brien looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No luck for Michaels with that takedown attempt.
Michaels doesn't succeed with the takedown
and O Brien counters with a solid body kick.
O Brien shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Michaels pinned against the cage. Michaels gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
O Brien tries for a takedown but Michaels circles away easily

and Michaels counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Michaels.
Steve Michaels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pat O Brien.
Michaels trying to control but O Brien is working from the bottom.

O Brien looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Michaels lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

O Brien looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Michaels landing some decent shots from guard.
Steve Michaels is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

O Brien had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Michaels is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. O Brien Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Michaels's back instead.

O Brien is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Michaels is defending well though. O Brien let's go of the attempt for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Michaels tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Pat O Brien has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michaels wants to hold on but O Brien pushes him away.
Michaels holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as O Brien tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Michaels showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Michaels, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:26
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:26
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Michaels!