PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gustav Steyn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Krundel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gustav Steyn had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Steyn
vs
Krundel

174 cm
22
199 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

174 cm
19
206 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Gustav Steyn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, AJ Krundel!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steyn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Krundel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gustav Steyn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Steyn gets caught flat footed, as Krundel shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Steyn tries to strike from the bottom.
Krundel preventing the sweep.
Krundel wants to control from the top but Steyn keeps moving.
Krundel wants to pass the guard but Steyn is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steyn is trying to keep Krundel in close.
Steyn looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Krundel puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Steyn wants to improve his position but Krundel is controlling well.
Krundel wants to take a breather but Steyn is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Krundel tries to close the distance and clinch but Steyn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steyn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Steyn trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Krundel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Krundel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Steyn's head.
Krundel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Steyn's head.
Steyn is looking to control Krundel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Steyn avoid being mounted?
Steyn has hold of Krundel's hands but Krundel slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Steyn could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Steyn is pressing down on Krundel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Krundel wants to control from the top but Steyn keeps moving.
Steyn will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steyn looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Krundel has picked Steyn up and slammed him! Steyn can't keep hold of the triangle and Krundel manages to pass to side control!
Steyn manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Steyn is looking for a sweep. Krundel is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Krundel is looking for a kimura but Steyn is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Krundel to get the leverage.
Steyn is breathing heavily.
Steyn trying to get back to full guard but Krundel takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

Krundel looking for a guillotine from mount but Steyn is having none of it.
Krundel landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steyn is bucking up trying to escape but Krundel cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steyn is in all sorts of trouble here.
Krundel is trying to control here but Steyn has managed to regain half guard.
Steyn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Krundel is looking to take a break and control but Steyn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Krundel blocks the strikes from Steyn.
Steyn is controlling Krundel's trapped leg to prevent Krundel from advancing to side control.
Steyn avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Krundel.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Krundel sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Steyn throws a strike from the bottom but Krundel passes into side control!

Krundel looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Steyn manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Krundel dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Steyn bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Steyn grinds an elbow into Krundel's temple.
Krundel is trying to control Steyn's posture but Steyn avoids it.
Krundel gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Krundel wants to hold on but Steyn pushes him away.
Steyn cracks Krundel with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Krundel is desperately trying to improve his position but Steyn has a good base and remains in mount.
Steyn scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Krundel?
Steyn trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krundel working to try and regain half guard.
Steyn working Krundel over with strikes here.
Krundel has given up his back here.
Krundel staying busy and making it hard for Steyn to control.
Steyn lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Krundel.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Steyn here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Steyn has Krundel flattened out and is raining down punches.
Steyn scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krundel is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Steyn.
Steyn throwing damaging strikes from the back! Krundel could be in trouble here!
Steyn wants to control but Krundel is keeping busy.
Krundel tries to break free.
Steyn landing with strikes.

Krundel is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Steyn gets his way!
Krundel manages to reverse the position and now he's in Steyn's guard. Nice work there by Krundel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steyn keeping moving, preventing Krundel from controlling successfully.
Steyn throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Krundel trying to control but Steyn is working from the bottom.
Steyn is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Krundel trying to control from the bottom.
Steyn landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

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.
Krundel trying to control from the bottom.

Steyn stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Krundel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Krundel lands in his opponent's guard.

Steyn working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Krundel has passed into half guard!
Steyn works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustav Steyn dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Steyn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Krundel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Krundel prevents Steyn from improving his position.
Steyn is not content to let Krundel control the position.
Steyn tries to roll over but Krundel keeps him under control.
Steyn trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Krundel avoids the attempt from Steyn to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steyn is trying desperately to improve position.

Krundel jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Steyn is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Steyn and Krundel has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Krundel is looking to take a break and control but Steyn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Steyn tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Steyn is trying to work for a sweep but Krundel has mounted him!
Krundel wants to control the pace but Steyn is squirming around nicely.

Krundel is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Steyn is surviving well by controlling Krundel's body position as best he can.
Steyn is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Steyn sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Steyn wants to control but Krundel is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steyn is defending against the submission attempts here by Krundel.
Steyn is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Gustav Steyn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Steyn with the active half guard here but Krundel passes nicely into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

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.
Steyn is trying to improve his position.
Krundel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steyn keeps working.
Steyn is trying to improve his position.
Krundel blocks the strikes from Steyn.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Krundel wants to control but Steyn is keeping him busy.
Steyn is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Krundel off and has taken his back!

And that's the end of the fight!
AJ Krundel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Krundel has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... AJ Krundel!