PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edward Steinbach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Angle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Steinbach
vs
Angle

196 cm
22
272 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Improved boxing
Inexperienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edward Steinbach!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kurt Angle!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steinbach sends Angle crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Steinbach is motioning to the referee to let Angle up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Angle is rocked!

Angle darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Angle is still on wobbly legs! Can Steinbach finish him?
Angle wants to stand but Steinbach has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Angle looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Angle seems to have recovered his senses.
Steinbach is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Angle jumps into side control!
Angle misses with the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steinbach is trying to control Angle's posture but Angle avoids it.
Steinbach knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Angle on the ground.
Angle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steinbach keeps working.
Steinbach tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Steinbach takes the fight into the clinch.
Steinbach tries a knee to the head but Angle blocks it.

Steinbach works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Steinbach can do anything to dispel that myth.

Angle throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Angle is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Steinbach is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Angle gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Steinbach lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Angle is trying to break free.

Angle escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steinbach tries to clinch up.

Steinbach feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Steinbach trying to control the position from guard on top but Angle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steinbach is breathing heavily.
Steinbach content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angle not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Angle wants to stand and escape but Steinbach is having none of it.
Steinbach trying to control the position from guard on top but Angle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Angle working for a triangle but Steinbach defends it easily.
Steinbach is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Angle looking to control.
Angle keeping moving, preventing Steinbach from controlling successfully.
Steinbach controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Angle looking for a guillotine here but Steinbach defends easily.
Angle wants to stand up but Steinbach is controlling him.
Steinbach trying to control the position from guard on top but Angle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Angle pulls Steinbach in close to prevent any damage.
Angle looking for a sweep. Not yet Angle, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Angle is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Steinbach looking to pass the guard.
Steinbach has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Steinbach won't allow Angle to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Steinbach swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Angle wants to clinch up but Steinbach keeps it at a distance.
Steinbach fails with the takedown

and Angle counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Steinbach's guard now.
Angle content to stall in guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Angle trying to control the position from guard on top but Steinbach is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Angle stops Steinbach from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Edward Steinbach will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Angle gets the takedown into side control.
Angle working the head and body with strikes.

Angle looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Steinbach stops Angle from passing to mount.
Steinbach is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Angle stands up.
Steinbach lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steinbach connects with a body shot.
Angle fails with an attempt to clinch.
Steinbach misses with a head kick.

Angle darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Angle lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steinbach wants to sweep but Angle has passed to side control!
Angle in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Steinbach taking a bit of punishment here - Angle scoring with strikes.
Steinbach is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Angle off and has taken his back!
Angle wants to escape the position but for the time being he's just trying to control the pace.
Angle rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Angle gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angle trying to keep a closed guard but Steinbach is proving a slippery customer.

Angle working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Steinbach doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Steinbach manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Angle is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Angle striking off his back but it's not causing Steinbach any problems.

Angle has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Steinbach off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Angle throws out a powerful jab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Angle.
Angle trying to control the position but Steinbach is working away.
Kurt Angle has got the better of the ground game so far.

Angle decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steinbach jabs Angle right on the nose. Angle blinks but takes it well.
Steinbach scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Angle throws a right hand that Steinbach ducks under and follows up with a left that Steinbach also avoids with ease.
Steinbach cracks Angle with a big right hand and Angle goes down!
Angle looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steinbach trying to control but Angle is working from the bottom.
Angle can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Steinbach controls the pace.
Angle looking to control.
Steinbach pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Angle is keeping the position for now.

Angle looking for a guillotine here but Steinbach defends easily.
Angle not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angle manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
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!
Steinbach tries to improve his position but instead Angle has taken his back!
Steinbach is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Angle looking for the choke from the back.

Angle working for a choke but Steinbach is defending well.

Steinbach is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steinbach is really stuck here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Angle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Angle scores with a takedown into Steinbach's guard.
Angle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Steinbach will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Steinbach holds on and takes a little breather.
Angle throwing strikes from guard but Steinbach blocks nicely.

Angle gets to his feet - Steinbach follows without any prompting.
Steinbach shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Angle counters with an outside leg kick.

Angle looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Steinbach wants to get back to full guard.
Angle trying to control the action but Steinbach is working from the bottom.
Angle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Steinbach is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steinbach trying to control but Angle postures up.
Angle tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Steinbach slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Angle trying to control but Steinbach is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice straight punches there by Steinbach. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Steinbach.
Steinbach jabs Angle right on the nose. Angle blinks but takes it well.

Angle shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Angle was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Steinbach wants to hold on but Angle pushes him away.
Angle dominating with strikes here.
Angle trying to control but Steinbach is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angle controlling the pace for now.
Angle lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Angle tries to control but Steinbach wriggling away.
Steinbach looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Angle.
Angle has the hooks in. Steinbach is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Angle controls the action.
I really don't envy Steinbach right now.
Angle connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Steinbach to escape the position.

Angle is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Steinbach takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Steinbach is really stuck here.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Angle. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Angle biding his time, controlling Steinbach.
Steinbach is really stuck here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Angle avoiding Steinbach 's attempts to control his hands.
Angle missing with punches from the back.
Steinbach is trying to break free.
Angle throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Steinbach trying to survive by controlling the hands.

Angle working for a choke but Steinbach is defending well.
Steinbach wants to escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Angle connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Steinbach to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Angle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Angle 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Angle!