PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Josh Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and joel steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ward comes into the arena with Blur - Song 2 blaring out of the sound system. joel steele will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ward
vs
steele

175 cm
21
166 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

190 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, joel steele!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward throws a series of punches but steele avoids them all with ease.
steele swinging wildly here.
Ward checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Ward throws a left and a right that both miss
and steele counters with a left to the body.
Ward misses with a double jab
and steele counters with an inside leg kick.

steele closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
steele has Ward pressed against the cage, preventing Ward from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
steele looking to slow down the pace here.
Ward working hard to break the clinch.
Ward looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
steele tries for a takedown but Ward manages to get underhooks.
steele has Ward pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ward manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
steele is working for takedown but Ward is calmly controlling the position for now.
Josh Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of joel steele.
Ward has had enough of the clinch but steele keeps him there for the moment.
steele wants to get back to striking at distance but Ward won't allow it.
Ward wants to get back to striking at distance but steele won't allow it.
steele is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ward is trying to force a seperation but steele has the dominant position.
steele wants to get back to striking at distance but Ward won't allow it.
Ward is pressed up against the cage. steele has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ward down to the mat. Ward avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
steele fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ward swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and steele counters with a nice leg kick.
Josh Ward seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Some bone on bone action there as Ward checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ward throws a left and a right that both miss
and steele counters with a series of strikes. Ward will be more careful next time no doubt.
Ward is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward falls off balance throwing a combination

and steele counters with a takedown into side control.
steele wants to stand but Ward is controlling his arm.
steele tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Ward avoids any damage from the ground and pound of steele.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
steele tries to move into full mount but can't pass Ward's legs.
steele cracks Ward with an elbow. That is naaassty.
steele trying to control the action but Ward is working from the bottom.
steele tries to advance position but instead Ward slips a leg back in to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward pushes steele off looking to stand but steele dives back in and keeps control.
steele wants to free his trapped foot but Ward is holding on for dear life with his legs.
steele is stalling here. Ward is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! steele seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ward has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
steele is looking to regain half guard here but Ward keeps moving and retains side control.

Ward decides to stand up, so the ref orders steele to his feet.
Ward swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and steele counters with a takedown into side control.
Ward is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
steele tries to advance to mount but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

joel steele dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

steele shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ward napping and manages to drive through into side control!
steele tries to move to full mount but Ward actually manages to regain half guard.
steele missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
steele trying to control from half guard but Ward is working away.
steele is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
steele is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ward might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ward is trying to stand back up but steele is controlling him
steele is looking to stall here but Ward recovers full guard.
steele trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ward wants to stand and escape but steele is having none of it.
steele must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Ward has his feet on steele's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
steele wants to clinch.
Ward throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and steele counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

steele rushes Ward and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
steele keeps control of Ward as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
steele tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ward just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ward is trying to break the clinch but steele is controlling him.

steele ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. steele no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
steele is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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

Ward gets to his feet - steele follows without any prompting.
steele is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ward.
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from steele.
Josh Ward is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ward misses with a double jab
and steele counters with a three punch combo that has Ward backing up. Ward nods at steele to acknowledge the strikes.
Ward scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ward throws a combination that misses

so steele counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
steele wants to control from the top but Ward keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

steele stands up and waves to Ward to follow him.
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from steele.
Josh Ward has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of joel steele.
The fight stays on the outside here - steele looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
steele has a takedown stuffed.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ward falls off balance throwing a combination

and steele counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

joel steele 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ward throws a nice looking combination but steele bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ward throws a left and a right that both miss

and steele counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by steele.
steele trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ward keeping full guard, as steele tries to pass.
steele throwing strikes from guard but Ward blocks nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
steele slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
steele throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Ward works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
joel steele has got the better of the ground game so far.

steele is looking for submissions but instead, Ward has regained full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
steele trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ward pushes steele off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward misses with a double jab

and steele counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ward's guard now.
Ward keeping moving, preventing steele from controlling successfully.
steele throwing strikes from guard but Ward blocks nicely.
steele wants to control from the top but Ward keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ward scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ward falls off balance throwing a combination
and steele counters with a two punch combo.
Ward throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and steele counters with a three punch combo that has Ward backing up. Ward nods at steele to acknowledge the strikes.
Ward throws a combination that misses

and steele counters with a single leg into guard. Ward didn't expect that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
steele trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Josh Ward has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
joel steele is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells steele's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

And that's the end of the fight!
joel steele comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well steele has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... joel steele!