PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Lennox (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Steamboat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricky Steamboat struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Ricky Steamboat has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lennox
vs
Steamboat

180 cm
24
197 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

189 cm
21
201 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

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 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bobby Lennox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ricky Steamboat!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Valeri Chadov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steamboat smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A combination from Lennox does no damage.
Steamboat takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lennox tries to bum rush Steamboat with a series of wild strikes but Steamboat uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slow jab from Steamboat misses its intended target.
Lennox misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lennox stalks Steamboat and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Steamboat's face. Steamboat staggers backwards, shaken.
Steamboat lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lennox wants to clinch.
Steamboat turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Steamboat misses with a double jab.
Steamboat stuffs the takedown attempt from Lennox. Lennox gets slowly back to his feet.
Steamboat lands a jab.
Lennox tries to clinch but Steamboat is having none of it.
Lennox tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Steamboat paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lennox tries to clinch up but Steamboat circles away and keeps his distance.
Lennox fails in his attempt to clinch.
Steamboat misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lennox pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Lennox gets the takedown into side control.
Steamboat tries to bench press Lennox off him but Lennox keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lennox wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Steamboat, who protects the arm well.
Steamboat avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Lennox.
Steamboat gets back to half guard.

Lennox seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steamboat is controlling Lennox's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Lennox throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Lennox is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Steamboat sees it coming and defends easily.

Lennox is looking for a kimura but Steamboat is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lennox to get the leverage.
Lennox is breathing heavily.
Steamboat is trying to get back to full guard.
Steamboat is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lennox's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lennox's back!
Will Steamboat go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steamboat biding his time, controlling Lennox.
Steamboat avoiding Lennox 's attempts to control his hands.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Steamboat has good solid back control here.
Lennox is trapped and Steamboat is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Steamboat has the hooks in. Lennox is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

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.

Lennox showing good submission defense here.
Steamboat avoiding Lennox 's attempts to control his hands.
Steamboat is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Lennox manages to reverse the position and now he's in Steamboat's guard. Nice work there by Lennox.

Lennox drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Steamboat dives on top into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Steamboat dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lennox takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Lennox decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Lennox wants to take a breather but Steamboat is having none of it.

Lennox looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Lennox is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Steamboat reverses the position - he's now on top in Lennox's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lennox wants to hit a switch here but Steamboat passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Lennox there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lennox tries to reverse the position but Steamboat maintains control.

Steamboat stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Lennox fails with the takedown.

Lennox drives through and clinches with Steamboat against the cage.
Lennox throws a knee to the head but misses.
Steamboat digs a right hand underneath Lennox's ribcage. Lennox let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Lennox has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Steamboat uses from the top position.

Lennox isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Steamboat stacks Lennox on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Steamboat!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steamboat is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Lennox's shoulder. That is not cool.
Lennox tries to improve position but can't.

Steamboat decides to stand back up. Steamboat steps back and let's Lennox get back to his feet.
Steamboat throws a head kick that Lennox semi-blocks.
Steamboat lands a nice looking kick to the body. Lennox takes a step back to recover.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steamboat lands a head kick. Lennox smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Lennox is rocked!
Steamboat circles to his right before unloading a perfect head kick! Lennox drops to the canvas, hurt badly! Steamboat follows Lennox to the ground and unloads with a series of strikes that force the referee to step in and end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ricky Steamboat!