PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tim Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph D Pistone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pistone has chosen Clint Mansell - Requiem for a Dream (Remix) as his entrance music. Joseph D Pistone told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Steele
vs
D Pistone

178 cm
21
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

KAISER

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tim Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joseph D Pistone!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pistone looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Steele looks to throw the jab but Pistone is out of range.
Pistone throws a right and a left that Steele avoids nicely.
Pistone shoots in for a double leg but Steele sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Steele closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Pistone looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tim Steele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph D Pistone.
Steele misses with a combination
and Pistone counters with an inside leg kick.
Pistone slips under a jab from Steele.
Steele lands with a shot to the body.
Steele uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Pistone has time to react.
Steele scores with a punch to the head.
Pistone shoots in looking for a takedown. Steele tries to sprawl out of it but Pistone keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Steele manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pistone misses with a takedown attempt - Steele sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Steele drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele throwing strikes from guard but Pistone blocks nicely.
Steele content to stall in guard here.
Pistone is adopting a defensive guard.
Pistone keeping full guard, as Steele tries to pass.
Steele controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pistone throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Steele tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Pistone is in Steele's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele keeping moving, preventing Pistone from controlling successfully.
Pistone pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steele is keeping the position for now.
Steele keeping moving, preventing Pistone from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pistone wants to pass the guard but Steele is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pistone trying to control the position from guard on top but Steele is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Joseph D Pistone.
Pistone with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Steele misses with a body shot.
Pistone uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Steele.

Pistone has managed to clinch.
Steele blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pistone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Steele just stands there and leans against the cage.

Steele's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Steele throws a hook to the side of Pistone's head but Pistone sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pistone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Steele counters with a nice body shot.
Pistone misses with a takedown
and Steele counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Steele drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Steele drops back looking for a leg! Pistone is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Pistone manages to kick Steele off! Steele jumps back into Pistone's guard.
Pistone trying to control the position here.
Steele landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pistone kicks Steele off and gets to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Steele dominated that round.
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.

Pistone closes the distance and clinches up with Steele, looking for a takedown. Pistone pushes Steele against the cage but Steele circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Steele closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Pistone quickly recovers to half guard.
Steele prevents Pistone from improving his position.
Pistone is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Pistone has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Steele is working away from the top position though.
Steele is keen to just control but Pistone is a slippery customer.
Pistone wants to control but Steele is keeping busy.
Steele missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pistone blocking the ground and pound attempt from Steele.
Pistone holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Steele in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Joseph D Pistone wasn't active enough on the ground.
Pistone shoots and misses
and Steele counters with a right hand to the body.
Pistone is breathing heavily.
Pistone avoids the head kick by Steele.
Joseph D Pistone is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pistone moves out of range as Steele strikes.

Steele gets a takedown into half guard.

Steele is working for a kimura but Pistone is defending it quite comfortably.
Pistone taking some punishment here, with Steele in his half guard.
Steele seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pistone does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Steele is thwarting Pistone's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pistone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pistone tries to get to full guard but Steele has control of the leg.
Steele working Pistone over with strikes.
Pistone has hold of Steele's hands but Steele slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Steele is looking to pass Pistone's guard but actually Pistone recovers to full guard.
Steele throwing strikes but missing.
Steele postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele tries to free his leg and advance position but Pistone is retaining full guard.
Pistone trying to keep a closed guard but Steele is proving a slippery customer.
Steele landing with the ground and pound.
Pistone is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Steele's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Steele wants to control from the top but Pistone keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pistone is on top in guard.
Steele is looking to stand up but Pistone isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pistone wanted to stand there but Steele had control of the position.
Steele is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tim Steele overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pistone gets to his feet - Steele follows without any prompting.
Steele throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Steele dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Steele throws a jab but it's blocked by Pistone.
Pistone shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Steele pinned against the cage. Steele gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Steele jabs Pistone to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pistone is looking to slow Steele down with leg kicks.

Pistone bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Steele avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pistone.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steele is trying to control Pistone's posture but Pistone avoids it.
Steele is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pistone is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pistone taking a breather here.

Pistone decides to stand back up.
Pistone shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Steele as he avoids it easily.

That's two 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.
Steele missing with a left hand there. Pistone was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Steele looks to throw the jab but Pistone is out of range.
Steele scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Pistone slips a straight right by Steele.
Some bone on bone action there as Steele checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Steele throws a combination that misses

and Pistone counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Steele trying to control the position.
Pistone won't allow Steele to sweep him here.

Steele manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Pistone bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pistone tries to clinch but Steele is having none of it.
Pistone doesn't manage to clinch there - Steele circles away.
Steele pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Steele. No joy for Pistone on that attempt.
Tim Steele has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph D Pistone.
Pistone checks the leg kick nicely there.
Tim Steele is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Steele swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pistone uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Steele.
Pistone uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Steele.
Steele throws a hook but Pistone avoids it easily.
Pistone keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Steele.
Pistone gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Steele counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Steele. Pistone does a little dance to reset his feet.
Steele connects with a crisp jab.

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.
Pistone slips under a jab.
Steele throws a shot to the body.
Pistone tries to clinch up
and Steele counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Pistone thinking.
Pistone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Steele closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Steele is trying to control. Pistone wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Still in half guard, Steele seems content to control.
Pistone is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pistone is in trouble now - Steele has advanced to mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tim Steele.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Steele, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Steele!