PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between RIP Evan Tanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Davey Steeves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tanner kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Tornado of Souls - Megadeth. Davey Steeves has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with RIP Evan Tanner's chin.

Evan Tanner
vs
Steeves

180 cm
25
195 lbs
15 - 7 - 1

195 cm
23
200 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, RIP Evan Tanner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Davey Steeves!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Steeves fails to land the takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Steeves.
Tanner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Steeves was well out of range. Poor timing from Tanner.
Nice cross by Tanner.

It looks like Davey Steeves has been cut.
Good work by Tanner as he checks the leg kick.

Tanner darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tanner wants to take a breather but Steeves is having none of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tanner is nestled in close to Steeves, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Steeves is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tanner with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Tanner prevents Steeves from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steeves is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tanner trying to control the pace.
Steeves throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Tanner content to control rather than advance.

The ref stands the fighters back up. RIP Evan Tanner wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A big right from Tanner misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Steeves.
RIP Evan Tanner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Davey Steeves.
Tanner displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Steeves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steeves takes a swing at Tanner's ribcage but misses.
Tanner throws a series of punches but Steeves avoids them all with ease.

Steeves looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tanner!
Steeves prevents Tanner from getting the reversal.
Steeves throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Tanner wants to control but Steeves is having none of it.
Steeves looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tanner holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Steeves tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steeves thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Tanner wants to hold on but Steeves pushes him away.
Tanner regains half guard.
Tanner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Steeves.
Tanner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Steeves.
Steeves throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steeves thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steeves takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Steeves is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Tanner is trying to get back to full guard.
Steeves is taking a breather. Tanner says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Steeves frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Steeves thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Tanner wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Steeves.
Steeves has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Tanner takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Steeves tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Steeves landing shots from mount.
Steeves thowing shots but they're missing.
The referee warns Tanner that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Steeves landing punches.
Tanner wants to hold on but Steeves pushes him away.
Steeves prevents Tanner from getting the reversal.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steeves lands a heavy elbow.
Steeves lands a big elbow.
Steeves controlling from the full mount.
Steeves lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Steeves lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Tanner working to try and regain half guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Steeves working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Steeves controlling from mount.
Steeves throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Steeves thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Steeves landing shots from mount.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Steeves landing strikes from the mount.
Steeves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tanner is looking to escape.
Steeves landing punches.
Tanner wants to control but Steeves is having none of it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steeves scoring with strikes but Tanner is staying in there.
Steeves with the ground and pound from mount.
Tanner is trying to escape the mount.
Steeves trying to control but Tanner is having none of it.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Tanner is working to get back to half guard.
Tanner is squirming around, avoiding Steeves's attempts to control the action.
Tanner might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Steeves raining down shots from the mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee warns Tanner that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Steeves content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Davey Steeves dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Davey Steeves's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Steeves takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
RIP Evan Tanner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tanner lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Tanner defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Steeves.

Tanner shoots in and bounces Steeves off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Tanner wants to control from the top but Steeves keeps moving.
Steeves is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Steeves 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner trying to control the position from guard on top but Steeves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. RIP Evan Tanner wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Tanner tries to clinch there but Steeves circles away.
RIP Evan Tanner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steeves is looking to land body kicks.
Steeves dodges the punch combination from Tanner.

Tanner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Tanner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tanner keeping moving, preventing Steeves from controlling successfully.
Steeves looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Steeves is one step ahead there.
Steeves wants to control from the top but Tanner keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Tanner seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Davey Steeves has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Davey Steeves.
Steeves ducks right into an uppercut from Tanner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner fails with an attempt to clinch.

Tanner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Steeves trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tanner wants to sweep but no luck.
Steeves trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steeves trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Steeves stands up over Tanner, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Tanner is trying to control the position but Steeves postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steeves throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tanner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Steeves trying to control but Tanner is working from the bottom.
Steeves controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Tanner seems keen to control Steeves's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Davey Steeves was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Steeves manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Tanner on his heels. He'll look to pass Tanner's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tanner trying to keep a closed guard but Steeves is proving a slippery customer.
Steeves wants to control from the top but Tanner keeps moving.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Steeves engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tanner trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Steeves darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Steeves is thwarting Tanner's attempts to control the position.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Steeves slows the pace down in half guard.
Steeves is just content to waste time from the top position. Tanner takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Steeves pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tanner is keeping the position for now.

Tanner is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Steeves defends well.
Tanner being controlled here, momentarily.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Tanner keeping moving, preventing Steeves from controlling successfully.
Tanner manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Steeves wants to hold on but Tanner pushes him away.
Tanner looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Steeves is looking to get to half guard.
Tanner tries to control but Steeves wriggling away.
Tanner tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Steeves slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Tanner is keen to just control but Steeves is a slippery customer.

We're going to have a standup here because RIP Evan Tanner wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Steeves shoots for a double leg takedown but Tanner sprawls well. He's pushed Steeves's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A punch combination from Tanner misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Steeves is defended easily by Tanner.
RIP Evan Tanner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Davey Steeves.
A right-left combo lands from Tanner.
Steeves is breathing heavily.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Tanner misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steeves.
Steeves misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Tanner looking to score a takedown here. Steeves is defending well but Tanner drives through and ends up in Steeves's guard.
Steeves has momentary wrist control but Tanner slips an elbow through the middle.

Steeves working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Tanner has passed into half guard!
Tanner working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steeves wants to control but Tanner is keeping busy.
Tanner content to control rather than advance.

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 RIP Evan Tanner.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Davey Steeves!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Davey Steeves!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Davey Steeves!

Davey Steeves wins by unanimous decision!