PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Del Estep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Markus Sizemore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Del Estep has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Estep
vs
Sizemore

171 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

175 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Intelligent

Nature's Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Del Estep!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Markus Sizemore!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Estep throws a sloppy head kick and Sizemore moves out of range easily.
Del Estep seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Estep is looking to clinch.
Sizemore misses with a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Estep.
Sizemore jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Estep misses with a takedown attempt - Sizemore sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sizemore swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
The fight stays on the outside here - Estep looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Estep tries for a takedown but Sizemore sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sizemore should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Estep tries to clinch up but Sizemore circles away and keeps his distance.
Estep tries to clinch there but Sizemore circles away.
Estep misses with a head kick.
Estep gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sizemore counters with a nice double leg into side control. Estep won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Del Estep. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sizemore taking a breather here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Let's hope that Sizemore has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Estep can't do much from the bottom here.
Sizemore lands a nice forearm strike.
Estep struggling a bit here.
Estep regains half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sizemore lands a nice short elbow.
Sizemore is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Sizemore tries to pass to full mount but Estep defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Estep pushes Sizemore off looking to stand but Sizemore dives back in and keeps control.
Estep is trying to control but can't.
Sizemore has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Estep works to full guard.
Sizemore controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Estep is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Sizemore not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Markus Sizemore.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Estep moves in looking to clinch but Sizemore pushes him off.
Estep tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sizemore fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Estep misses with a takedown

and Sizemore counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Estep!
Estep is breathing heavily.
Estep is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Sizemore content just to control the position here.
Sizemore really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Estep. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sizemore avoids the attempt from Estep to control.
Sizemore controlling his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Markus Sizemore.
Estep with a poor takedown

and Sizemore counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sizemore cracks Estep with a solid left hand.
Estep is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Sizemore dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Estep tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sizemore counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Estep!
Sizemore has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Estep's face.
Sizemore controlling from mount.
Sizemore is landing with some decent strikes but Estep is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Sizemore tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sizemore trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Estep sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Estep looking for submissions off his back.
Estep won't allow Sizemore to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sizemore wants to stand up but Estep manages to regain full guard.
Estep controls Sizemore momentarily but Sizemore frees himself.
Sizemore working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Estep's head.

Estep looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sizemore wants to control from the top but Estep keeps moving.

Estep escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sizemore gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sizemore trying to control the position from guard on top but Estep is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Estep looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sizemore passes into side control.
Sizemore is looking to take a break and control but Estep is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Estep is trying to control Sizemore's posture but Sizemore avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A lull in the action here.
You can see the frustration on Estep's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estep tries to control but Sizemore manages to take his back.
I would not like to be Estep right now.
Estep covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Estep trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Sizemore is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Estep knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Estep for a finish.
Estep looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Sizemore is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Estep showing good submission defense here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Estep defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Markus Sizemore has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sizemore biding his time, controlling Estep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Estep trying to control the hands but Sizemore breaks the grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Sizemore showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sizemore avoids the head kick by Estep.

Sizemore shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Estep manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Estep is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sizemore postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sizemore trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Estep is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sizemore is aware though and is defending well.
Sizemore postures up and lands a big shot to Estep's brow.

Estep has his foot on Sizemore's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sizemore works his way back into a safe position though.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Estep is on top in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sizemore has Estep pulled in close to control his posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sizemore had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Estep defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Estep is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sizemore is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sizemore has escaped and now he's on top!
Estep wants to sweep but no luck.

Sizemore drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Estep dives on top into guard.
Estep connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sizemore with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Estep can't handle though.
Estep postures up.
Sizemore controlling the position.
Sizemore 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.
Sizemore trying to keep a closed guard but Estep is proving a slippery customer.
Estep advances to half guard.
Sizemore is positioning himself well to prevent Estep advancing to mount.
Estep trying to pass the guard but Sizemore defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estep blocks the strikes from Sizemore.
Sizemore wants to get back to full guard but Estep has passed into side control.
A control attempt from Sizemore but he's now mounted!
Estep avoids the attempt from Sizemore to control.
Estep sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Del Estep has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sizemore avoids a series of strikes thrown by Estep.
Sizemore is trying desperately to improve position.
Estep avoids the attempt from Sizemore to control.
Sizemore is looking to improve his position but Estep isn't that keen on the idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Markus Sizemore.
I've got Sizemore winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Markus Sizemore!
Markus Sizemore made sure to mention his sponsor, Nature's Edge Nutrition in his post fight interview.