PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Phill Rooks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Axl Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rooks
vs
Steele

200 cm
20
264 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
24
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phill Rooks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Axl Steele!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rooks closes the distance and clinches up with Steele, looking for a takedown. Rooks pushes Steele against the cage but Steele circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rooks shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Steele as he jumps to the side.

Steele closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Steele lands in his opponent's guard.
Rooks trying to control the position.
Steele pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rooks is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steele won't allow Rooks to sweep him here.

Steele gets to his feet. Rooks looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Steele moves out of range of the strikes.
Rooks shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Steele but Steele pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phill Rooks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rooks fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steele closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rooks tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Steele is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rooks has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rooks takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Steele trying to control the action but Rooks is working from the bottom.
Steele misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Steele creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rooks trying to remain calm as Steele controls from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rooks is looking for a sweep.
Steele works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Steele has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rooks!

Steele is working for a guillotine from mount but Rooks frees his head quite easily.
Steele unloading with bombs!
Steele controlling from the full mount.
Steele postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rooks looks a forlorn figure.
BOOM! Steele connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooks tries to lock up and control but Steele gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Steele controlling from mount.
Rooks tries to reverse the position but Steele maintains control.
Rooks is squirming around, avoiding Steele's attempts to control the action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Steele cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Rooks tries to lock up and control but Steele gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Steele working for a submission but Rooks is keeping him at bay.
Rooks is trying to escape the mount.
Rooks is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele raining down hammerfists from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steele is landing with some decent strikes but Rooks is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Steele putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Steele looking to control and managing it successfully.

Steele is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Rooks is surviving well by controlling Steele's body position as best he can.
Rooks keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Steele looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axl Steele dominated that round.
That's time! Rooks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Steele gets a clinch.
Rooks fails to pull guard.
A frustrated look appears on Steele's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rooks wants a takedown.
Rooks drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phill Rooks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Steele goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rooks prevents it.
Steele leaning his opponent against the cage.
Steele continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Rooks is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Steele is keeping busy.
Steele has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooks throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rooks is pushing Steele up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rooks drops down looking for an ankle pick but Steele pulls his leg out and moves away.
Steele jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rooks wants to clinch up but Steele keeps it at a distance.

Steele manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rooks on his heels. He'll look to pass Rooks's guard now, I'm sure.
Steele sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rooks's guard.
Steele missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steele decides to stand and escape the position.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Steele!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rooks avoids the head kick by Steele.
Rooks changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Steele tries to avoid it but Rooks manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Steele to the ground. Steele escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steele scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Steele moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Steele forces Rooks back against the cage and clinches.

Rooks breaks the clinch.
Steele defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rooks.
Rooks misses with a double jab

and Steele counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rooks!
Steele postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rooks looks a forlorn figure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooks's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

Rooks defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Steele.
Steele lands a nice shot to the head.
Steele lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Steele in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Steele lands a nice shot to the head.
Steele working the ground and pound effectively.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steele has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rooks's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Steele controlling the pace for now.
Rooks is looking to get to half guard.
Steele in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Steele controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Steele avoids the attempt from Rooks to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axl Steele showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Steele misses with a series of wild punches.
Steele swinging wildly here.
Steele is looking to clinch.
Steele keeps the fight on the outside.

Rooks closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rooks trying to control from half guard but Steele is working away.
Steele is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rooks perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Steele is pressing down on Rooks's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooks is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Steele bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rooks's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rooks wants to get back to his feet but Steele is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Steele stands up over Rooks, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rooks keeping moving, preventing Steele from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Steele accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Steele with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Steele is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele scoring with some ground and pound.
Steele has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Steele stays in close to Rooks's body and controls the position.

Steele thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Steele scoring with some ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rooks avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Steele stopping the sweep attempt from Rooks.
Rooks keeping moving, preventing Steele from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Steele pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rooks is keeping the position for now.
Steele is looking to work some ground and pound but Rooks has wrist control.
Steele wants to control from the top but Rooks keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Steele stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rooks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Steele stands up over Rooks, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele trying to control the position from guard on top but Rooks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rooks trying to keep a closed guard but Steele is proving a slippery customer.
Steele wants to pass the guard but Rooks is keeping the position.
Steele sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Steele swats away the attempt to clinch by Rooks.
Axl Steele is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rooks enables Steele to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rooks manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Phill Rooks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Steele avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Axl 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

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