PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Muai Thime (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danie Steyl (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thime comes to the cage accompanied by 12-21-12. Danie Steyl has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Thime
vs
Steyl

214 cm
25
299 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
18
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Muai Thime!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Danie Steyl!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steyl shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Thime as he jumps to the side.
Thime tries to close the distance and clinch up but Steyl swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Steyl swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Steyl has eaten all the pies!
The fight stays on the outside here - Steyl looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thime slaps away a takedown attempt from Steyl, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Steyl fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Thime avoids it really well and circles away.
Muai Thime has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danie Steyl.
Thime shoots in for a takedown but Steyl shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thime tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Steyl manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Thime, right into the meat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thime tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Steyl paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thime swats away the attempt to clinch by Steyl.
Thime stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Thime wants it to stay on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Steyl.
Steyl closes the distance looking to clinch

and Thime counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Thime.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Steyl jumps guard but Thime turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Steyl looks winded!
Thime lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Steyl is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thime drags the fight down to the ground.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Steyl in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thime has Steyl pulled in close to control his posture.

Thime is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Steyl defends well.
Steyl trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thime wants to get back to his feet but Steyl is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Steyl drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Thime manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Steyl has Thime in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thime controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Steyl is trying to keep Thime in close.
Thime showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steyl doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Steyl escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Thime gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steyl looking for a sweep. Not yet Steyl, not yet.
Steyl has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Thime wants to control from the top but Steyl keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thime scores with a three punch combo!
Steyl wants to clinch.
Steyl throws a low kick, looking for Thime's leg but Thime calmly moves out of range.
Steyl fails with an attempt to clinch.
Steyl shoots in but Thime avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Steyl slaps away a takedown attempt from Thime, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steyl comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thime throws a nice head kick!
Steyl shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thime pinned against the cage. Thime gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Steyl tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Thime manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thime.
Thime shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Steyl sprawls well. Steyl wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Thime gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Muai Thime. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Steyl gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Steyl wants to get back to striking at distance but Thime won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thime goes for a takedown in the clinch but Steyl prevents it.
Steyl jumps guard but Thime turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Steyl avoiding damage.
Steyl fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Steyl jumps guard but Thime turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Steyl looking for a takedown.

Steyl decides to pull guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thime won't allow Steyl to sweep him here.

Steyl pushes Thime off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thime lands with a slapping head kick.
Steyl throws a head kick that misses.
Steyl throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Thime's waist but Thime gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Steyl off to one side.
Thime scores with a kick to the midsection.
Thime shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Steyl pinned against the cage. Steyl gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Steyl scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steyl tries to clinch
and Thime counters with a body kick that stops Steyl in his tracks momentarily.
Thime pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Steyl fails to land the takedown.
Thime shoots in for a double leg but Steyl sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Steyl.
Thime looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steyl avoids the head kick by Thime.
Steyl tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Danie Steyl will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Thime looks for a takedown but Steyl sprawls well.
Thime tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Steyl swivels and escapes.
Nice takedown defense from Thime. No joy for Steyl on that attempt.
Steyl looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thime is fending him off so far but Steyl persists. Nope, Thime circles away and we're back to standing.
Steyl shoots in looking for a takedown but Thime manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Steyl's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Muai Thime has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Danie Steyl.
Nice sprawl there from Thime as Steyl shoots in.
Thime shoots for a takedown but Steyl saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Some wild striking there from Thime.
Steyl shoots in looking for a takedown. Thime tries to sprawl out of it but Steyl keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Thime manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Muai Thime is winning the standup battle so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thime forces Steyl back against the cage and clinches.
Steyl is trying to break the clinch but Thime has him pressed against the cage.
Steyl working hard to break the clinch.
Thime tries to pull guard but Steyl won't allow it.
Steyl is trying to push Thime away but Thime has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Steyl looking to stall.

Thime jumps guard and drags Steyl to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Thime looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thime keeping full guard, as Steyl tries to pass.
Thime wants to stand and escape but Steyl is having none of it.
Thime tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Thime is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Steyl throws a big elbow that misses.

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

Thime had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Steyl defends it easily.
Thime is trying to keep Steyl in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thime looking for a sweep. Not yet Thime, not yet.
Steyl not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Thime trying to keep a closed guard but Steyl is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Steyl moves in looking to clinch but Thime pushes him off.
Steyl shoots in and drives through. Thime sprawls well.
Nice takedown defense from Thime. No joy for Steyl on that attempt.
Thime throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Steyl.
Muai Thime is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Muai Thime showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thime has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Muai Thime!
After the fight, Muai Thime was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.