PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stephan Axe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sting Steiner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Sting Steiner was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Axe
vs
Steiner

178 cm
29
184 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

185 cm
32
200 lbs
28 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Stephan Axe!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sting Steiner!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steiner doesn't manage to clinch there - Axe circles away.
Axe misses with an uppercut.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe is having none of it.
Axe slips a jab and a cross from Steiner.
Steiner pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Steiner throws a solid leg kick but Axe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Steiner.
Steiner wants to clinch.
Axe lands a head kick!
Steiner looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Steiner fails in his attempt to clinch.
Steiner throws a push kick but Axe slaps the foot to one side.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Axe takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Steiner throws a head kick but Axe moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Steiner. Those never looked like landing.
Some wild striking there from Axe.
Some wild striking there from Axe.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe moves out of range.
Axe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Axe.
Axe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Steiner wants to clinch.
Steiner fails in his attempt to clinch.

Steiner clinches with his opponent.
Steiner lands with a right to the head.
Steiner misses with some punches.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No joy there for Axe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Steiner rushes Axe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Steiner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Axe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Steiner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Axe tries a head kick but it misses.
Steiner tries to bum rush Axe with a series of wild strikes but Axe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Steiner is looking to clinch.
Axe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steiner connects with a nice looking jab.
A combination from Steiner does no damage.
Axe swats away the attempt to clinch by Steiner.
Axe scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Steiner misses with a two punch combination.
Steiner lands a nice looking kick to the body. Axe takes a step back to recover.
Steiner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Axe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Axe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Axe pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Steiner pushes Axe up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Steiner.
Axe is trying to break free.
Steiner keeps control of Axe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Still in the clinch, Steiner scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Steiner.
Axe is breathing heavily.
Steiner scores with a shot to the side of Axe's head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Axe just misses with a elbow thrown towards Steiner's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steiner lands a left hand that snaps the head of Axe backwards.
Steiner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Axe's elbow.
Steiner lands with a light punch inside.
Steiner misses with a body punch.
Axe tries to break the clinch but Steiner is controlling the position.
Steiner pushes Axe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Steiner scores with a nice short uppercut.
Steiner misses with a hook to the ribs.
Steiner lands with a left to the head.
Steiner works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Steiner lands with a light punch inside.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steiner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Axe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Axe misses with a head kick.

Steiner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Steiner can't find room to land a body shot as Axe controls the action.
Steiner is leaning against Axe and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Steiner escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Steiner darts in and clinches Axe up against the cage.
Axe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axe takes a shot to the head.
Steiner lands a left hand.
Steiner lands a nice shot to the body.
Steiner softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Steiner softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Steiner - that landed with a thud.
Steiner is working Axe over against the cage.
Steiner lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Axe looks to land a combination but Steiner avoids it well.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe is having none of it.

Steiner clinches up with Axe and pushes him back against the cage.
Steiner pushes Axe back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Steiner creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Steiner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Steiner moves into the clinch.
Steiner lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Steiner lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Axe backwards.
Steiner softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Steiner cracks Axe with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sting Steiner dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Steiner clinches up with Axe and pushes him back against the cage.
Steiner lands an uppercut.
Axe misses with a knee strike.
Steiner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Axes head.

Steiner breaks the clinch.
Axe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Axe on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Steiner throws a right and a left that Axe avoids nicely.

Steiner drops Axe with a beautiful combination! Axe stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Steiner is looking for the KO!

Axe is rocked!

It looks like Stephan Axe has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe is having none of it.
Oh Axe is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Steiner throws a head kick but Axe moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Steiner.
Axe seems to have got his legs back now.
Steiner fails with an attempt to clinch.
Steiner lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Steiner tries a head kick but it misses.
Steiner throws a combination. Axe tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Steiner is looking to clinch but Axe is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Axe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axe rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Steiner moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Steiner moves into the clinch.
Steiner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Steiner lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe moves out of range.
Steiner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Steiner tries to clinch there but Axe circles away.
Steiner is looking to clinch but Axe is avoiding it.
Axe blocks a head kick by Steiner.
Steiner misses with a few strikes there.

Steiner clinches up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Axe's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Steiner makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Steiner.
Steiner keeps control of Axe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Still in the clinch, Steiner scores with a nice short uppercut.
Steiner is working Axe over against the cage.
Steiner working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steiner lands with a right to the head.
Axe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Steiner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Steiner clinches.

Steiner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe moves out of range.
Steiner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Axe swats away the attempt to clinch by Steiner.
Sting Steiner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Steiner, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Axe scores with a three punch combo!
Nice shot lands for Steiner.
Steiner tries to clinch there but Axe circles away.
Steiner tries to close the distance and clinch but Axe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Steiner throws a sloppy head kick and Axe moves out of range easily.
Stephan Axe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Steiner throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Steiner dodges the punch combination from Axe.
A punch combination from Steiner misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Axe throws a head kick but Steiner moves out of range.
Steiner connects with a leg kick. Axe looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Axe blocks a head kick by Steiner.
Steiner throws a body punch but Axe moves out of range.
Axe keeps the fight on the outside.
Axe throws a head kick that misses.
Axe throws a right and a left that both miss.

Steiner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Axe tries to land knees in the clinch but Steiner avoids the damage to the body.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steiner wants to clinch.
Axe jabs Steiner to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Steiner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steiner dodges the punch combination from Axe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axe swinging wildly here.
Steiner throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Axe stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Steiner tries to clinch up.
Axe has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Steiner scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Steiner fails to land with a series of punches.
Axe keeps the fight on the outside.
Steiner tries to clinch up.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe moves out of range.
Steiner is looking to clinch.
Axe fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Steiner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Axe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Axe fails to land with a series of punches.
Axe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steiner has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Axe finds it's way round the side to connect with Steiner's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sting Steiner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Stephan Axe's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Steiner doesn't manage to clinch there - Axe circles away.
Axe tries to bum rush Steiner with a series of wild strikes but Steiner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice body kick from Steiner.
Steiner slips a jab and a cross from Axe.
Steiner doesn't manage to clinch there - Axe circles away.
Steiner lands a head kick. Axe smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Steiner throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Danga de danga de dang - Steiner scores with a four punch combination!
Sting Steiner seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Steiner drives through and clinches with Axe against the cage.
Axe tries to throw a body punch but Steiner avoids it by throwing Axe back against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steiner lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Still in the clinch, Steiner scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short left from Steiner.

Steiner manages to break the clinch.
Steiner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Axe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Steiner tries to clinch there but Axe circles away.
Steiner tries to clinch up but Axe circles away and keeps his distance.
Axe throws a head kick but Steiner moves out of range.
Steiner throws a combination. Axe tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steiner wants to clinch up but Axe keeps it at a distance.
Steiner tries a head kick but it misses.
Axe scores with a hook.
Axe looks to land a combination but Steiner avoids it well.
Steiner tries to work over Axe's front leg with a kick but Axe checks it.
Axe dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Axe does no damage.
Steiner lands with a kick to the temple. Axe shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Axe throws a right hand that Steiner ducks under and follows up with a left that Steiner also avoids with ease.
Steiner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Axe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Steiner looks to land a combination but Axe avoids it well.
Steiner throws a series of punches but Axe moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Steiner blocks a head kick by Axe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steiner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Steiner lands a right hand that snaps the head of Axe backwards.
Axe lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Steiner backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Axe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Steiner lands a nice shot to the body.
Axe throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Steiner lands a right hand.
Axe digs a right hand underneath Steiner's ribcage. Steiner let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Axe is trying to break the clinch but Steiner is controlling him.
Steiner lands with a short shot to the head.
Steiner lands with a light punch inside.
Steiner managing to block the knees to the body from Axe.
Axe is trying to break the clinch but Steiner has him pressed against the cage.
Axe unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Steiner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Axe or not.
Steiner lands a nice shot to the body.
Nice body punch from Steiner.
Steiner lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steiner lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steiner tries to clinch up but Axe circles away and keeps his distance.
Steiner throws a series of punches but Axe moves out of range.

Steiner has Axe up against the cage in a clinch.
Axe is trying to push Steiner away but Steiner has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A hook to the body from Steiner.
Sting Steiner seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Steiner lands a body shot in the clinch.

Steiner breaks the clinch.

Steiner fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Axe, pushing him back against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Steiner.
Steiner digs a right hand into Axe's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Axe's gas tank.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Axe's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Steiner works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Steiner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steiner tries to clinch up but Axe circles away and keeps his distance.
Axe looks to land a combination but Steiner avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steiner moves into range and clinches up with Axe.
A short left from Steiner.
Steiner lands a body shot.

Steiner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Steiner is looking to clinch.
Steiner misses with a head kick.
Axe avoids a punch combination nicely.
Axe has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Steiner fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steiner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Steiner misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Steiner throws a right and a left that both miss.
Steiner dodges the punch combination from Axe.
Axe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sting Steiner really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stephan Axe's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Axe throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Steiner wants to clinch.

Steiner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Axe wants to break free but Steiner has control.
Steiner throws a punch but it's blocked by Axe.
Axe misses with a hook to the ribs.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Steiner.
Steiner misses with some punches.
Steiner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Axe is trying to force a seperation but Steiner has the dominant position.
Steiner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Steiner lands an uppercut.
Axe is looking to break free of the clinch but Steiner has double underhooks.
Axe is trying to force a seperation but Steiner has the dominant position.
Axe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Steiner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Steiner cracks Axe with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Axe prevents a body shot from Steiner.
Steiner lands with a light punch inside.
Axe can't break the clinch.

Steiner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Steiner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Axe circles away quickly and effectively.
Steiner misses with a wild combination.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe is having none of it.
Axe swinging wildly here.
Steiner wants to clinch up but Axe keeps it at a distance.
Steiner blocks a head kick by Axe.
Steiner tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Steiner wants to clinch
and Axe counters with a one-two to the body.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Steiner tries to clinch there but Axe circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axe lands with a nice combination. Steiner backs away looking to recover.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Axe misses with an uppercut. Steiner saw that one coming.
Steiner tries to bum rush Axe with a series of wild strikes but Axe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Axe swats away the attempt to clinch by Steiner.
Steiner misses with a jab, cross combination.
Steiner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Axe throws a nice looking combination but Steiner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Axe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Steiner circles away quickly and effectively.
Axe is looking to chop away at Steiner's legs.
Steiner moves in looking to clinch but Axe pushes him off.
Axe swats away the attempt to clinch by Steiner.
Steiner takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Steiner buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Axe misses with the combination.
Steiner is looking to clinch but Axe is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steiner catches Axe with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Axe swinging wildly here.
Steiner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Steiner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steiner tries to bum rush Axe with a series of wild strikes but Axe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Axe throws a sloppy head kick and Steiner moves out of range easily.
Axe swinging wildly here.
Steiner misses with the combination.
Axe swats away the attempt to clinch by Steiner.

Steiner moves into range and clinches up with Axe.

Steiner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axe fails to land with a series of punches.
Steiner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Axe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Axe dodges the punch combination from Steiner.
Steiner throws a head kick that half lands.
Axe throws a hook but Steiner blocks it.
Axe misses the shot to the body.
Axe keeps the fight on the outside.
Axe throws a sloppy head kick and Steiner moves out of range easily.
Steiner looks to land a combination but Axe avoids it well.
Axe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steiner tries to clinch but Axe moves out of range.
Steiner is looking to clinch but Axe is avoiding it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A lazy body kick from Axe
and Steiner counters with a series of strikes. Axe will be more careful next time no doubt.
Steiner checks a low kick from Axe.
Steiner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Axe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Steiner wants to clinch up but Axe keeps it at a distance.
Steiner wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sting Steiner dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Stephan Axe's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A head kick misses from Axe.
Axe misses with a two punch combination.
Axe keeps the fight on the outside.
Steiner closes the distance looking to clinch
and Axe counters with a two punch combo.
Axe throws a nice looking combination but Steiner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Steiner moves into the clinch.
A short right from Steiner.
Steiner works on Axe's body with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Steiner.
Steiner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Steiner lands a shoulder strike.
Steiner works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Steiner scores with a nice hook to the head.

Steiner manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steiner takes the fight into the clinch.
Steiner lands with a light punch inside.
Steiner lands a right hand.
Steiner lands with a short shot to the head.
Steiner lands a right hand.
Steiner scores with a hook to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Steiner.
Steiner lands with a right to the head.
Steiner creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Axe with a big uppercut! Axe tries to clinch up but Steiner pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Axe to the mat! Axe covers up and Steiner unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 5, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Sting Steiner!
Sting Steiner is the new middleweight champion!
Sting Steiner seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.