PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mitchell Stehling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Speed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stehling comes to the cage accompanied by Turmion Kätilöt - Minä MÄÄRÄÄN!. Speed comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Amon Tobin / El Cargo kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Stehling
vs
Speed

191 cm
34
261 lbs
50 - 19 - 0

200 cm
29
234 lbs
29 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)
Perkele!

Heisenberg
Perkele!

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 50 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mitchell Stehling!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daniel Speed!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Speed wants to clinch

and Stehling counters with a nice double leg into side control. Speed won't be happy with that.
Speed tries to improve position but can't.
Speed seems a little lost for a moment, as Stehling dominates the positioning.
Stehling fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Stehling trying to control the action but Speed is working from the bottom.
Speed manages to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stehling winds up and cracks Speed with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Stehling has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Speed avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Stehling.
Speed is trying is best to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stehling wants to control but Speed is keeping him busy.
Speed is trying is best to control the position here.
Stehling throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Speed moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Speed controls Stehling momentarily but Stehling frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stehling trying to control but Speed is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Speed looks to clinch

and Stehling counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Speed preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stehling trying to control the position from guard on top but Speed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stehling controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stehling looking to sit in guard and control but Speed gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Speed postures up.
Stehling looking for a sweep. Not yet Stehling, not yet.
Stehling managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mitchell Stehling wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Stehling tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Speed was well out of range. Poor timing from Stehling.
Speed tries to clinch but Stehling is having none of it.
Speed tries to close the distance and clinch but Stehling swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Stehling moves in looking to clinch but Speed pushes him off.
Speed tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Stehling counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Daniel Speed has been cut.
Speed moves to clinch but Stehling breaks away

and Stehling counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stehling trying to control the pace.
Stehling wants to lay and pray for a moment but Speed keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Stehling dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Daniel Speed's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Speed tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Stehling manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Speed wants to clinch but Stehling slips to the side

and Stehling counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stehling missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Speed manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Stehling keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Stehling pushes Speed back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Good body shot from Stehling.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A bit of stalling here from Speed.
Speed misses with a punch on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Stehling.
Stehling misses with some punches.
Speed doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Stehling misses with a punch on the inside.
Stehling lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Nice body punch from Speed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stehling throws a head punch that misses.
Speed misses with a punch on the inside.
Speed blocking some punches.
Speed has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Speed wants to get back to striking at distance but Stehling won't allow it.
Stehling working aggressively here.
Stehling tries to throw a body punch but Speed avoids it by throwing Stehling back against the cage.
Speed tries to throw a body punch but Stehling avoids it by throwing Speed back against the cage.
Stehling blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Speed can't find room to land a body shot as Stehling controls the action.
Stehling lands an uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Stehling as the two fighters clinch.
Speed blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A body shot lands from Stehling.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Speed blocking some punches.
Speed prevents a body shot from Stehling.
Stehling tries to throw a body punch but Speed avoids it by throwing Stehling back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stehling pushes Speed back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Stehling misses with the head strike.
Stehling misses with a short punch on the inside.
Speed tries a body shot but Stehling blocks it.
Speed blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Speed lands a body punch in the clinch.
Stehling can't find room to land a body shot as Speed controls the action.
A head punch on the inside from Stehling fails to land.
Speed's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Speed misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stehling swings wildly with an uppercut but Speed uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stehling lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stehling lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That has opened up Daniel Speed's cut even more.
Stehling blocks a body shot from Speed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stehling lands an uppercut.
Speed prevents a body shot from Stehling.
Stehling misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Stehling throws a punch but it's blocked by Speed.
Speed lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Stehling or not.
Speed throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Stehling fails to land.
Stehling misses with a short punch on the inside.
Speed tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Speed is working Stehling over against the cage.
Stehling digs a right hand underneath Speed's ribcage. Speed let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stehling tries a body shot but Speed blocks it.
Stehling misses with a body punch.
Mitchell Stehling has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Stehling pushes Speed back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Speed swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stehling tries to work over Speed's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stehling lands an uppercut.
Speed tries to work over Stehling's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Speed tries a body shot but Stehling blocks it.
Stehling tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Stehling lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Stehling goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Stehling lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stehling is leaning against Speed and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Speed is breathing heavily.
Stehling makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Stehling misses with a hook to the ribs.
Speed misses with some punches.
I was talking to Stehling's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Stehling lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Speed or not.
Speed misses with a body punch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice right hand lands inside from Speed.
Speed throws a punch but it's blocked by Stehling.
Stehling prevents Speed from breaking the clinch.
Stehling doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Stehling dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Daniel Speed's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Speed.
Stehling thuds his shin into the meat of Speed's side.

Speed moves into range and clinches up with Stehling.
Stehling swings wildly with an uppercut but Speed uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Speed.
Speed prevents a body shot from Stehling.
Stehling misses with a hook to the ribs.
Stehling swings wildly with an uppercut but Speed uses good head movement to avoid it.
A right hand to the body from Speed.
Speed goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stehling lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Speed backwards.
Speed wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Stehling creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Speed tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stehling lands a body shot in the clinch.
Speed lands with a light punch inside.
Stehling misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Speed prevents a body shot from Stehling.
Good body shot from Stehling.
Speed takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stehling digs a right hand underneath Speed's ribcage. Speed let out a lung full of air as it connected.
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!
Stehling is working Speed over against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Stehling.
A nice left hand lands by Stehling.
Stehling is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Speed can do to turn this around?
Stehling throws a punch but it's blocked by Speed.
Stehling works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Stehling lands with a short shot to the head.
Stehling lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A body shot lands from Stehling.
Stehling tries to throw a body punch but Speed avoids it by throwing Stehling back against the cage.
Stehling lands with a left to the head.
Mitchell Stehling is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The cut above Daniel Speed's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stehling lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Stehling.
Speed misses with the head strike.
Stehling lands a left hand.

Daniel Speed's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Speed wants to get back to striking at distance but Stehling won't allow it.
Stehling lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Speed tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Stehling swings wildly with an uppercut but Speed uses good head movement to avoid it.
Speed is working for takedown but Stehling is calmly controlling the position for now.
Stehling works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stehling lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Daniel Speed's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Mitchell Stehling!
A very excited looking Mitchell Stehling made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Daniel Speed was interviewed post fight and said 'Stehling's manager Opa Jokinen put something to my water bottle in the locker room I swear! Should've known becouse he hoovered near our gear for some time and then came by and acted all frendly and shit. Oh well I guess if you ain't cheating you ain't trying hard enough... Lesson learned.'.