PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Geoly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steel has chosen Saliva - Ladies and Gentlemen as his entrance music. Max Steel struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.2lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Max Steel enters the cage!

Geoly
vs
Steel

189 cm
32
192 lbs
27 - 12 - 5

185 cm
35
204 lbs
30 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 12 - 5, fighting out of Helsinki, Alexander Geoly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Max Steel!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, William Gold and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel throws a leg kick

and Geoly counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Steel pulls Geoly in close to prevent any damage.
Geoly is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Geoly stops Steel from standing up.
Geoly trying to control the position from guard on top but Steel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alexander Geoly wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Steel slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geoly punishes Steel's body with a nice straight punch.
Geoly misses with a straight right.
Steel misses with a straight right.
Steel throws a body punch but Geoly moves out of range.
Steel's coach down at Homunculus Alembic was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Steel's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Max Steel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Steel misses with an uppercut. Geoly saw that one coming.
Geoly throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Geoly takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Geoly tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Steel is able to avoid easily.
Steel tries to land a front kick but Geoly steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Steel swings for the body but Geoly moves out of range.
Geoly throws a leg kick but Steel moved away.
Geoly takes one to the side of the head.
Steel takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Steel is looking to score with low kicks.
Geoly moves forwards but Steel connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Steel fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Geoly looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steel cracks the inside of Geoly's front leg.
Donk. Geoly catches Steel right on the button with a cross.
Geoly throws a body punch but Steel moves out of range.
Steel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Geoly was well out of range. Poor timing from Steel.
Steel connects with the punch.
Steel connects with a looping right hand.
Geoly checks the leg kick nicely there.
Geoly bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Geoly uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Steel.
Steel slips under a jab.
A head kick by Geoly misses
letting Steel counter with a right hand.
Geoly throws a jab when Steel was well out of range.
Steel misses with a wild body shot.
Steel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Geoly keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel blocks a head kick by Geoly.
Steel looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Geoly walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Steel slips a straight right by Geoly.
Geoly stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Steel.
Geoly on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Geoly goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Steel takes a swing at Geoly's ribcage but misses.
Steel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Geoly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Steel bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Geoly's head.
Steel scores with a decent looking hook.
Geoly throws a shot to the body.
Steel is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Geoly had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Geoly throws a right and a left that both miss.
Geoly feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Steels jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Geoly misses with a body shot
and Steel makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Geoly moves out of range of the body kick.
Steel connects with a solid leg kick.
Geoly blocks a low kick nicely.
Steel throws a low kick, looking for Geoly's leg but Geoly calmly moves out of range.
Geoly tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Geoly throws an overhand right that lands on Steel's shoulder, as Steel tries to avoid the shot.
Steel looks to land a right hand but Geoly moved out of range.
A slow jab from Steel misses its intended target.
Geoly stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Steel.
Geoly misses with a hook to the body
and Steel counters with a leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A slapping leg kick lands for Geoly.
Geoly misses with a low kick.
Geoly fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Geoly drives through with a takedown into guard.
Steel is pulling down on Geoly's head. It's preventing any offense from Geoly, at least for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Geoly is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Steel throws a body punch but Geoly moves out of range.
Geoly pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Max Steel seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geoly checks a leg kick.
Steel misses with an uppercut.
Geoly takes a swing at Steel's ribcage but misses.
Steel misses with a two punch combination.
Geoly 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.
Geoly avoids a punch combination nicely.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Steel scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Steel throws a right hand that Geoly ducks under and follows up with a left that Geoly also avoids with ease.
A jab from Geoly misses.
Steel throws a jab but it's blocked by Geoly.
Steel misses with a low kick.
Geoly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Steel chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Geoly can pounce on him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Geoly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel blocks a head kick by Geoly.
Steel on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Geoly. Geoly obviously looking to wear him down.
Steel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Steel moves out of range as Geoly throws a body kick.
Steel throws a series of punches but Geoly moves out of range.
Geoly connects with a crisp jab.
Steel throws a leg kick but Geoly moved away.
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!
Steel lands a glancing blow to the side of Geoly's head.
Steel throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Geoly checks a leg kick.
Steel keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Steel looks to throw a body kick
and Geoly counters with a slapping leg kick.
Geoly uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Steel has time to react.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel misses with a right hand

and Geoly counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Steel's guard now.
Geoly lands a couple of elbows.
Steel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Geoly is one step ahead there.
Geoly's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Geoly trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Geoly prevents Steel from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Geoly scoring with some ground and pound.
Steel wants to get back to his feet but Geoly is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Alexander Geoly has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Steel staying out of range there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Crunch! Geoly slams his shin into Steel's torso.
Steel stuffs the takedown attempt from Geoly. Geoly gets slowly back to his feet.
Geoly misses with a body shot.
Steel swinging wildly here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Geoly cracks a nice hook into Steel's ribs.
Steel throws a looping overhand right but Geoly ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Geoly dominated that second round.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Steel lands a slapping body shot.
Geoly moves out of range of the body kick from Steel.
Steel misses the shot to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Geoly checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Steel connects with a body shot.
Steel lands with a kick to the ribs.
Steel's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Steel duly obliges.
Steel lands with an overhand left.
Steel misses with an uppercut. Geoly saw that one coming.
Good work by Geoly as he checks the leg kick.
Steel walks into a jab.
Geoly throws a jab when Steel was well out of range.
Steel is looking to chop away at Geoly's legs.
Steel slips a straight right by Geoly.
Steel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Geoly avoids the body shot from Steel.
Geoly takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Steel scores with a hook to the body. Geoly takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A big right from Steel misses.
Steel misses with a jab, cross combination.
Steel misses with a low kick.
Geoly misses with a body kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Steel darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Geoly cracks Steel with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Geoly throws a hook but Steel blocks it.
Geoly looks to score with a jab to the body but Steel is just out of range.
Steel throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Good leg kick by Geoly there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Steel goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Steel.
Geoly ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Steel moves away.
Geoly lands with an overhand left.
Geoly swings for the body but Steel moves out of range.
Steel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Geoly.
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!
Geoly misses with the combination.
Steel throws a predictable looking body shot

and Geoly counters with a shoot takedown. Steel fights it but they end up in guard.
Geoly won't allow Steel to get back to his feet.
Geoly slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Geoly won't allow Steel to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Geoly checks a leg kick nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Geoly.
A leg kick checked by Steel.
Geoly on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Steel scores with a hook to the body. Geoly takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Some wild striking there from Steel.
Geoly ducks under a wild hook from Steel.
Steel throws a big shot that misses.
Geoly slips under a jab.

Geoly closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel looks like he's trying to stand up.
Steel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Geoly is trying to control the action in half guard but Steel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Geoly prevents Steel from standing back up.
Alexander Geoly overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
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. Alexander Geoly wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Steel avoids a kick to the body.
Geoly fails with the takedown.
Steel throws out a loose jab but Geoly uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Max Steel.
I think Steel has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Max Steel!
A very excited looking Max Steel 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.