PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leevi Nikkola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cory Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steel has chosen Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Cory Steel has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Nikkola
vs
Steel

181 cm
23
207 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

184 cm
23
212 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Nemesis Cage Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leevi Nikkola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cory Steel!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel fails with a takedown attempt.
Steel swings for the body but Nikkola moves out of range.
Nikkola circles away from the clinch attempt.
A big right from Steel misses.
Steel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Steel throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck for Steel with that takedown attempt.
Steel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Steel decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Nikkola looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Steel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Nikkola defending well though.
Nikkola wants to improve his position but Steel is controlling well.
Steel keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nikkola is looking to improve his position.
Steel wants to stand up but Nikkola has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Steel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nikkola regains full guard. Nicely done.

Nikkola has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Steel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Steel preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Steel wants to pass the guard but Nikkola is keeping the position.
Steel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Steel stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Steel loads up on a big right hand but Nikkola slips the punch.
Nikkola keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nikkola gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Steel counters with a left hand that sends Nikkola to the canvas!
Steel advances position into side control!
Nikkola manages to work his way to half guard, despite Steel's best efforts.
Nikkola wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Nikkola is trying to get back to full guard.
Nikkola is breathing heavily.
Steel passes to side control.
Nikkola throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Steel is looking to take a break and control but Nikkola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Steel works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Steel looks up at the clock and then as Nikkola takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Steel smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Steel lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikkola takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Nikkola is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nikkola gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
BOOM! Steel connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Nikkola is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Steel scoring with strikes but Nikkola is staying in there.
Oh Nikkola is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Steel landing shots from mount.
Steel cracks Nikkola with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Cory Steel!