PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mickey Steel (ranked 6021 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duke Hardcastle (ranked 20242 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardcastle comes into a darkened arena with his song building. "Fade (Reed Streets Remix)" By Kanye West kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! On his way into the cage it seems that Mickey Steel has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Mickey Steel seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Steel
vs
Hardcastle

182 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

171 cm
25
187 lbs
4 - 11 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mickey Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Duke Hardcastle!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paulsen Ambrosius and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Steel darts in and clinches Hardcastle up against the cage.
Hardcastle looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Steel lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hardcastle should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Steel is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steel content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ground and pound from Steel.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel controlling the action here.
Steel not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardcastle avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Steel.
Steel landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hardcastle can do anything to dispel that myth.

Hardcastle looking for submissions off his back.
Hardcastle taking some punishment here, with Steel in his half guard.
Hardcastle is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Steel scores with a couple of nice shots.
Steel controlling the pace.

Steel is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hardcastle has managed to free his arm - good work.
Steel content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Steel lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Hardcastle defend it? Steel steps over the head and cranks it - Hardcastle is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Steel!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:11 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mickey Steel!
Mickey Steel decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.