PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Steel (ranked 1906 p4p, 238 weight class) and Wykyd Dall (ranked 1843 p4p, 231 weight class). Dall is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Attitude. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Steel
vs
Dall

183 cm
30
202 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

185 cm
30
173 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Wykyd Dall!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Patrick Alders and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel throws a series of punches but Dall avoids them all with ease.
Steel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Steel throws a lazy right hand but Dall sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A big left from Steel misses.
Steel scores with a shot to the body.
Steel scores with a nice right hand.
Dall takes one on the button.

Steel clinches up with Dall and pushes him back against the cage.
Steel swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Dall's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
James Steel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Steel closes the distance and clinches.

Dall breaks the clinch.
Steel throws a shot from downtown. Dall moves away and avoids it.
Dall blocks a low kick nicely.
Steel misses with an uppercut.
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 moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Steel.

Steel gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Dall gets back to full guard.
Steel tries to free his leg and advance position but Dall is retaining full guard.
Dall manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Steel manages to get himself to full guard.

Steel controls Dall momentarily but Dall frees himself.
Steel is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Dall is controlling him.
Steel is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Dall trying to control but Steel is working from the bottom.
Steel is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dall slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Dall pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel is keeping the position for now.
Dall controlling from the top position.
Steel keeping moving, preventing Dall from controlling successfully.
Dall prevents Steel from getting back to his feet.

Steel is looking for a triangle but Dall pushes his legs off easily.
Steel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Dall wants to pass the guard but Steel is keeping the position.

Steel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dall gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dall trying to control the position from guard on top but Steel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dall sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The fight stays on the outside here - Steel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Steel throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dall makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Steel tries to clinch up but Dall circles away and keeps his distance.
Dall takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel lands a body shot.
Steel bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Steel swings widly with a right hand
and Dall counters with a right hand to the body.
Steel lands a head shot.

Steel moves into range and clinches up with Dall.
Steel definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Dall working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Dall throws a head punch that misses.
Dall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dall misses with a hook to the ribs.
Good body shot from Dall.
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's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dall closes the distance and clinches up with Steel, looking for a takedown. Dall pushes Steel against the cage but Steel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dall.
James Steel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Steel scores with a body shot.
Dall throws a nice head kick!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Steel dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dall throws a shot to the body.

It looks like James Steel has been cut.

Dall gets tackled into the cage by Steel. Steel maintains the clinch.
Steel tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dall's elbow.
Steel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Steel jumps guard but Dall stands there with Steel around his waist. Steel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dall softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Steel struggles to land a body shot inside as Dall controls his hands.
Dall blocking some punches.
Dall doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dall has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Steel seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Dall can turn it around.
Dall lands with a short head shot on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel can't find room to land a body shot as Dall controls the action.
Steel blocks an uppercut.
Steel gets underhooks to prevent Dall's takedown attempt.
Steel tries a body shot but Dall blocks it.
Dall throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Steels head.
Steel makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel misses with a body punch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Steel.
Dall tries to throw a body punch but Steel avoids it by throwing Dall back against the cage.
Dall lands with a light punch inside.
James Steel has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dall throws a head punch that misses.

Steel lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Dall is pressing down on Steel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Steel trying to control but Dall is working from the bottom.

Steel stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Steel lands a jab to Dall's midsection.
Steel takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Dall tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As Dall backs away, Steel returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
A big right from Dall misses.
Dall scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dall lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Steel throws a hook but Dall blocks it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dall.
Dall lands with a kick to the temple. Steel shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Steel moves into range and clinches up with Dall.
Dall has had enough of the clinch but Steel keeps him there for the moment.
Steel fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Steel throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Steel.
Dall struggles to land a body shot inside as Steel controls his hands.
Steel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Dall.
Dall lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Steel jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dall walks away with a smile on his face. Steel gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dall throws a looping overhand right but Steel ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Dall there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Dall lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Steel throws a looping overhand right but Dall ducks down to avoid it.
Dall replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Steel blocks it well.
Dall throws the left hand but Steel avoids the punch easily.
Steel scores with a sloppy right hand. Dall should have avoided that one.
Dall misses the body punch
and Steel counters with a nice leg kick.
Dall takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A swing and a miss from Steel.
Dall with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Dall takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Steel throws a hook to the side of Dall's head but Dall sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Steel connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dall.
Steel is looking to clinch but Dall is avoiding it.
Steel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Dall.
Steel tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dall manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dall. Steel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Steel lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Steel is looking to clinch.
Dall gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Steel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Steel lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Steel cracks Dall with a right hand to the side of the head.
Dall lands with an uppercut that bounces Steel off the cage and back into range.
Steel avoids the head kick by Dall.
Steel pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Dall back to the cage. Steel follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that James Steel will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Steel's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Steel closes the distance and clinches.
Dall misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Steel throws a punch but it's blocked by Dall.
Dall throws a punch but it's blocked by Steel.
Dall blocking some punches.
Steel tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dall's elbow.
Dall fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Steel is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Dall tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dall swings wildly with an uppercut but Steel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Steel is trying to pull guard but Dall has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dall tries to work over Steel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Dall turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dall manages to end up in side control.

Dall thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Steel is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dall's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel is trying to maintain the position but Dall is very close to passing his half guard.

Steel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dall is keen to just control but Steel is a slippery customer.
Steel won't allow Dall to pass to mount.

Dall is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Steel is just riding it out for now. Dall eventually gives up the hold.
Steel won't allow Dall to pass to mount.
Steel is trying to stand.
Steel has his hands clasped together around Dall's back. He's all about the action.
Wykyd Dall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Steel pushes Dall off looking to stand but Dall dives back in and keeps control.

Dall seems to be working for a kimura but Steel defends the submission attempt.
James Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dall prevents Steel from standing back up.

Dall is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Steel is just riding it out for now. Dall eventually gives up the hold.

Dall is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Dall is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dall takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Steel trying to control here.
Steel is trying to stand back up but Dall is controlling him

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Steel lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
James Steel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dall misses with an uppercut
and Steel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dall pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Steel is looking to clinch but Dall is avoiding it.
Dall circles away from the clinch attempt
and Dall makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dall avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Steel tries to clinch
and Dall counters with a straight right hand.
Steel checks the leg kick.
Dall walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Steel clinches with his opponent.
Dall lands with a light punch inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Dall.
Dall has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Steel gets underhooks to prevent Dall's takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dall throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Steels head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steel blocks a body shot from Dall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wykyd Dall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Steel has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!