PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jerome Steel (ranked 657 p4p, 87 weight class) and Steve Butabi (ranked 716 p4p, 97 weight class). Butabi comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I'm so bad (baby I don't care) kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Steel
vs
Butabi

196 cm
24
279 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

205 cm
31
290 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jerome Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Butabi!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Alyssa Summers and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Butabi swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Steel counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Butabi thinking.
Butabi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Butabi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Steel counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Steve Butabi has been cut.
Steve Butabi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steel misses with a hook
and Butabi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Steel avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Steel lands a lovely overhand right.

Butabi ducks straight into an uppercut from Steel and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Butabi manages to regain guard straight away.
Steel is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Big Price MMA that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Steel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Steel with a flurry of punches that miss.
Steel throws a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steel throws an elbow that misses. Butabi uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Steel's guard. Nice move by Butabi!

Steel looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Butabi puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel wants to get back to his feet.
Butabi wants to stand up but Steel is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steel is looking to improve his position.
Steel is working hard here to advance position.
Steel trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Butabi manages to pass to mount!
Steel is in all sorts of trouble 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 sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Steel makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Steel.

Steel is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Butabi is aware though and is defending well.
Steel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Butabi is one step ahead there.

Steel has his foot on Butabi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Butabi works his way back into a safe position though.
Butabi looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Steel is trying to control the position but Butabi postures up.

Steel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Butabi manages to get himself to full guard.

Butabi keeping moving, preventing Steel from controlling successfully.
Steel throws a big elbow that misses.
Steel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Butabi has momentary wrist control but Steel slips an elbow through the middle.
Steel is working Butabi over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Steel 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.
Steel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Butabi wants to stand and escape but Steel is having none of it.
Steel throws a strike but Butabi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel tries to strike from the bottom.

Butabi decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Steel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Butabi.
Butabi misses with an uppercut.
Butabi throws a hook but Steel blocks it.
Steel appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Steel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butabi moves away.
Butabi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Steel manages to avoid it.
Steel cracks Butabi with an open hand slap.

That has opened up Steve Butabi's cut even more.
Butabi misses with an uppercut.
Butabi misses with a straight left.
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!
Butabi missing with a left hand there. Steel was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Steel is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Butabi.
A cross from Steel lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerome Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Butabi's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Steel misses with a low kick.
Steel throws a half hearted mid kick.
Steel swings away with a body shot that misses
and Butabi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Steel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Butabi throws a lazy right hand but Steel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Steel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Steel looks to land a left hand but Butabi moved out of range nicely.
Steel moves away from the strike by Butabi.
Butabi avoids the body shot from Steel.
Steel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Butabi can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steel ducks under a wild hook from Butabi.
Steel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Butabi moves away.
Butabi throws a lazy uppercut
and Steel counters with a right hand to the body.
Butabi moves out of range of the strikes.
Butabi might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Steel is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Butabi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi throws a looping overhand right but Steel ducks down to avoid it.
Steel takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Steel lands a nice hook to Butabi's body. Butabi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Butabi has Steel up against the cage in a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Butabi scores with a nice short uppercut.

Butabi manages to break the clinch.
Jerome Steel is winning the standup battle so far.
The fighters circling - Butabi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A little feinted left hand from Steel on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Butabi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Steel gets the takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steel creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Butabi sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Steel landing a few strikes.
Steel throws an elbow but Butabi slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi is pushing Steel's head away, looking to escape. Steel manages to hold on to the position though.
Steel throws a strike aimed at the side of Butabi's head but Butabi avoids it well.
Butabi is trying to get back to his feet.
Steel is trying to ground and pound but Butabi uses the momentary lack of control by Steel to regain half guard.
Jerome Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Butabi regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Steel.
Steel throwing strikes but missing.
Steel chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel looking to sit in guard and control but Butabi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Steel wants to sweep here but Butabi controlling him for the moment.
Steel controls Butabi momentarily but Butabi frees himself.
Butabi wants to get up but he can't break Steel's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Steel tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Steel looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Steel trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Steel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Steel connects with a body shot that sends Butabi's belly button to the back.
A jab from Butabi misses.
Steel swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Butabi takes a swing at Steel's ribcage but misses.
Butabi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Steel looks to land a combination but Butabi avoids it well.
Steel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Butabi looks to land a combination but Steel avoids it well.

Butabi pushes Steel up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Butabi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Steve Butabi's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Butabi. Steel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Butabi throws a jab but it's blocked by Steel.

Butabi takes the fight into the clinch.
Butabi stops a takedown attempt from Steel.

Butabi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Butabi scores with a jab.
Butabi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Butabi moves forwards but Steel connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Butabi lands a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Steel.
Butabi throws a body shot but no joy.
Steel takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Butabi throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Steel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Steel swats away the attempt to clinch by Butabi.
Butabi misses with a hook.
Steel keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Steel throws a predictable looking body shot
and Butabi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Butabi gets a clinch.
A short right from Butabi.
Steel working aggressively here.

Butabi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Steel throws a lazy uppercut
and Butabi counters with a right hand to the body.
Butabi tries to clinch
and Butabi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Steel gets tackled into the cage by Butabi. Butabi maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel working hard to break the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Butabi - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Butabi prevents a body shot from Steel.
Steel misses with a short punch on the inside.

Steel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steel shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Steel blocks a jab.
Butabi moves in looking to clinch but Steel pushes him off.
Steel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Butabi looks to land a left hand but Steel moved out of range nicely.
Butabi swings widly with a right hand
and Steel counters with a straight right hand.

Steel gets tackled into the cage by Butabi. Butabi maintains the clinch.
Butabi is working Steel over against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Steel's efforts to push away.
Butabi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A right handed body shot lands from Butabi.

Butabi breaks the clinch.
Butabi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Butabi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Steel connects with a jab.
Butabi lands a jab to the head.
Butabi dips to his left and cracks Steel with an uppercut!
Steel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Butabi.

Butabi gets a clinch.
Butabi stalling.
A hook to the body from Butabi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butabi avoiding damage.
Butabi lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Butabi manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butabi cracks Steel with an open hand slap.
A lazy left from Butabi finds it's target.
Butabi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Steel was well out of range. Poor timing from Butabi.
Steel throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Steel fails to land with a series of punches.
Good exchange - Butabi coming out on top.
Butabi misses with a body shot.
Butabi misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Butabi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Butabi 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Butabi!
Steve Butabi made sure to mention his sponsor, IniTech Nutrition in his post fight interview.