PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shane Mitchell (ranked 1288 p4p, 729 weight class) and Sami Steele (ranked 151 p4p, 92 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mitchell
vs
Steele

170 cm
29
155
11 - 2 - 0

173 cm
24
142
11 - 6 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Urban Fighter
Core Combat

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shane Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sami Steele!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Jorge Garcia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mitchell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Steele manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mitchell has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Underground Rio in the buildup to the fight.
Mitchell misses with a takedown attempt - Steele sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mitchell fails with the takedown.
Steele defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mitchell.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Steele! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shane Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mitchell closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Steele quickly recovers to half guard.
Mitchell uses his free foot to push down on Steele's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Steele.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Steele squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mitchell scoring with strikes but Steele is staying in there.
Mitchell content just to control the position here.
Steele is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mitchell has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Steele's face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele really wants to buck Mitchell off and get back to his feet.
Mitchell trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mitchell controlling his opponent.
Mitchell lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Mitchell fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Mitchell controlling his opponent.
Mitchell has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell is working for a guillotine from mount but Steele frees his head quite easily.
Mitchell looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mitchell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steele is looking to escape.
Steele wants to try and get back to his feet.
Mitchell content just to control the position here.

Mitchell working for a guillotine from mount but Steele is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell controlling the pace for now.
Mitchell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steele is looking to escape.
Mitchell controlling the position easily from mount.
Mitchell trying to control but Steele is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Steele squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Mitchell trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Mitchell dominated that round.
That's time! Mitchell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A jab from Steele misses.
A low kick from Steele is predictable there
enabling Mitchell to counter with a crisp jab.

Mitchell fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Steele to the ground. Mitchell is now in Steele's guard.
Shane Mitchell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mitchell passes Steele's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Steele is trying to stand back up but Mitchell is controlling him
Mitchell wants to pass the guard but Steele is defending well.
Mitchell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Steele can do to turn this around?
Mitchell wants to take a breather but Steele is having none of it.
Mitchell not doing much here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mitchell is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Steele has managed to free his arm - good work.
Steele is refusing to be controlled, as Mitchell sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele won't allow Mitchell to pass to mount.
Steele is trying to stand back up but Mitchell is controlling him
Steele is staying active underneath Mitchell, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mitchell looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Steele wants to get back to his feet.
Steele is breathing heavily.
Mitchell moves nicely into side control.
Mitchell scores with a couple of short elbows.
Mitchell trying to control the action but Steele is working from the bottom.
Mitchell is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Steele will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele is not content to let Mitchell control the position.
Mitchell is staying tight to Steele's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Steele is trying to get back to his feet.
Steele gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Mitchell controlling the pace for now.
Steele is squirming around, avoiding Mitchell's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mitchell takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mitchell unloading with bombs!
Steele trying desperately to get to his feet.
Mitchell trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mitchell won't let Steele get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell looking to control and managing it successfully.
Steele is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Mitchell looking to control and managing it successfully.
Steele is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Mitchell tries to control but Steele wriggling away.
Mitchell controlling from mount.
Mitchell scoring with strikes but Steele is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mitchell connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Mitchell controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Mitchell dominated that second round.
That's time! Mitchell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Steele tries to land a leg kick but Mitchell saw it coming and moves away.
Mitchell tries to counter with a takedown but Steele is quick to defend against it.
Mitchell has a takedown stuffed.
Mitchell has his takedown stuffed
letting Steele counter with a right hand.
Mitchell lands a really nice looking cross but Steele seems unphased.
Mitchell misses with a takedown attempt
and Steele counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shane Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mitchell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Steele looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Sami Steele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mitchell checks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell shoots in but Steele avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A shot to the liver by Steele. Beautiful body shot.
Steele takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Donk. Steele catches Mitchell right on the button with a cross.
Mitchell keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Steele.

Mitchell closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Steele's guard.
Steele has momentary wrist control but Mitchell slips an elbow through the middle.
Mitchell is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Steele manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell is looking to clinch.
Steele misses with a leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mitchell.
Mitchell thows a left - swing and a miss!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mitchell drops his hands momentarily and Steele takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mitchell swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Steele scores with a jab to the body.
Steele throws the left hand but Mitchell avoids the punch easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Steele misses.
Mitchell is looking for a counter combo.
Mitchell fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown but Steele shows good takedown defense.
Sami Steele seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Steele throws a hook but Mitchell blocks it.
As Steele looks to move away, Mitchell throws a big counter combo but Steele just gets out of the way.
Steele throws a sloppy head kick and Mitchell moves out of range easily.
Steele avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Steele! But no joy.
Mitchell tries for a takedown but Steele circles away easily
and Steele counters with an outside leg kick.
Sami Steele has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mitchell throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Steele tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mitchell is in Steele's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele is looking to stand back up but Mitchell counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Steele.
Steele wants to get back to his feet.

Steele pushes Mitchell off and gets back to his feet.
Steele lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mitchell's sensitive parts.
Steele pushes Mitchell away with a front kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mitchell looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Steele is fending him off so far but Mitchell persists. Nope, Steele circles away and we're back to standing.
Mitchell avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mitchell is defended easily by Steele.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sami Steele comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mitchell has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shane Mitchell!
During a confident post fight interview, Shane Mitchell thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.