PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roman Ship (ranked 3813 p4p, 4070 weight class) and Tubby Steed (ranked 404 p4p, 427 weight class). Tubby Steed is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Ship
vs
Steed

195 cm
19
283
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
273
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Roman Ship!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tubby Steed!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A low kick lands for Steed.
Steed connects with a leg kick.
Ship pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Steed fails with the takedown.
Steed will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Steed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Steed looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Steed uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ship.
A shot to the body from Ship misses
and Steed counters with a left to the body.
Steed shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ship sprawls well. Ship wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Steed gets slowly back to his feet.
Roman Ship has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tubby Steed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ship closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steed pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Steed has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Steed dives in for a single leg takedown but Ship sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Ship missing with a left hand there. Steed was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Ship rushes Steed and presses him up against the cage.
Steed digs a right hand into Ship's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ship's gas tank.
Ship fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ship tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Steed just stands there and leans against the cage.
Steed unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ship misses with a punch on the inside.

Steed's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Steed tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ship defends well and Steed ends up having to push Ship into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Steed fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Steed tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ship sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Steed somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ship throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ship has closed the distance and engaged Steed in a clinch.
Steed tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Steed breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steed fails to land with a series of punches.
Ship shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Steed defends it nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ship misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steed.

Ship dives in and scores a takedown into Steed's guard.

Steed pushes Ship off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Steed closes the distance and clinches up with Ship, looking for a takedown. Steed pushes Ship against the cage but Ship circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ship shoots in but Steed avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A big left from Ship misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ship clinches with his opponent.
Ship using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Steed has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Steed has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ship uses from the top position.

Ship drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ship jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Steed trying to control the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Ship's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Ship is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ship could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Steed looking for a guillotine here but Ship defends easily.
Steed trying to keep a closed guard but Ship is proving a slippery customer.
Steed throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steed looking to control.
Steed wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Ship postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Steed is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ship, into his guard.

Steed is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ship is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ship has escaped and now he's on top!

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ship is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Steed is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Steed has escaped and now he's on top!

Ship will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Steed looking to sit in guard and control but Ship gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tubby Steed will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Steed blocks the body kick.
Steed shoots in for a takedown but Ship shows good takedown defense.
Ship is looking to clinch but Steed is avoiding it.
Steed shoots for a double leg takedown but Ship sprawls well. He's pushed Steed's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Ship has closed the distance and engaged Steed in a clinch.
Ship tries to pull guard but Steed holds him up against the cage and eventually Ship drops back down to his feet.
Ship tries to pull guard but Steed won't allow it.

Ship manages to pull guard.
Steed trying to control the position from guard on top but Ship is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Steed decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ship, up you get!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ship misses with an uppercut. Steed saw that one coming.
Steed blocks the body kick.
Roman Ship seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ship rushes Steed and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ship jumps guard and drags Steed to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Steed drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ship manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Steed has Ship in his guard.

Ship drops back, looking for a kneebar! Steed looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Steed looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Steed!

Ship manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ship is staying active underneath Steed, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Ship looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ship is refusing to be controlled, as Steed sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steed is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ship doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Steed.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ship looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Steed sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ship defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ship looking for submissions off his back.

Steed wants to work for an arm triangle but Ship is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ship is looking to improve his position.

Ship looking for submissions off his back.

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.
It looks like Steed is going to stand back up.
Ship regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ship is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ship is looking for a kimura but Steed is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ship to get the leverage.

Ship is working for a kimura but Steed is defending it quite comfortably.
Steed trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Ship dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ship throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Steed tries to close the distance and clinch but Ship swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ship throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ship throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Steed's waist but Steed gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ship off to one side.

Ship closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ship tries to pull guard but Steed forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ship is trying to pull guard but Steed turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Ship. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ship manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Ship throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Steed has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Ship to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Steed is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Ship pulls down on the head and he's put Steed to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Roman Ship!