PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steven Christie (ranked 1497 p4p, 2035 weight class) and Frankie Mir (ranked 129 p4p, 177 weight class). Christie comes to the cage accompanied by Amityville. Steven Christie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Christie
vs
Mir

170 cm
34
145
21 - 19 - 2

170 cm
30
145
18 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Shadow Realm Apparel

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 21 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steven Christie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frankie Mir!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mir.

Mir tries to sprawl but Christie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Mir is trying to maintain the position but Christie is very close to passing his half guard.
Mir taking some punishment here, with Christie in his half guard.
Christie throwing shots but Mir is blocking nicely.
Mir moves into full guard.

Mir had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Christie defends it easily.
Christie scoring with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mir is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Christie defends well.
Christie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Christie is pressing down on Mir's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mir working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Christie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mir.
Christie wants to sweep but no luck.
Mir distracts Christie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Christie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mir stands up over Christie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mir wants to control from the top but Christie keeps moving.
Mir pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Christie is keeping the position for now.
Mir is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Christie looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Christie is looking to sweep but instead, Mir has passed into half guard.
Christie is trying to control but can't.
Mir prevents Christie from improving his position.
Mir working over Christie with some ground and pound. Christie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mir wants to control but Christie is keeping him busy.
Christie is trying to control but Mir passes into side control!
Mir fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Mir scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Christie to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Christie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mir wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Christie, who protects the arm well.
Mir fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Christie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Mir's best efforts.
Mir thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Christie wants to get back to full guard.
Christie moves into full guard.
Mir looking to sit in guard and control but Christie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Christie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Christie connects with a couple of short punches.
Christie chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
We've been hearing that Christie has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Christie has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Christie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mir controls Christie momentarily but Christie frees himself.

Mir working for a triangle but Christie defends it easily.
Christie stopping the sweep attempt from Mir.
Christie distracts Mir with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mir lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Christie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mir's guard.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Mir throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Christie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Steven Christie will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fighters circling - Christie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mir with the counter takedown but Christie avoids it easily.
Christie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mir manages to avoid it.
Christie uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Mir has time to react.
Mir tries to clinch up.
Christie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Christie takes a jab right on the kisser.
A swing and a miss from Christie.
Christie looks to land a right hand but Mir moved out of range.
Frankie Mir is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mir tries for a takedown but Christie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A nice combination there by Mir.
Mir moves out of range of the strikes.
Mir changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Christie feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Christie won't allow Mir to sweep him here.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Mir preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Christie lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mir is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Christie is aware though and is defending well.
Christie postures up in Mir's guard and throws a big left but Mir blocks it.
Mir manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Christie manages to get himself to full guard.

Christie doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mir won't allow Christie to sweep him here.
Mir with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Christie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mir trying to control but Christie is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mir working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Christie's head.
Christie keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
Mir stopping the sweep attempt from Christie.
Mir pushing down on Christie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Christie's head.
Christie tries to get to full guard but Mir has control of the leg.
Mir is thwarting Christie's attempts to control the position.
Christie is not content to let Mir control the position.
Mir is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mir lands a nice short elbow.
Mir looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Christie wants to get back to full guard but Mir has passed into side control.
Mir is putting a hurting on Christie here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir working the head and body with strikes.
Mir misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Christie tries to bench press Mir off him but Mir keeps the position.
Christie wants to control but Mir postures up.

Mir is trying to get an arm triangle but Christie is defending well.
Christie on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Christie is looking for a sweep.
Mir is looking to take a break and control but Christie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Christie wants to control but Mir postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Christie takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Christie taking a bit of punishment here - Mir scoring with strikes.
Mir wants to stand but Christie is controlling his arm.
Christie takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Mir throws an elbow but Christie slips to the side and avoids it well.

Mir tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mir has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Christie manages to get back to half guard.
Mir is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Christie wants to improve his position but Mir is controlling well.
Mir seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Christie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Christie is looking to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Mir showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A slow jab from Christie misses its intended target.
Mir swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Christie misses with a hook.
Christie throws a looping overhand right but Mir ducks down to avoid it.
Christie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mir was well out of range. Poor timing from Christie.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mir.
Christie throwing a counter right hand but Mir manages to avoid it.
Mir dives in for a single leg takedown but Christie sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Mir misses with a few strikes there.
Frankie Mir seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Christie swats away the attempt to clinch by Mir.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mir shoots and misses
and Christie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Christie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Steven Christie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Mir.

Christie takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christie is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Mir is defending well.
Mir can't get the takedown.
Christie is trying to drag Mir to the mat but Mir just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Christie misses with a punch on the inside.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mir wants to break the clinch but can't.
A right hook to the body lands for Christie.

Mir pulls guard effortlessly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir working a defensive guard here.
Mir keeping moving, preventing Christie from controlling successfully.
Mir has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mir wants to sweep here but Christie controlling him for the moment.
Mir working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Christie.
Christie throws a big elbow that misses.

Mir escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Christie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Christie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mir throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Christie trying to control but Mir is working from the bottom.
Mir lands an upkick as Christie stands over him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Mir is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Mir had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Christie defends it easily.
Christie is working Mir over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Christie is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Christie preventing the sweep.
Christie is working Mir over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mir looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Christie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Christie postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Mir working for a triangle but Christie defends it easily.
Mir takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Christie lands a couple of elbows.
Christie cracks Mir with a solid left hand.
Mir bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Christie's guard.

Christie trying to keep a closed guard but Mir is proving a slippery customer.
Christie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Christie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mir is in close to Christie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Frankie Mir has got the better of the ground game so far.
Christie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mir.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Christie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Christie 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Christie!
A victorious Steven Christie thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.