PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Lightning (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Lightning might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Rosalita. Johnny Lightning has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Lightning
vs
Steel

189 cm
19
195 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

190 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Likes ground

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Johnny Lightning!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mark Steel!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel throws a push kick but Lightning slaps the foot to one side.
Lightning throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lightning looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lightning shoots in but Steel avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Steel drives through and clinches with Lightning against the cage.

Steel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Steel throws a head kick but Lightning moves out of range.
Steel lands a high kick!
Steel looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Horrible takedown by Lightning or perhaps it was just good defense by Steel which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Lightning. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Steel misses with the combination.

Steel shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Steel is looking to stand up but Lightning won't let him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lightning is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lightning is breathing heavily.
Steel preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lightning is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Steel not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Steel stands and steps away. Lightning gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nice body punch from Steel.
Steel plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Johnny Lightning's cut is getting worse.
Steel throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Lightning's head.
Lightning stuffs the takedown.

Steel clinches up against the cage.
Lightning wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Steel has him pressed against the cage.

Steel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Steel stuffs the takedown.
Lightning tries for a takedown but Steel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel throws a low kick but Lightning avoids it.
Mark Steel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lightning tries to clinch up.
Lightning avoids the head kick by Steel.
Nice sprawl there from Steel as Lightning shoots in.
Steel swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A punch combination from Steel misses.
Lightning takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Steel misses with a few strikes there.

Lightning scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
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 is looking to improve his position.
Lightning trying to control from half guard but Steel is working away.

Steel manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Lightning is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lightning closes this distance looking for a takedown but Steel circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel throws a nice head kick!
Steel lands with a slapping head kick.

Steel moves into the clinch.

Lightning pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lightning is looking to stand up but Steel isn't so interested in that idea.
Lightning can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Steel controls the pace.
Lightning wants to sweep here but Steel controlling him for the moment.
Lightning is working hard here to advance position.
Lightning wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Steel stopping the sweep attempt from Lightning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lightning throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Steel trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lightning's guard.
Lightning trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Lightning pulls Steel in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lightning looking for a sweep. Not yet Lightning, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Johnny Lightning's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lightning looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Steel is fending him off so far but Lightning persists. Nope, Steel circles away and we're back to standing.
Steel shoots in and drives through. Lightning sprawls well.
Lightning misses with a takedown attempt - Steel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lightning is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Steel.
Lightning throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Steel clinches with his opponent.
Lightning is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Steel gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Lightning. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lightning tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Steel just stands there and leans against the cage.

Steel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Steel scores with a nice head shot.
Lightning looks for a takedown but Steel sprawls well.
Lightning takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lightning keeps the fight on the outside.
Lightning misses with a head kick.
Lightning throws a head kick but Steel moves out of range.

Steel has Lightning up against the cage in a clinch.
Steel is breathing heavily.

Steel manages to break the clinch.
Lightning misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel throws a right and a left that both miss.
Steel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Lightning shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Lightning sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
A nice elbow there by Lightning.
Lightning controlling the position easily from mount.
Steel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lightning landing strikes, looking to finish!
Lightning can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steel is looking to escape.
Lightning pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Lightning looking to control but Steel is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Lightning looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Steel is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lightning avoids the attempt from Steel to control.
Lightning controlling from mount.
Steel is trying to stand.
Lightning sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Steel tries to hold on but Lightning postures up.

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.
Lightning landing strikes, looking to finish!
Steel wants to get back to his feet.
Lightning controlling the pace for now.
Steel is in all sorts of trouble here.
Steel is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Steel is squirming around, avoiding Lightning's attempts to control the action.
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 Johnny Lightning will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Johnny Lightning's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Steel lands a head kick. Lightning smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Steel lands a body shot.
A head kick misses from Steel.
Lightning is looking to clinch but Steel is avoiding it.

Steel changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lightning looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Steel takes a little break here. Lightning wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Steel tries to advance to mount but Lightning denies him.
Lightning tries to improve position but can't.
Steel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lightning. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lightning sneaks back into half guard.
Lightning tries to get to full guard but Steel has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel is pressing down on Lightning's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lightning is holding on for now.
Steel prevents Lightning from improving his position.
Steel is thwarting Lightning's attempts to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Lightning crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Steel - the referee stops the clock and Lightning gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Steel. Lightning manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Lightning closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Lightning lands in his opponent's guard.
Steel wants to stand up but Lightning is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lightning trying to control the position from guard on top but Steel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Steel is controlling Lightning's posture.
Lightning preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Lightning throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Steel is on top in guard.
Steel is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Lightning is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Steel dives into side control.

Steel decides to stand back up. Steel steps back and let's Lightning get back to his feet.
Johnny Lightning is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Steel throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Lightning's head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Steel.
Steel pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lightning shoots and misses

and Steel counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Lightning is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Steel pulls his head out easily.
Lightning is trying to control but can't.
Steel performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Steel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Steel has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Steel!