PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Cantwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kasem Muang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muang has chosen Ding Lan as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Cantwell
vs
Muang

170 cm
20
167 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

171 cm
21
164 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Cantwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kasem Muang!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Jorge Garcia and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Muang looks to land a body kick but Cantwell moved away.
Muang throws a leg kick that misses.
Muang fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cantwell.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang moves out of range.
Cantwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Muang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Muang misses with a head kick.
Cantwell closes the distance but Muang moves to the side
and Muang counters with a head kick. That will keep Cantwell thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Cantwell moves in looking to clinch but Muang pushes him off.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.
Muang misses with a body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cantwell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Cantwell clinches up with Muang and pushes him back against the cage.
Cantwell is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Cantwell misses with a knee to the head.
Muang misses with a knee strike.
Cantwell tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cantwell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cantwell tries to land knees in the clinch but Muang avoids the damage to the body.
Muang tries a knee to the head but Cantwell blocks it.
Muang with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Muang avoids it.
Cantwell avoiding damage as Muang throws knees to the body.
Muang takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cantwell will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Muang up against the cage.
Cantwell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cantwell managing to block the knees to the body from Muang.
Cantwell lands a damaging elbow.
Cantwell tries a knee to the head but Muang blocks it.
Muang with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Muang lands an elbow that stopped Cantwell in his tracks for a moment.
Muang avoiding damage as Cantwell throws knees to the body.
Cantwell scores a nice knee to the body.
Cantwell stalling in the clinch but Muang improves position.
Muang trying to land knees to the body.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Muang avoids it.
Muang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cantwell avoids it.
Cantwell managing to block the knees to the body from Muang.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Muang lands a knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Muang using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cantwell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cantwell stalling against the cage.
Cantwell keeps control of Muang as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cantwell lands a damaging elbow.
Cantwell connects with a nasty looking knee right to Muang's face.

Muang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cantwell tries to clinch up
and Muang counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.
Muang scores with a nice body kick.
Muang pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Cantwell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Muang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cantwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Muang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cantwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Muang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.
Muang thows a body kick. Cantwell tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Muang keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cantwell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch but Muang swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cantwell tries to clinch up but Muang circles away and keeps his distance.
Muang plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cantwell tries to clinch
and Muang counters with a slapping leg kick.
Muang throws a half hearted mid kick.

Muang closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cantwell lands a good knee to the midsection. Muang won't want to take too many of those.
Muang tries to land knees in the clinch but Cantwell avoids the damage to the body.
Cantwell using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Muang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Muang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cantwell.
Muang unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cantwell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Cantwell trying to stall but Muang improves his position.
Muang trying to land knees to the body.
Cantwell misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muang.
Cantwell misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muang.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Muang avoids it.
Cantwell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cantwell using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Muang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cantwell putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Muang in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Muang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cantwell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cantwell with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Muang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cantwell rushes Muang and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Muang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cantwell.
Cantwell on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cantwell misses with an elbow over the top.
Knees to the body from Muang.
Cantwell is breathing heavily.
Cantwell takes a knee to the side of the body.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cantwell tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Muang tries to land knees in the clinch but Cantwell avoids the damage to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cantwell throws an elbow but misses.
Muang dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Nice elbow from Muang.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kasem Muang will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Muang explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Cantwell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cantwell bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Muang lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cantwell closes the distance looking to clinch
and Muang counters with a nice body kick.
Muang tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Muang circles away from the clinch attempt
and Muang counters with a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Muang. Cantwell does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang is having none of it.
Muang throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cantwell moves in looking to clinch but Muang pushes him off.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang moves out of range.
Cantwell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cantwell is looking to clinch but Muang is avoiding it.
Kasem Muang seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantwell tries to clinch up but Muang circles away and keeps his distance.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Muang.
Muang lands with a nice body kick.
Cantwell is looking to clinch.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Cantwell is looking to clinch but Muang is avoiding it.

Muang forces Cantwell back against the cage and clinches.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Muang avoids it.
Cantwell throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cantwell is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Muang is defending well for now.
Cantwell throws an elbow but it misses.
Cantwell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cantwell with a knee to the head.
Cantwell tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Muang avoids it.
Cantwell with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Muang unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cantwell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Muang breaks the clinch.
Muang throws a sloppy head kick and Cantwell moves out of range easily.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Muang fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cantwell.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Muang circles away from the clinch attempt.
Muang throws a wild body kick that Cantwell sees coming a mile off.
Muang lands a nice looking body kick.
Cantwell has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Cantwell takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Cantwell wants to clinch up but Muang keeps it at a distance.
Cantwell takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.

Cantwell has taken the fight to the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cantwell throws an elbow but misses.
Muang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cantwell avoids it.

Muang manages to break the clinch.
Cantwell blocks the body kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Muang, right into the meat.
A head kick misses from Muang.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Cantwell blocks the body kick.
Muang moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Muang circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Muang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cantwell on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Muang. Muang obviously looking to wear him down.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muang swats away the attempt to clinch by Cantwell.
Steve Cantwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Muang circles away from the clinch attempt.
Muang misses with a body kick.
Muang looks to land a body kick but Cantwell moved away.

Cantwell rushes Muang and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Cantwell managing to block the knees to the body from Muang.
Cantwell is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cantwell lands a knee to the body.
Cantwell misses with a knee strike.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Muang as Cantwell tries to tie him up.
Cantwell keeps control of Muang as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Cantwell using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Muang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell missing with knees to the body.
Cantwell looking to slow down the pace here.
Muang trying to land knees to the body.
Muang taking a breather.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Muang obliges.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Muang working Cantwell over with knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Muang.
Muang with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cantwell taking a breather.
Cantwell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Muang as Cantwell tries to tie him up.
Muang missing with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Muang working Cantwell over with knees to the body.
Cantwell blocks the elbow strike.
Cantwell will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Muang is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cantwell is defending well for now.
Nice elbow from Muang.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kasem Muang showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Muang scores with a head kick.

Cantwell forces Muang back against the cage and clinches.
Cantwell blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Muang breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Muang tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cantwell moves out of range of the body kick.
Cantwell moves in looking to clinch but Muang pushes him off.
An inside leg kick lands from Muang.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cantwell keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cantwell wants to clinch up but Muang keeps it at a distance.
Cantwell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cantwell wants to clinch.
Muang tries a head kick but it misses.
Cantwell wants to clinch up but Muang keeps it at a distance.
Muang throws a head kick but Cantwell moves out of range.
Cantwell wants to clinch up but Muang keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantwell is looking to clinch but Muang is avoiding it.
Muang tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cantwell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muang throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cantwell avoids a kick to the body.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang moves out of range.
Cantwell on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A good leg kick by Muang.
Muang throws a leg kick which misses Cantwell's front leg but catches the back leg as Cantwell tries to avoid it.
Cantwell fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cantwell tries to clinch but Muang moves away
and Muang counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Cantwell moves in looking to clinch but Muang pushes him off.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cantwell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cantwell moves out of range as Muang throws a body kick.
Cantwell moves in looking to clinch but Muang pushes him off.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.
Muang throws a front kick that sends Cantwell stumbling back into the cage.
Muang tries to land a front kick but Cantwell steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kasem Muang is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muang throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Cantwell fails with an attempt to clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Muang.
Muang lands a leg kick that knocks Cantwell off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Muang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cantwell fails in his attempt to clinch.
A slapping body kick lands there for Muang.
Cantwell tries to clinch up but Muang circles away and keeps his distance.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Muang.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muang keeps the fight on the outside.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Muang - that will leave a mark!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Muang throws a nice inside leg kick.
Muang tries to clinch but Cantwell moves out of range.
Cantwell is looking to clinch.
Cantwell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muang throws a head kick that half lands.
Muang misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell is looking to clinch.
Muang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Muang throws a wild body kick that Cantwell sees coming a mile off.
Cantwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Muang manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cantwell tries to clinch there but Muang circles away.
Cantwell avoids the head kick by Muang.
Muang looks for the body kick but Cantwell saw that one coming.
Muang swats away the attempt to clinch by Cantwell.
Cantwell tries to clinch up but Muang circles away and keeps his distance.
Cantwell tries to clinch up.

Cantwell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Muang on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cantwell is trying to stall.
Cantwell throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantwell pushes off an throws an elbow but Muang leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cantwell throws an elbow but misses.
Cantwell looking to slow down the pace here.
Cantwell throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cantwell missing with knees to the body.
Cantwell misses with a knee to the head.
Cantwell has Muang pressed against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cantwell misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muang.
Steve Cantwell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cantwell avoiding damage as Muang throws knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Steve Cantwell.
Well Muang 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Kasem Muang!
Kasem Muang seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.