PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between dameon steal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martinez is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Highway To The Danger Zone. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

steal
vs
Martinez

190 cm
21
260 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, dameon steal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martinez connects with a looping right hand.
steal looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
steal closes the distance and clinches up with Martinez, looking for a takedown. steal pushes Martinez against the cage but Martinez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

steal gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Martinez gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Martinez is looking to stall here but steal recovers full guard.
steal is trying to control the position but Martinez postures up.
Martinez wants to control from the top but steal keeps moving.
steal avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Martinez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Martinez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Martinez throwing strikes from guard but steal blocks nicely.
steal avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Martinez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Martinez stopping the sweep attempt from steal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez postures up.
steal preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

steal scrambles and gets back to his feet.
steal is breathing heavily.

Martinez has managed to clinch.
steal wants a takedown but no success here.
steal is trying to break free.

Martinez manages to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
steal won't allow Martinez to sweep him here.
Martinez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
steal trying to stand up but can't free himself from Martinez's guard.
Martinez looking for a sweep. Not yet Martinez, not yet.
Martinez throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Martinez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
steal dodges the punch combination from Martinez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
steal tries for a takedown but Martinez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for dameon steal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by steal.

steal decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Thiago Martinez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
steal is looking to clinch.
steal tries to clinch but Martinez moves out of range.
Martinez looks for a takedown but steal sprawls well.
steal shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Martinez counters with a one-two to the body.

Martinez gets caught flat footed, as steal shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
steal content to stall in guard here.
steal is looking to stand up but Martinez won't let him.

steal stands up from Martinez's guard - steal perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez closes the distance and clinches.
Martinez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. steal avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Martinez tries to break the clinch but steal is controlling the position.

steal pulls guard successfully.
Martinez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Martinez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
steal has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Martinez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Nice takedown defense from Martinez. No joy for steal on that attempt.

Martinez rushes steal and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
steal wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Martinez has him pressed against the cage.
Martinez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice body punch from Martinez - that landed with a thud.
Martinez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Martinez avoiding damage.

Martinez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Martinez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Martinez looking to pass the guard.
Martinez stands up over steal, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Martinez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
steal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Martinez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. steal is keeping the position for now.
Martinez throws a big right hand that misses.
Martinez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Martinez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Martinez in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
steal pushes Martinez away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Martinez gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
steal gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
steal trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

steal looks for a takedown but Martinez sprawls well.
dameon steal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
steal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
steal closes this distance looking for a takedown but Martinez circles away.

Martinez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Martinez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Martinez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
steal trying to control the position from guard on top but Martinez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martinez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and steal is now in half guard.
Martinez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

steal is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
dameon steal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
steal is looking to take a break and control but Martinez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
steal gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Martinez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in steal's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for dameon steal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
steal is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Martinez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. steal is keeping the position for now.
steal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martinez is one step ahead there.
Martinezis looking to pass into half guard but steal pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now steal is in guard.
steal wants to control from the top but Martinez keeps moving.
steal is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Martinez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
steal slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Martinez.
Martinez holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
steal seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Martinez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Martinez tries to roll over but steal keeps him under control.
steal controlling the action here.

steal stands up out of the half guard.
steal fails with the takedown.
steal shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Martinez as he jumps to the side.
The fight stays on the outside here - steal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
steal slips under a jab from Martinez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - steal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
steal tries to clinch up but Martinez circles away and keeps his distance.

Martinez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
steal manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Martinez manages to get himself to full guard.
steal stopping the sweep attempt from Martinez.
steal postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Martinez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Martinez is trying to control the position but steal postures up.
Martinez tries to strike from the bottom.
Martinez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Martinez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Martinez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Martinez throws a series of punches but steal avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Martinez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
steal looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Martinez misses with a few strikes there.
steal connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Martinez moves in looking to clinch but steal pushes him off.
steal shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Martinez pinned against the cage. Martinez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
steal throws a nice head kick!
Martinez looks to score with a jab to the body but steal is just out of range.
steal fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thiago Martinez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Martinez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Martinez lands in his opponent's guard.
steal thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Martinez trying to control but steal is working from the bottom.
Martinez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

steal manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Martinez tries to clinch there but steal circles away.

Martinez has managed to clinch.
Martinez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Martinez has had enough of the clinch but steal keeps him there for the moment.
steal lands a right hand.
Martinez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
steal is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
steal is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Martinez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Martinez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martinez takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Thiago Martinez has been cut.

steal wants the takedown. Martinez is fighting it off but steal persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Martinez's guard against the cage.
Martinez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Martinez is striking off his back. steal thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Martinez wants to improve his position but steal is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez is staying active underneath steal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Martinez wants to control but steal is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Martinez strikes from the bottom but steal uses the opportunity to move to side control.

steal decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Martinez clinches up with steal and pushes him back against the cage.

steal is fighting off a takedown attempt but Martinez is just too persistent for him and manages to trip steal to the mat. steal regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Martinez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Martinez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with steal. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Martinez wants to control from the top but steal keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Martinez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Martinez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
steal manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
steal avoids the attempt from Martinez to control.
steal in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
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!
Martinez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Martinez tries to hold on but steal pushes him away.
Martinez is in all sorts of trouble here.
steal can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Martinez is looking to escape.
steal landing strikes from the mount and Martinez is in trouble!
steal sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
steal seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Martinez for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez wants to hold on but steal pushes him away.
Martinez is looking to get to half guard.
steal sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
steal lands a heavy elbow.
steal blocks Martinez's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Martinez can't escape the position.
steal controlling from the full mount.
steal lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

steal is working to isolate an arm here. It's a choreographed submission attempt but he's gone for it anyway - and he's got it! steal extends the arm and Martinez is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). dameon steal!