PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Damien Sandow (ranked 2145 p4p, 283 weight class) and James Steel (ranked 3357 p4p, 406 weight class). Sandow comes into the arena with Aint No Grave blaring out of the sound system. James Steel is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Sandow
vs
Steel

185 cm
37
195 lbs
16 - 13 - 0

183 cm
29
202 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 16 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Damien Sandow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Steel!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sandow gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Steel counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Steel scores with a hook.

It looks like Damien Sandow has been cut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Steel.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Steel!
Steel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sandow.
Steel feints and then cracks Sandow's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sandow down.
Steel throws a big shot that misses.
Sandow shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damien Sandow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Steel chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Sandow on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sandow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Steel avoids it really well and circles away.
Steel scoring well with a low kick there.
Sandow misses with a takedown attempt
and Steel counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sandow tries to clinch but Steel moves away
and Steel counters with a nice uppercut.

Sandow scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Steel felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Steel keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Sandow is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Steel sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Steel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Steel works his way to full guard. Good work.

Sandow drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sandow jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Steel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Sandow has gone for a leg lock! Steel slips out almost immediately though and dives into Sandow's guard.

Steel wants to control from the top but Sandow keeps moving.
Steel works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel slips a nice elbow through Sandow's hands, connecting with Sandow's forehead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sandow wants to sweep but Steel has passed to side control!
Steel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sandow keeps working.
Sandow regains half guard.

Steel seems to be working for a kimura but Sandow defends the submission attempt.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.
Steel trying to control the pace.
Sandow is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Killer Instinct ☠, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

Sandow is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Steel pulls his head out easily.

Sandow is defending against the submission attempts here by Steel.
Steel perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Sandow looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Steel is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sandow defends it well.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.

Steel is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sandow has managed to free his arm - good work.

Sandow looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Sandow looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Steel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Steel passes the guard and advances to mount!
Sandow is working to get back to half guard.
Steel controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Damien Sandow'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.

Steel tries to land a front kick but Sandow steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Steel misses with a low kick.
Steel scores with a jab to the body.
Steel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sandow with a lazy takedown attempt

and Steel decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sandow's guard.
Steel postures up and lands a big shot to Sandow's brow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steel is looking to stand up but Sandow won't let him.
Steel wants to pass the guard but Sandow is keeping the position.
Steel forces his way into half guard.

Sandow is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Steel pulls his head out easily.
Steel is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Steel is trying to work for a kimura but Sandow is defending well.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.

Sandow looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Steel is working for a kimura but Sandow is defending it quite comfortably.

Steel is looking for a kimura but Sandow is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Steel to get the leverage.
Steel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Steel is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sandow defends it well.
Well, if Steel is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Sandow looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Sandow looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.

Steel is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sandow has managed to free his arm - good work.
Steel is trying to control the action in half guard but Sandow is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Steel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sandow looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sandow on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Sandow actively working from the bottom here.

Steel gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Steel slaps away a takedown attempt from Sandow, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Damien Sandow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Steel scores with a jab. Sandow acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Steel with a nice cross.
Steel swinging wildly here.
Sandow shoots in looking for a takedown but Steel manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sandow's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damien Sandow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A left lands for Steel.
Steel connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sandow. Sandow circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Sandow takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sandow's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Steel connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Sandow scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sandow takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sandow fails with the takedown
and Steel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sandow shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Steel pinned against the cage. Steel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sandow steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Steel. That one must have hurt.
Steel scores with a sloppy right hand. Sandow should have avoided that one.
James Steel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sandow takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sandow throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A slow jab from Steel misses its intended target.
Steel lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sandow displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Steel throws out the jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Steel!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Steel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Damien Sandow's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sandow goes for a double leg but Steel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Steel continues to drive forward.
Steel scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Steel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sandow shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Steel as he avoids it easily.
Steel connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Crunch! Steel slams his shin into Sandow's torso.
Sandow moves away from the strike by Steel.
Steel cracks the inside of Sandow's front leg.
Sloppy strikes from Steel. Those never looked like landing.
Sandow on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Steel looks to land a combination but Sandow avoids it well.
Sandow misses with a takedown attempt - Steel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Damien Sandow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sandow bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Steel throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sandow's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steel stuffs the takedown attempt from Sandow. Sandow gets slowly back to his feet.
Steel only half commits to the counter leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Steel cracks Sandow with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nice sprawl there from Steel as Sandow shoots in.
Steel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sandow shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Steel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sandow is one step ahead there.

Steel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sandow can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Steel working for a triangle but Sandow defends it easily.

Steel working for a triangle but Sandow defends it easily.
Sandow has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steel is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Sandow is aware though and is defending well.
Sandow sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Steel's guard.
Steel is positioning himself well to prevent Sandow advancing to mount.

Sandow is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
James Steel has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Sandow is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Steel moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Steel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Steel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandow pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel is keeping the position for now.
Sandow won't allow Steel to sweep him here.

Sandow thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Steel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sandow can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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

James Steel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Steel controlling from the top position.

Sandow looking for a guillotine here but Steel defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sandow working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Steel doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Steel manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Steel showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Steel's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Sandow is looking for a triangle but Steel pushes his legs off easily.
Steel slips nicely into half guard.
Damien Sandow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Sandow looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
James 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 26:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Steel!
James Steel took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Urban Fighter for their support in the buildup to the fight.
In defeat, Damien Sandow stepped up to the mic, saying 'One of the best i have ever fought congratualtions to him he is the real deal '.