PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Steve (ranked 301 p4p, 44 weight class) and Anatoly Gorbachenko (ranked 1045 p4p, 158 weight class). Steve comes into the arena with XXXTENTACION - Look At Me blaring out of the sound system. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Steve
vs
Gorbachenko

190 cm
23
210 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

186 cm
22
216 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Steve!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anatoly Gorbachenko!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gorbachenko misses with a few strikes there.
Gorbachenko thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gorbachenko throws a hook to the side of Steve's head but Steve sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gorbachenko throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Steve stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gorbachenko has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Good standup being displayed there by Gorbachenko as he connects with a hook.
Steve lands with a shot to the body.
Gorbachenko throws the left hand but Steve avoids the punch easily.
Gorbachenko takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Gorbachenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gorbachenko lands a jab.
Steve gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Steve has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Men Only. No Liberals ! in the buildup to the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steve misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gorbachenko.
Sloppy strikes from Gorbachenko. Those never looked like landing.
Steve just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Gorbachenko, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gorbachenko misses the jab.
Steve was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Steve smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Steve misses with an uppercut. Gorbachenko saw that one coming.
Steve staying out of range there.
Gorbachenko throws a lazy uppercut
and Steve counters with a stiff right hand.
Steve looks to land a right hand but Gorbachenko moved out of range.
Gorbachenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Gorbachenko misses with an uppercut
and Steve counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Anatoly Gorbachenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gorbachenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Gorbachenko displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gorbachenko displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Steve throws out the jab.
Gorbachenko drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Gorbachenko as he connects with a hook.
Steve swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Gorbachenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gorbachenko lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gorbachenko throws the left hand but Steve avoids the punch easily.
Steve connects with a body shot that sends Gorbachenko's belly button to the back.
Gorbachenko misses with a wild combination.
It looked like Steve was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
No joy there for Steve, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice defenses there by Gorbachenko.
Steve avoids the body shot from Gorbachenko.
It looked like Steve was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Gorbachenko.
Gorbachenko looks to land a right hand but Steve moved out of range.
Steve is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Steve keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Steve cracks Gorbachenko with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Gorbachenko looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Steve finish him?
Steve swings for the body but Gorbachenko moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steve throws a right and a left that Gorbachenko avoids nicely.
Steve misses with a looping right.
Steve tries to bum rush Gorbachenko with a series of wild strikes but Gorbachenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Steve scores with a body shot.
Gorbachenko missing with a left hand there. Steve was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gorbachenko on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Gorbachenko is rocked!
Steve fakes the leg kick and throws a superman punch. It's knocked Gorbachenko out cold! Brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Superman Punch). Mark Steve!
Mark Steve retains his light heavyweight title!
Mark Steve very nearly forgot to thank Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200) amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.