Chris Mierzwiak vs Dominique Steele
Ton of fighting on TV tonight. We caught the Klitschko fight earlier today and it went as predicted by our intrepid editor, who is currently in Atlantic City to cover the Gamboa-Ponce De Leon fight. Look for coverage later tonight.
Bas Rutten commentating on the undercard here on HDNet. He’s a big upgrade from Frank Shamrock who will undoubtedly be spinning platitudes on the main card.
Both dudes in the opening bout are pretty green with less than five fights each. We’ve never seen either of them before. Round-by-round updates after the jump.
Round 1-Mierzwiak goes for an upside down triangle in the scramble, but couldn’t do anything with it and Steel pops up. Mierzwiak with a sharp right to Steel’s face. Mierzwak with the takedown, but Steele is able to pop up again. Fighters trade from the clinch and Steele looks like he landed a decent knee.
Mierzwiak lands a huge knee which visibly hurts steel and wrestles Steel to the ground. He’s going for a rear naked choke, but having trouble sinking anything as Steele defends effectively. Steele is bleeding from the nose and is able to turn over Mierzwiak and get the fight back to the feet. Steel is moving forward and swinging, but it doesn’t look like he did much damage and the fighters tie up as the round ends.
Mierzwiak gets that round for landing the better strikes and controlling the action on the ground, for the most part. 10-9.
Round 2-Steele goes for a takedown, and gets it. Mierzwak trying for submissions, but to no avail. He sinks a triangle, but Steele slams out of it easily. Mierzwiak able to stand up and lazily turns around, narrowly missing being hit by another wild flying knee from Steele.
These guys are both totally gassed at this point. Mierzwiak looks like he could use an oxygen tank. Steele throws another terrible flying knee, but after coming down he’s able to land a solid right on the lethargic Mierzwiak, who goes to the ground. Steele is punishing Mierzwiak, who really isn’t covering his face at all.
10-9 Steele. Fight is likely tied at this point but Mierzwiak looks like he’s out of gas.
Round 3-Steele on the top for the whole round and is going to win this one if Mierzwiak can’t sink a submission fast. One minute left and Steele gives up the back, but Mierzwiak looks way too tired to do anything with it at this point in the fight and Steel just rolls back over.
We’ve got Steele with the 29-28 win. Judges agree, 29-28 from one 29-27 twice. Two of the judges gave Steele a 10-8 round in the second, not unreasonable as he was pretty dominant.