PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Niisku Neiti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Familia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Neiti
vs
Familia

170 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
26
209 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Niisku Neiti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Chris Familia!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Skip Squint and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Familia lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Familia throws a right and a left that Neiti avoids nicely.
Neiti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Familia.
Familia throws a jab but it's blocked by Neiti.

Neiti decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Familia tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Neiti prevents Familia from improving his position.
Familia is trying to control but can't.
Neiti knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Familia on the ground.
Familia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Familia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Neiti content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Familia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Neiti pulls his head out easily.
Neiti slows the pace down in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Neiti closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Familia did well to prevent Neiti getting side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neiti is just content to waste time from the top position. Familia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Neiti stopping the sweep attempt from Familia.
Familia being controlled here, momentarily.
Familia tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Familia thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Neiti trying to control but Familia is working from the bottom.

Familia is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Familia had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Neiti defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Neiti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Familia looks gassed!

Neiti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Neiti trying to control but Familia is working from the bottom.
Neiti slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Neiti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neiti looking to pass the guard.
Neiti trying to control but Familia is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Neiti ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Familia scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Neiti misses with a head kick.
Familia throws a shot from downtown. Neiti moves away and avoids it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Neiti shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Neiti showed some decent athleticism there.
Familia slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Familia has his foot on Neiti's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Neiti works his way back into a safe position though.
Neiti pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Familia is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neiti wants to control from the top but Familia keeps moving.
Neiti sitting in guard here, content to control.

Familia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Neiti doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Neiti manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Familia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Neiti.

Familia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Neiti is aware though and is defending well.
Neiti working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Familia's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neiti looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Neiti working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Familia's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chris Familia will probably get the nod.
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.

Neiti moves away from the strike by Familia.

Neiti fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Familia sprawls well initially but Neiti persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Neiti not doing much here.
Familia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neiti controlling the action here.
Neiti thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Neiti looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Familia with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Neiti perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Neiti is trying to control. Familia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Familia wants to control but Neiti is keeping busy.
Familia is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Neiti is trying to control the action in half guard but Familia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Neiti takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Neiti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Familia keeps working.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Niisku Neiti just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Some wild striking there from Familia.
Neiti drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Neiti ducks straight into an uppercut from Familia and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Neiti manages to regain guard straight away.

It looks like Niisku Neiti has been cut.

Familia drops back looking for a leg! Neiti is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Neiti manages to kick Familia off! Familia jumps back into Neiti's guard.
Familia preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Familia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Familia wants to control from the top but Neiti keeps moving.
Familia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Familia postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Neiti is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Familia, into his guard.
Familia is breathing heavily.

Familia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Familia working for a triangle but Neiti defends it easily.
Neiti trying to control the position from guard on top but Familia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neiti avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Neiti is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Neiti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Familia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Neiti ducks under a wild hook from Familia.
Niisku Neiti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Familia misses with an uppercut.

Neiti closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Familia did well to prevent Neiti getting side control.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Neiti connects with a nice short shot to Familia's temple.
Still in half guard, Neiti seems content to control.
Familia is looking for a sweep. Neiti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Familia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chris Familia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Niisku Neiti's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Neiti scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Neiti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Familia keeps working.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Familia can't do much from the bottom here.
Neiti is looking to take a break and control but Familia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Familia is looking for a sweep.
Neiti is putting a hurting on Familia here, landing some big shots from side control.
Familia manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Neiti wants to pass to mount but Familia is defending the position.

Familia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Familia actively working from the bottom here.
Familia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Well, if Neiti 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.

Familia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Neiti works his foot free and advances to mount.
Neiti controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Chris Familia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Neiti scoring with strikes but Familia is staying in there.
Familia tries to hold on but Neiti pushes him away.
Neiti lands a big shot there that rocks Familia but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Neiti content just to control the position here.
A nice elbow there by Neiti.
Familia tries to hold on but Neiti pushes him away.
Neiti can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Familia is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neiti with the ground and pound from mount.
Neiti controlling the position easily from mount.
Familia tries to lock up and control but Neiti gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Neiti lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Neiti looking to control and managing it successfully.
Familia regains half guard.
Niisku Neiti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Neiti looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neiti is looking to take a break and control but Familia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Familia wants to control but Neiti is keeping busy.
Familia gets full guard.
Niisku Neiti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Neiti chips away with some ground and pound.
Neiti postures up in Familia's guard and throws a big left but Familia blocks it.
Familia keeping moving, preventing Neiti from controlling successfully.
Familia has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niisku Neiti showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Familia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!