PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cortez Akal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niisku Neiti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Akal
vs
Neiti

196 cm
18
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

Machina Clothing and Apparel of New York

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cortez Akal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Niisku Neiti!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Neiti closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Akal did well to prevent Neiti getting side control.
Neiti prevents Akal from improving his position.
Akal moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Neiti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Akal swivels though and keeps the full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Neiti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Akal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Akal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Neiti must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Neiti decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Akal wants to get back to full guard.
Neiti working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Akal is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Neiti's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Neiti's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neiti covering up well under a barage of strikes.

Neiti is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.

Neiti scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Neiti controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neiti missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Neiti trying to control the action but Akal is working from the bottom.
Akal is looking for a sweep. Neiti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Akal trying to control but Neiti postures up.
Akal keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Neiti throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neiti is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neiti tries to pass the half guard into mount. Akal knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Neiti is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Akal trying to control but Neiti postures up.
Akal is trying to stand.
Neiti thows a huge punch but Akal dodges it nicely.
Akal trying to hold on to Neiti's head to control him but Neiti postures up.
Neiti wants to control but Akal is keeping him busy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice jab there from Akal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neiti shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Akal manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Neiti is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Neiti is looking to work some ground and pound but Akal has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Neiti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Neiti pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Akal is keeping the position for now.
Neiti showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Neiti throwing strikes from guard but Akal blocks nicely.
Neiti stops Akal from standing up.
Neiti with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Akal will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Neiti thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Akal stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Akal wants it to stay on the feet.

Neiti shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Akal is trying to defend but Neiti finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Akal slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Akal working a defensive guard here.
Neiti throwing strikes from guard but Akal blocks nicely.
Neiti is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Akal preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Neiti with a flurry of punches that miss.
Neiti passes into half guard.
Akal trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niisku Neiti dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Neiti uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Akal.

Neiti drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Akal is trying to control Neiti's posture but Neiti avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neiti wants to lay and pray for a moment but Akal keeps working.
Akal is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Neiti off and has taken his back!
Neiti covering up well under a series of strikes from Akal.
Akal missing with strikes from the back.
Akal misses with punches from the back.
Akal misses with punches from the back.
Akal is throwing shots to the body but Neiti manages to wriggle free. Akal pounces on him again and ends up in Neiti's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Akal misses with a body shot.

Neiti changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Akal looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Akal is letting Neiti control him for a moment.
Akal manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Neiti not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Neiti looks to land a strike but Akal avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Akal controls Neiti momentarily but Neiti frees himself.
Neiti throws a strike but Akal rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Neiti avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akal throwing strikes but missing.
Akal throwing strikes but missing.
Akal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Akal tries to bum rush Neiti with a series of wild strikes but Neiti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Neiti darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Neiti missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Akal is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Neiti's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Neiti's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akal punches the canvas rather than the man.
Akal struggling to land strikes to the head as Neiti covers up.
Neiti manages to reverse the position and now he's in Akal's guard. Nice work there by Neiti.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Akal is on top in guard.
Akal won't allow Neiti to get back to his feet.
Akal throwing strikes but missing.
Akal throws and elbow that misses. Neiti uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Akal's guard. Nice move by Neiti!
Neiti is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neiti throwing strikes but missing.
Akal looking to control but Neiti passes into half guard.
Neiti wants to control but Akal is keeping him busy.
Neiti throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neiti trying to control from half guard but Akal is working away.
Akal is looking to improve his position.
Neiti throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neiti thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Akal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niisku Neiti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Neiti closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Akal to the mat! Akal manages to get full guard.
Neiti is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Neiti won't allow Akal to sweep him here.
Niisku Neiti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Akal trying to control the position.
Neiti preventing the sweep.
Neiti wants to control from the top but Akal keeps moving.
Neiti advances position into side control!
Neiti scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Akal to see if he's OK.
Neiti lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Neiti lands a nice forearm strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akal is looking for a sweep.
Neiti is looking to take a break and control but Akal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Akal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Akal is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Neiti off and has taken his back!
Akal is throwing shots to the body but Neiti manages to wriggle free. Akal pounces on him again and ends up in Neiti's guard.
Akal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Neiti preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Neiti pulls Akal in close to prevent any damage.
Akal is looking to work some ground and pound but Neiti has wrist control.
Akal wants to get up but he can't break Neiti's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Neiti wants to sweep here but Akal controlling him for the moment.
Neiti wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Akal throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Neiti.
Neiti takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Akal can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neiti throwing strikes but Akal manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Akal sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Neiti is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Akal working the strikes but Neiti uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Akal throwing shots but Neiti is blocking nicely.
Cortez Akal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Akal misses with a head shot. Neiti uses the momentum to regain guard.
Akal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Neiti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Akal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Akal throwing strikes from guard but Neiti blocks nicely.
Akal trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Neiti shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Akal manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Neiti trying to control but Akal is working from the bottom.
Akal is trying to control the position but Neiti postures up.
Niisku Neiti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Neiti stays in close to Akal's body and controls the position.
Neiti trying to control but Akal is working from the bottom.
Neiti is in close to Akal's body, working some short punches and elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niisku Neiti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Neiti winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niisku Neiti!