PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julius Schoonover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michele Mancinelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schoonover comes to the ring accompanied by Daylight - Matt and Kim. Mancinelli has chosen Lookin' Out My Backdoor as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Schoonover
vs
Mancinelli

185 cm
21
195 lbs
7 - 1 - 1

185 cm
23
185 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Julius Schoonover!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michele Mancinelli!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Ren Mimura and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mancinelli wants to clinch
and Mancinelli takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Schoonover scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mancinelli is controlling Schoonover's trapped leg to prevent Schoonover from advancing to side control.
Schoonover is stalling here. Mancinelli is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Schoonover seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mancinelli has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Mancinelli trying to control the position but Schoonover is working away.
Schoonover gets back to half guard.
Schoonover tries to roll over but Mancinelli keeps him under control.
Mancinelli is keen to just control but Schoonover is a slippery customer.
Schoonover wants to control but Mancinelli is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mancinelli trying to control the action but Schoonover is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Schoonover wants to improve his position but Mancinelli is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancinelli throws a strike but Schoonover avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Mancinelli pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Schoonover is keeping the position for now.
Mancinelli looking to sit in guard and control but Schoonover gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Mancinelli throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Schoonover content to stall in guard here.
Schoonover postures up.
Mancinelli keeping full guard, as Schoonover tries to pass.
Schoonover trying to control the position from guard on top but Mancinelli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mancinelli wants to sweep but no luck.
Mancinelli is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Schoonover wants to pass the guard but Mancinelli is keeping the position.
Mancinelli can't keep his opponent in guard - Schoonover advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Mancinelli misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Mancinelli has a hand on Schoonover's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Schoonover takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Schoonover trying to control but Mancinelli is having none of it.
Mancinelli tries to reverse the position but Schoonover maintains control.
Schoonover controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mancinelli is desperately trying to improve his position but Schoonover has a good base and remains in mount.
Schoonover looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mancinelli in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Schoonover moves to take his opponent's back.
Mancinelli trying to control but not successfully.

Schoonover has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Mancinelli has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Schoonover working for the choke.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Schoonover keeps control of the position as Mancinelli tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover trying to control momentarily.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

Mancinelli is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Schoonover gets his way!
Mancinelli rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Schoonover is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Schoonover drives through and clinches with Mancinelli against the ropes.
Mancinelli lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Julius Schoonover has been cut.
Schoonover wants a takedown but no success here.
Schoonover is pushing Mancinelli up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Mancinelli is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Mancinelli tries to land knees in the clinch but Schoonover avoids the damage to the body.
Mancinelli misses with some punches.
Schoonover takes a shot to the head.

Schoonover decides to pull guard.
Mancinelli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mancinelli stands and throws Schoonover's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Schoonover's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mancinelli scores with a couple of short elbows.

Mancinelli goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Schoonover has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Mancinelli but great work by Schoonover.
Schoonover tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mancinelli's legs.
Mancinelli tries to improve position but can't.
Mancinelli gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Mancinelli moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Schoonover postures up in Mancinelli's guard and throws a big left but Mancinelli blocks it.
Schoonover wants to control from the top but Mancinelli keeps moving.
Schoonover throwing strikes from guard but Mancinelli blocks nicely.
Schoonover wants to control from the top but Mancinelli keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schoonover stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mancinelli swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Mancinelli is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Schoonover slips nicely into half guard.
Mancinelli is pressing down on Schoonover's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Schoonover stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mancinelli swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Schoonover got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mancinelli has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Schoonover has managed to get both his arms back between Mancinelli's legs - danger averted.
Schoonover throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mancinelli works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mancinelli is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Schoonover is aware though and is defending well.
Mancinelli is breathing heavily.

Mancinelli working for a triangle but Schoonover defends it easily.
Mancinelli trying to keep a closed guard but Schoonover is proving a slippery customer.
Schoonover pushes down on Mancinelli's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Schoonover tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mancinelli knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Mancinelli wants to improve his position but Schoonover is controlling well.
Schoonover throwing shots but Mancinelli is blocking nicely.
Schoonover moves into full mount! Mancinelli won't be happy about that!

Schoonover working for a submission but Mancinelli is keeping him at bay.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mancinelli tries to reverse the position but Schoonover maintains control.
Schoonover landing strikes from the mount and Mancinelli is in trouble!

Schoonover wants to finish this one by submission but Mancinelli is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Schoonover.
Schoonover fails to take his opponent's back.

Mancinelli tries to improve his position but Schoonover has taken his back! Schoonover has a choke - it's sunk in pretty tight... Will Mancinelli tap? No... maybe... yes! He's tapped! Schoonover pushes Mancinelli away and gets up to celebrate with his corner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Julius Schoonover!
Julius Schoonover is the new middleweight champion!