PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Okto Maniani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil McKenzie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Neil McKenzie will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Maniani
vs
McKenzie

167 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
147 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Okto Maniani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Neil McKenzie!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McKenzie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
McKenzie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Maniani shoots in looking for a takedown but McKenzie manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Maniani's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Maniani scores a takedown into full mount!
Maniani prevents McKenzie from getting the reversal.
Maniani pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McKenzie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
McKenzie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
McKenzie postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKenzie chips away with some ground and pound.
McKenzie tries to free his leg and advance position but Maniani is retaining full guard.
McKenzie trying to control but Maniani is working from the bottom.
McKenzie scoring with punches to the head and body.

Maniani looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Maniani keeping moving, preventing McKenzie from controlling successfully.
McKenzie throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
McKenzie trying to control but Maniani is working from the bottom.

Maniani had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. McKenzie defends it easily.
Maniani is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
McKenzie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maniani avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
McKenzie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Maniani wants to stand but McKenzie is controlling the position.
Maniani utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
McKenzie landing with the ground and pound.
McKenzie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
McKenzie sitting in guard here, content to control.
McKenzie works over Maniani with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie scoring with punches to the head and body.
McKenzie wants to stand but Maniani is controlling his posture from full guard.
McKenzie keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maniani's head.
Maniani might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Maniani has momentary wrist control but McKenzie slips an elbow through the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells McKenzie's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
McKenzie trying to control but Maniani is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McKenzie distracts Maniani with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil McKenzie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maniani stuffs the takedown attempt from McKenzie. McKenzie gets slowly back to his feet.
Maniani tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McKenzie was well out of range. Poor timing from Maniani.
Maniani shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts McKenzie as he jumps to the side.
McKenzie with a lazy takedown attempt

and Maniani holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
McKenzie looking to stall.
Maniani tries for a takedown. No joy.
A frustrated look appears on McKenzie's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Maniani taking a breather.

Maniani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Maniani looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Maniani works his way into full mount!
Neil McKenzie has got the better of the ground game so far.
McKenzie is working to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McKenzie is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Maniani can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as McKenzie is looking to escape.
McKenzie really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Maniani trying to control but McKenzie is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Maniani is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. McKenzie can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
McKenzie is in all sorts of trouble here.
McKenzie regains half guard.
McKenzie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for McKenzie.

McKenzie is looking to sinch up a triangle. Maniani throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to McKenzie's body to avoid the submission. McKenzie has instead reached around Maniani's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! McKenzie arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Neil McKenzie!