PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Gabel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Oneale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Tom Gabel has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Gabel
vs
Oneale

196 cm
26
214 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

187 cm
23
215 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Russian Top Team Nutrition

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 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tom Gabel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Patrick Oneale!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A chopping leg kick lands by Gabel.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Oneale crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gabel - the referee stops the clock and Oneale gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gabel. Oneale manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Nice jab there from Gabel.

It looks like Patrick Oneale has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gabel clinches.
Oneale keeps control of Gabel as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Oneale wants a takedown but no success here.
Gabel stalls.

Gabel breaks from the clinch.
Gabel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Oneale paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gabel connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oneale fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gabel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gabel misses with a few strikes there.
A big right from Oneale misses.
Gabel finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Oneale swings for the body but Gabel moves out of range.
Gabel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Oneale.
Oneale shoots in for a double leg but Gabel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Oneale shoots in for a double leg but Gabel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tom Gabel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Oneale.
Gabel throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oneale shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gabel pinned against the cage. Gabel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gabel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Oneale thows a body shot but no joy.
Good leg kick by Gabel there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Oneale shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gabel pinned against the cage. Gabel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Oneale shoots in looking for a takedown but Gabel manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Oneale's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oneale on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gabel throws a body kick that misses.
Gabel lands with a kick to the temple. Oneale shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gabel connects with a high kick.
Tom Gabel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gabel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Gabel fakes the leg kick and cracks Oneale in the body.
Oneale is trying desperately to land a takedown but Gabel is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Oneale.
Oneale looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabel misses with a head kick.
Oneale shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gabel but Gabel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
An inside leg kick from Gabel misses.
Gabel goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Oneale takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gabel lands a jab to the head.
Gabel tries to work over Oneale's front leg with a kick but Oneale checks it.
Gabel lands with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Gabel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Patrick Oneale's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gabel swinging wildly here.
Oneale ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gabel throws a right and a left that Oneale avoids nicely.
Gabel looks to land a body kick but Oneale moved away.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gabel.
Oneale checks a leg kick.
Gabel connects with a looping right hand.
Gabel connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oneale on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Oneale is breathing heavily.
Oneale drops his hands momentarily and Gabel takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gabel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Oneale.
Gabel lands a leg kick that knocks Oneale off balance momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gabel tries to clinch but Oneale moves out of range.
Gabel throws a body kick that misses.
Gabel throws the kick towards the body but Oneale avoids it.
Oneale changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gabel tries to avoid it but Oneale manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gabel to the ground. Gabel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oneale changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gabel tries to avoid it but Oneale manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gabel to the ground. Gabel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Oneale gets the takedown into side control.
Gabel wants to get back to his feet.
Gabel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Oneale can do to turn this around?
Oneale tries to move to mount but Gabel blocks the move with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabel wants to get back to his feet.
Oneale throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Gabel tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Oneale looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Gabel is avoiding damage well.

Oneale stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Oneale lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gabel at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oneale closes the distance and clinches up with Gabel, looking for a takedown. Oneale pushes Gabel against the cage but Gabel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tom Gabel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Oneale.
Oneale shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gabel but Gabel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The fighters circling - Gabel throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gabel throws a head kick that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gabel throws a left and a right that both miss

and Oneale counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gabel is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Oneale's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Oneale's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Gabel dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Patrick Oneale's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gabel throws a right hand that Oneale ducks under and follows up with a left that Oneale also avoids with ease.
Gabel throws a leg kick but Oneale moved away.
A good leg kick by Oneale.
A shot to the body from Oneale misses
and Gabel counters with an outside leg kick.
Oneale moves out of range as Gabel throws a body kick.
Oneale punishes Gabel's body with a nice straight punch.
Gabel tries to clinch up.
Gabel throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabel throws a right and a left that Oneale avoids nicely.
Oneale misses with a takedown attempt - Gabel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gabel misses with the combination.
Gabel leaves Oneale with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Oneale swats away the attempt to clinch by Gabel.
Tom Gabel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Oneale is defended easily by Gabel.
Tom Gabel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick Oneale.
Oneale slips under a jab.
Gabel doesn't manage to clinch there - Oneale circles away.
Gabel is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Oneale shoots in and bounces Gabel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Oneale advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Oneale is trying to get an arm triangle but Gabel is defending well.
Oneale misses with the ground and pound.
Gabel on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gabel tries to get out of the position.
Gabel tries to bench press Oneale off him but Oneale keeps the position.
Gabel is trying to get back to his feet.
Oneale working the ground and pound from side control.
Tom Gabel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Oneale is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Gabel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gabel pushes Oneale away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Oneale gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Gabel trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Oneale fails to land a wild elbow strike.
You can see the frustration on Gabel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Oneale looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

And that's the end of the fight!
Patrick Oneale comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gabel has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Gabel!
Tom Gabel opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.