PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnjo O Neill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Neill has chosen 7 drunken nights as his entrance music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Velasquez
vs
O Neill

174 cm
27
155 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

173 cm
19
161 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Fernando Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Johnjo O Neill!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Sam Margolis and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Neill tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Velasquez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Velasquez swats away the attempt to clinch by O Neill.

O Neill drives through and clinches with Velasquez against the cage.
O Neill is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Velasquez blocks a body shot from O Neill.

O Neill breaks from the clinch.
O Neill tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Velasquez counters with a leg kick.
Velasquez avoids the head kick by O Neill.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Neill looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
O Neill chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Velasquez can pounce on him.
Velasquez keeps the fight on the outside.
O Neill wants to clinch up but Velasquez keeps it at a distance.
Velasquez scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neill takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Velasquez throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
O Neill fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fernando Velasquez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Donk. Velasquez catches O Neill right on the button with a cross.
Velasquez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping O Neill at a distance.
Velasquez misses with a two punch combination.
Velasquez tries to bum rush O Neill with a series of wild strikes but O Neill uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
O Neill wants to clinch up but Velasquez keeps it at a distance.
O Neill is looking to clinch but Velasquez is avoiding it.
Velasquez lands with a right hand.
Velasquez keeps the fight on the outside.
O Neill is looking to clinch.
O Neill throws a hook but Velasquez blocks it.
No joy there for O Neill, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
O Neill tries to clinch but Velasquez moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
O Neill takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Velasquez scores with a head kick. O Neill tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neill tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Velasquez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Neill looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Velasquez scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
O Neill tries to clinch up
and Velasquez counters with a solid body kick.
O Neill looks to score with a jab to the body but Velasquez is just out of range.
Velasquez leaves O Neill with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Velasquez.
O Neill tries to clinch but Velasquez is having none of it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Velasquez.

O Neill drives through and clinches with Velasquez against the cage.

Velasquez breaks from the clinch.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Velasquez duly obliges.
O Neill fails in his attempt to clinch.
O Neill fails in his attempt to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from O Neill.
O Neill throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
O Neill tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
O Neill throws a head kick that misses.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velasquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velasquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fernando Velasquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Velasquez avoids the head kick by O Neill.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch but Velasquez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Velasquez throws a series of punches but O Neill avoids them all with ease.
O Neill tries to clinch there but Velasquez circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Neill looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Velasquez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez misses with the combination.
Velasquez keeps the fight on the outside.
Velasquez moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Velasquez scores with a one two! O Neill had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Velasquez.

O Neill clinches up against the cage.
O Neill is trying to break the clinch but Velasquez has him pressed against the cage.
O Neill stalling against the cage.
O Neill is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
O Neill tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
O Neill changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Velasquez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Velasquez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but O Neill moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fernando Velasquez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Velasquez.

O Neill closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Velasquez is looking to break free of the clinch but O Neill has double underhooks.
Velasquez wants to break free but O Neill has control.
Velasquez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Velasquez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
O Neill throws a head kick but Velasquez moves out of range.
O Neill fails with an attempt to clinch.
O Neill tries to clinch there but Velasquez circles away.
O Neill tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Velasquez!
Velasquez throws a combination. O Neill tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A nice leg kick lands there from Velasquez.
Fernando Velasquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
O Neill tries to bum rush Velasquez with a series of wild strikes but Velasquez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Velasquez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Velasquez throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Velasquez blocks a head kick by O Neill.
Velasquez moves out of range of the body kick from O Neill.
O Neill doesn't manage to clinch there - Velasquez circles away.
O Neill tries to clinch but Velasquez is having none of it.
Velasquez lands a head kick. O Neill smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
O Neill misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Velasquez tries to bum rush O Neill with a series of wild strikes but O Neill uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Velasquez's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Velasquez duly obliges.
Velasquez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of O Neill's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Velasquez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Velasquez circles away from the clinch attempt.

O Neill has closed the distance and engaged Velasquez in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Velasquez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
O Neill is looking to clinch.
O Neill tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

O Neill fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Velasquez, pushing him back against the cage.

O Neill breaks the clinch.
O Neill missing with a left hand there. Velasquez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Velasquez swinging wildly here.
Velasquez circles away from the clinch attempt.
O Neill tries to clinch up but Velasquez circles away and keeps his distance.
Velasquez keeps the fight on the outside.
O Neill tries to clinch there but Velasquez circles away.
Velasquez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but O Neill circles away quickly and effectively.
O Neill wants to clinch.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
Velasquez looks to land a combination. O Neill sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces O Neill back to the cage. Velasquez follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

O Neill drives through and clinches with Velasquez against the cage.
Velasquez has had enough of the clinch but O Neill keeps him there for the moment.
O Neill landing knees to the body.
Come on O Neill - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
O Neill unloads a knee to the mid-section.

O Neill breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

O Neill has closed the distance and engaged Velasquez in a clinch.
O Neill is pushing Velasquez up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
O Neill lands a nice knee to the body.
O Neill lands a knee to the body.
O Neill has Velasquez pressed against the cage, preventing Velasquez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Velasquez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from O Neill. Velasquez does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck for O Neill with that takedown attempt.
O Neill throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Velasquez throws a nice inside leg kick.
Velasquez is working the combinations to good effect here.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
O Neill takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
O Neill is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Velasquez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as O Neill backs up against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velasquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.

O Neill moves into the clinch successfully.
O Neill is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Velasquez is defending well for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fernando Velasquez dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

O Neill looks to clinch
and Velasquez counters with a left to the body.
O Neill is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A good leg kick by Velasquez.

O Neill clinches with his opponent.

O Neill breaks the clinch.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
O Neill on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
O Neill tries to clinch but Velasquez moves out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Velasquez. That's going to slow O Neill down.
O Neill fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Velasquez manages to avoid it.
O Neill tries to clinch up.
Velasquez throws a head kick that half lands.
A head kick misses from Velasquez.
O Neill wants to clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by O Neill.
Fernando Velasquez is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neill takes a swing at Velasquez's ribcage but misses.

O Neill closes the distance and clinches.
O Neill looking to stall.
O Neill manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
O Neill working hard to break the clinch.

O Neill manages to break the clinch.
Velasquez feints a jab promting O Neill to slip. Velasquez then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. O Neill slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
A solid leg kick lands there for Velasquez.
O Neill tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neill wants to clinch.
Velasquez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Velasquez.
O Neill throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
O Neill walks forward, straight into a front kick from Velasquez.
O Neill fails with an attempt to clinch.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

O Neill takes the fight into the clinch.

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

O Neill takes the fight into the clinch.
O Neill missing with knees to the body.
O Neill looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Velasquez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
O Neill is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Velasquez is defending well for now.
O Neill taking a breather.

O Neill breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
O Neill doesn't manage to clinch there - Velasquez circles away.
Velasquez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Velasquez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fernando Velasquez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Velasquez scores with a kick to the midsection.
O Neill moves in looking to clinch but Velasquez pushes him off.
A right-left combo lands from Velasquez.
A punch combination from Velasquez misses.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velasquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch combination from Velasquez misses.
Velasquez scores with a jab to the head.
Velasquez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johnjo O Neill has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neill is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
O Neill looks to clinch
and Velasquez counters with a low kick, right behind O Neill 's knee.
O Neill wants to clinch but Velasquez slips to the side
enabling Velasquez to counter with a crisp jab.
O Neill tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Velasquez works O Neill's body with a nice hook.
Velasquez avoids the head kick by O Neill.
O Neill takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
O Neill looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
O Neill tries to close the distance and clinch but Velasquez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Velasquez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. O Neill looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Velasquez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of O Neill's head.
O Neill doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
O Neill tries to clinch but Velasquez moves out of range.
O Neill wants to clinch.
O Neill throws a lazy body kick
and Velasquez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A looping hook to the body misses from O Neill. Velasquez does a little dance to reset his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Fernando Velasquez.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Velasquez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fernando Velasquez!
An out of breath Fernando Velasquez thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.