PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mervin Ruiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mickey O Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ruiz
vs
O Neil

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 London, Mervin Ruiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mickey O Neil!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Paul Tew and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Neil connects with a jab.
Ruiz lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
O Neil misses with a body shot.
O Neil misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ruiz.
Ruiz doesn't manage to clinch there - O Neil circles away.
O Neil is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ruiz tries to clinch but O Neil is having none of it.
Ruiz takes a body punch but keeps moving.
O Neil cracks Ruiz with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ruiz dives in and grabs O Neil's left leg, looking for a takedown. O Neil pushes down on Ruiz's head and hops out.
Ruiz walks into a jab.
Jab by O Neil.
O Neil darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ruiz doesn't manage to clinch there - O Neil circles away.

O Neil drives through and clinches with Ruiz against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neil goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ruiz prevents it.
Ruiz is trying to drag O Neil to the mat but O Neil just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

O Neil breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ruiz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ruiz lands a high kick!
Ruiz walks into a left hand.
O Neil shoots in but no luck this time.
A cross from O Neil lands.
Nice takedown defense from O Neil. No joy for Ruiz on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mervin Ruiz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ruiz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ruiz takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
O Neil lands a really nice looking cross but Ruiz seems unphased.
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!
O Neil throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ruiz counters with an outside leg kick.
Ruiz with a lazy takedown attempt

and O Neil counters with a single leg into guard. Ruiz didn't expect that.
Ruiz is breathing heavily.
O Neil loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ruiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
O Neil wants to control from the top but Ruiz keeps moving.
O Neil wants to stand but Ruiz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
O Neil postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
O Neil is looking to stand up but Ruiz won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil trying to control the position from guard on top but Ruiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
O Neil really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ruiz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

O Neil stands and steps away. Ruiz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
O Neil throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Ruiz on the side of the head.
O Neil keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ruiz.
Ruiz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
O Neil is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Ruiz had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
O Neil jabs Ruiz to the body, keeping him at a distance.
O Neil goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
O Neil lands a body shot.
O Neil cracks Ruiz with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

O Neil instigates a clinch.

O Neil escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
O Neil cracks Ruiz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
O Neil listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

O Neil shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ruiz has a closed guard, preventing O Neil from standing up.
O Neil must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
O Neil with a nice head shot there.
O Neil with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

O Neil stands and steps away. Ruiz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
O Neil lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Good exchange - O Neil coming out on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey O Neil dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

O Neil will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mickey O Neil seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ruiz walks into a stiff left hand from O Neil.
O Neil scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ruiz doesn't seem bothered though.
O Neil keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ruiz takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ruiz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
O Neil swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ruiz.
O Neil clobbers Ruiz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
O Neil looks to land a combination but Ruiz avoids it well.
Donk. O Neil catches Ruiz right on the button with a cross.
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!
No luck for Ruiz with that takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ruiz tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz misses with a takedown
and Ruiz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
O Neil scores with a punch to the head.
O Neil has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
O Neil throws a series of punches but Ruiz moves out of range.
O Neil clobbers Ruiz with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Ruiz drops his hands momentarily and O Neil takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Ruiz is rocked!
O Neil throws a series of punches but Ruiz avoids them all with ease.
Oh Ruiz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
No luck for Ruiz with that takedown attempt.
Ruiz seems to have got his legs back now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mervin Ruiz. That's going to take a lot out of him.

O Neil shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
O Neil throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ruiz is doing well to control the position and prevent O Neil from advancing to side control.
O Neil tries to stand and escape but Ruiz is controlling the position.
O Neil looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Mickey O Neil has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Ruiz takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ruiz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

O Neil looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ruiz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from O Neil.
O Neil wants to stand but Ruiz has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
O Neil postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
O Neil wants to get up but he can't break Ruiz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ruiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but O Neil is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz trying to control the position.

O Neil stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

O Neil closes the distance and pushes Ruiz back into the cage.

O Neil breaks from the clinch.
O Neil cracks Ruiz with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A cross from O Neil lands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
O Neil moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
O Neil scores with a one two! Ruiz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mickey O Neil showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

O Neil scores with a jab to the jaw.
O Neil will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
O Neil scores with a three punch combo!
Ruiz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
O Neil scores with a jab to the head.
O Neil misses with a few strikes there.
Ruiz on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
O Neil cracks Ruiz with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ruiz wants to clinch
and O Neil counters with a two punch combo.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
O Neil misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
O Neil throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruiz fails with an attempt to clinch.
O Neil works the jab nicely.
O Neil stuffs the takedown attempt from Ruiz. Ruiz gets slowly back to his feet.

O Neil closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ruiz's guard.
O Neil wants to get up but he can't break Ruiz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
O Neil with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

O Neil gets to his feet - Ruiz follows without any prompting.
No joy there for O Neil, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Ruiz. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
O Neil fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Ruiz looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
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!
O Neil lands a jab.
Ruiz walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
O Neil swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ruiz counters with a thumping low kick.
O Neil will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ruiz tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
O Neil digs a good body shot into Ruiz's ribs.
O Neil scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
O Neil scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ruiz.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mervin Ruiz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
O Neil throws a nice looking combination but Ruiz bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
O Neil rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruiz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ruiz moves out of range of the strikes.
Ruiz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but O Neil moves away.
Ruiz ducks right into an uppercut from O Neil.
O Neil scores with a body shot.

O Neil closes the distance and pushes Ruiz back into the cage.
Ruiz changes levels and goes for a takedown here. O Neil fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiz attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
O Neil fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Ruiz on the side of the head.
O Neil lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Ruiz wants to clinch
and O Neil cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
O Neil scores with a jab.
Mickey O Neil is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
No luck with that takedown attempt from O Neil.
O Neil keeps the fight on the outside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mickey O Neil comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well O Neil has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mickey O Neil!
A very excited looking Mickey O Neil rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.