PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ernie Els (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mickey O Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Els's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Chamillionaire - Don't Shoot. The crowd seem to be enjoying O Neil's choice of entrance music: Golden Brown. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Els
vs
O Neil

188 cm
34
216 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

188 cm
34
217 lbs
32 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

Ultra Fight Gear
Conviction

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 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ernie Els!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mickey O Neil!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Els steps to the side to avoid the strikes from O Neil.

Els clinches up with O Neil and pushes him back against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Els.
Els tries to throw a body punch but O Neil avoids it by throwing Els back against the cage.
O Neil throws a head punch that misses.
Els on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
O Neil working aggressively here.
Els dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Els tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Els prevents a body shot from O Neil.
O Neil tries a body shot but Els blocks it.
Els working aggressively here.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Els blocks a body shot from O Neil.
A head punch on the inside from Els fails to land.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
O Neil throws a punch but it's blocked by Els.
Els misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Els scores with a nice short uppercut.
Els blocks the elbow strike.
Els dodges an elbow strike from O Neil.
O Neil prevents a body shot from Els.
O Neil lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Els lands with a light punch inside.
Els misses with a body punch.
Els misses with a punch to the body.
O Neil tries a body shot but Els blocks it.
O Neil misses with the head strike.
Els taking a breather.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Neil digs a right hand into Els's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Els's gas tank.
O Neil trying to control the position but instead, Els has worked for underhooks and has pushed O Neil into the cage.
O Neil has a couple of punches blocked by Els.
Els gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Els misses with some punches.
With the fighters up against the cage, Els throws an elbow but misses.
O Neil misses with a short punch on the inside.
O Neil blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Els swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A body shot lands from O Neil.
O Neil misses with the head strike.
Els tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Els blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Els misses with some punches.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Neil is working Els over against the cage.
Els tries to throw a body punch but O Neil avoids it by throwing Els back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Els.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Els.
O Neil prevents a body shot from Els.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Neil.
A head punch on the inside from O Neil fails to land.
Els lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Els misses with an elbow strike.
O Neil cracks Els with a nice body shot.
Els makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Els cracks O Neil with a nice body shot.
O Neil lands a body punch in the clinch.
O Neil misses with the head strike.
O Neil lands a right hand that snaps the head of Els backwards.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Neil fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Els misses with a short punch on the inside.
O Neil lands with a right to the head.
Els is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. O Neil is defending well for now.
A body shot lands from O Neil.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Els misses with a body punch.
A nice right hand lands inside from O Neil.
Els blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
O Neil misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Els tries a body shot but O Neil blocks it.
O Neil works on Els's body with a couple of short punches.
O Neil throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
O Neil lands a body punch in the clinch.
O Neil gets through Els's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Els misses with a punch to the body.
O Neil misses with a punch on the inside.
Els lands a right hand that snaps the head of O Neil backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from O Neil.
Els throws a punch but it's blocked by O Neil.
Els working some nice short punches in the clinch.
O Neil stalling.
O Neil blocks an uppercut.
Els lands a left hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
O Neil looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A nice left hand lands by O Neil.
Els misses with a punch to the body.
O Neil struggles to land a body shot inside as Els controls his hands.
Els tried to land a shot to the body but connects with O Neil's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mickey O Neil will probably get the nod.
That's time! Els's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

O Neil misses with a straight left.
Els staying out of range there.
O Neil scores with a jab to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Neil looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
O Neil misses with a low kick.
Els moves out of range of the body kick.
O Neil throws a leg kick but Els moved away.
Els chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before O Neil can pounce on him.
O Neil misses with a body kick.
Els blocks the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Els keeps the fight on the outside.
O Neil fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Els is out of range.
Els scores with a decent looking hook.
O Neil keeps Els at a distance using the push kick.
A good leg kick by O Neil.
Els dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on O Neil. That did some damage!
Mickey O Neil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
O Neil scores with a leg kick.
O Neil throws a leg kick that is checked
and Els counters with a nice uppercut.
O Neil darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
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 looks to land a body kick but Els moved away.
Els with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Els lands.
Els moves out of range as O Neil strikes.
O Neil thows a body shot but no joy.
O Neil shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Els tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Els takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
O Neil tried to score with a low kick but Els checks it.
Els throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
O Neil scores with a nice head shot.
A telegraphed right hand from O Neil misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil moves out of range of the strikes.
O Neil with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jab from O Neil.
O Neil paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Decent striking displayed by O Neil there.
Jab by O Neil.
O Neil misses with a low kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Els checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
O Neil tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Els manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Els bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neil misses with an uppercut. Els saw that one coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Els bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
An inside leg kick lands from Els.
O Neil clobbers Els with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
O Neil throws a quick inside leg kick.
O Neil tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
O Neil uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Els.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Els scores with a nice strike.
An inside leg kick from O Neil misses.
O Neil looks to land a left hand but Els moved out of range nicely.
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.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Decent striking displayed by O Neil there.
O Neil just misses with a punch to the body.
O Neil bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Els's head.

O Neil forces Els back against the cage and clinches.
Els blocks an uppercut.
O Neil's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Els lands a right hand that snaps the head of O Neil backwards.
Els swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Els tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
O Neil fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
O Neil throws a punch but it's blocked by Els.
A quick uppercut on the inside from O Neil.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
O Neil misses with a short punch on the inside.
Els swings wildly with an uppercut but O Neil uses good head movement to avoid it.
Els tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Els wants to break free but O Neil has control.
Still in the clinch, Els scores with a nice short uppercut.
Els looking to slow down the pace here.
O Neil tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Els.
Els misses with a body punch.
O Neil takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Mickey O Neil has been cut.
A shot in the inside from O Neil.
O Neil goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
O Neil can't find room to land a body shot as Els controls the action.
Els swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Els tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Els blocks an uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Els as the two fighters 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!
Els working aggressively here.
Els has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
O Neil working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ernie Els has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from O Neil.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Els creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Els lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
O Neil throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
O Neil lands with a left to the head.
O Neil misses with a hook from the clinch.
Els misses with a hook from the clinch.
O Neil throws a head punch that misses.
Els managing to block the knees to the body from O Neil.
O Neil misses with some punches.
Els working hard to break the clinch.
O Neil lands a left hand.
A nice left hand lands by O Neil.
O Neil working aggressively here.
Els blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
O Neil makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Els lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt O Neil or not.
O Neil pushes off an throws an elbow but Els leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil keeps control of Els as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
O Neil working aggressively here.
O Neil works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A short right hand to the side of the head by O Neil.
Els misses with a hook from the clinch.
Els scores with a nice hook to the head.

Els's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Els takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
O Neil connects with a leg kick. Els looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
O Neil misses with a leg kick
and Els counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Els uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before O Neil has time to react.
Els looks to land a body kick but O Neil moved away.
Els uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from O Neil.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neil moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nice shot by O Neil.
O Neil doesn't manage to clinch there - Els circles away.
O Neil cracks the inside of Els's front leg.
O Neil misses with a body kick.
O Neil misses with a low kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for O Neil.
Els tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
O Neil throws a leg kick that is checked
enabling Els to counter with a crisp jab.
Els misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mickey O Neil.
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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mickey O Neil!
Mickey O Neil managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Ultra Fight Gear, into his post fight interview.