PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bjarno Lackenmeier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Winkler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Lackenmeier
vs
Winkler

188 cm
41
243 lbs
18 - 11 - 1

205 cm
34
277 lbs
17 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of London, Bjarno Lackenmeier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Benny Winkler!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Chris Saunders and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lackenmeier moves into the clinch.
Lackenmeier looking to throw knees to the head but Winkler is blocking nicely.
Lackenmeier keeps control of Winkler as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Winkler avoiding damage.
Lackenmeier gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Benny Winkler has been cut.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Lackenmeier tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Winkler avoids it.
Winkler avoiding damage as Lackenmeier throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lackenmeier lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Lackenmeier's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Lackenmeier unloads a knee to the mid-section. Winkler lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lackenmeier landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Winkler blocks the elbow strike.
Lackenmeier prevents Winkler from breaking the clinch.
Lackenmeier throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Winkler blocks it with crossed arms.
Winkler blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Winkler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lackenmeier missing with knees to the body.
Lackenmeier throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lackenmeier lands a nice knee to the body.

Winkler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Winkler swings widly with a right hand

and Lackenmeier moves into the clinch.

Winkler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lackenmeier is looking to clinch.
Winkler is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Lackenmeier with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winkler lands with a hook. Lackenmeier tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Lackenmeier rushes Winkler and presses him up against the cage.
Winkler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lackenmeier swings wildly with an uppercut but Winkler uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lackenmeier landing knees to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Winkler working hard to break the clinch.
Lackenmeier tries to land a knee to the head but Winkler blocks with his arms.
Winkler avoiding damage as Lackenmeier throws knees to the body.
Lackenmeier misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lackenmeier misses with a knee strike.
Lackenmeier throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Winkler blocks it with crossed arms.
Winkler prevents a body shot from Lackenmeier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lackenmeier misses with a knee strike.
Lackenmeier with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lackenmeier just misses with a elbow thrown towards Winkler's brow.
Winkler can't break the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Winkler.
Lackenmeier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winkler is defending well for now.
Lackenmeier throws an elbow but it misses.
Lackenmeier looking to throw knees to the head but Winkler is blocking nicely.
Lackenmeier misses with an elbow over the top.
Lackenmeier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winkler is defending well for now.
Lackenmeier looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Winkler taking a breather.
Winkler pushes Lackenmeier back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lackenmeier pressing his opponent against the cage.
Winkler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Winkler avoiding damage as Lackenmeier throws knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Lackenmeier.

Winkler breaks the clinch.
Lackenmeier tries to close the distance and clinch up but Winkler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Winkler throws out a counter right but Lackenmeier avoids it with no problem.
Winkler just misses with a punch to the body.

Lackenmeier fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Winkler, pushing him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Winkler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Winkler stalling against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bjarno Lackenmeier dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Benny Winkler's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lackenmeier misses with a head kick.
Winkler swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Winkler, as that shot connected.
Winkler lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Winkler scores with a shot to the body.
Lackenmeier tries to close the distance and clinch but Winkler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lackenmeier is looking to clinch.
Lackenmeier drops his hands momentarily and Winkler takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Winkler is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Winkler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lackenmeier has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Winkler finds it's way round the side to connect with Lackenmeier's head.

Lackenmeier has closed the distance and engaged Winkler in a clinch.
Lackenmeier tries to stall but Winkler uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Winkler working hard to break the clinch.
Lackenmeier is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Winkler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lackenmeier landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Lackenmeier struggles to land a body shot inside as Winkler controls his hands.
Nice elbow from Lackenmeier.
Winkler has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Lackenmeier is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Winkler is breathing heavily.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lackenmeier just misses with a elbow thrown towards Winkler's brow.
Lackenmeier working Winkler over with knees to the body.
Lackenmeier lands an elbow just above Winkler 's eye.
Winkler takes an elbow to the forehead.
A bit of stalling here from Lackenmeier.
Lackenmeier is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Winkler can do to turn this around?
Lackenmeier lands a body punch.
Lackenmeier misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lackenmeier just misses with a elbow thrown towards Winkler's brow.
Winkler blocks the elbow strike.
Lackenmeier lands a damaging elbow.
Winkler is trying to push Lackenmeier away but Lackenmeier has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lackenmeier stalling in the clinch.
Lackenmeier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Winkler.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Winkler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bjarno Lackenmeier has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Lackenmeier lands with a short shot to the head.
Winkler is trying to break the clinch but Lackenmeier is controlling him.
Lackenmeier scores a nice knee to the body.
Winkler letting Lackenmeier take a breather here.
The referee calls for Lackenmeier to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lackenmeier just misses with a elbow thrown towards Winkler's brow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Lackenmeier as Winkler tries to tie him up.
Lackenmeier stalling against the cage.
Lackenmeier throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Winklers head.
Winkler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lackenmeier looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Winkler blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Lackenmeier with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Winkler is trying to break the clinch but Lackenmeier has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lackenmeier throws a knee to the head but misses.
Winkler is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Lackenmeier is keeping busy.
Lackenmeier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Winkler.
Winkler wants to break the clinch but can't.
Lackenmeier tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lackenmeier keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Winkler's efforts to push away.
Lackenmeier has Winkler pressed against the cage.
Lackenmeier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winkler is defending well for now.

Winkler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Winkler cracks Lackenmeier with an open hand slap.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bjarno Lackenmeier dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Benny Winkler's cut.
That's time! Lackenmeier's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Lackenmeier on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Lackenmeier closes the distance looking to clinch
and Winkler counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lackenmeier closes the distance looking to clinch
and Winkler counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Winkler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lackenmeier moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lackenmeier moves out of range of the strikes.
Lackenmeier darts in trying to clinch
and Winkler counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Winkler swats away the attempt to clinch by Lackenmeier.
Benny Winkler seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lackenmeier fails with an attempt to clinch.
Winkler lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Lackenmeier fails with an attempt to clinch.
Winkler might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winkler scores with a jab to the body.
Winkler swats away the attempt to clinch by Lackenmeier.
Lackenmeier doesn't manage to clinch there - Winkler circles away.
Lackenmeier tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Lackenmeier has Winkler up against the cage in a clinch.
Lackenmeier slowing the pace effectively.
Winkler blocks an elbow strike from Lackenmeier.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Lackenmeier blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Lackenmeier with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Winkler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winkler works the jab nicely.
Lackenmeier tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Winkler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lackenmeier fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lackenmeier fails in his attempt to clinch.
Winkler connects with the punch.
Lackenmeier tries to close the distance and clinch but Winkler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lackenmeier slips under a jab from Winkler.
Lackenmeier takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Lackenmeier tries to move into range but Winkler moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lackenmeier walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lackenmeier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Winkler.
Lackenmeier using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winkler working hard to break the clinch.
Winkler wants to get back to striking at distance but Lackenmeier won't allow it.
Lackenmeier throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Winkler blocks it with crossed arms.
Lackenmeier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Winkler is defending well for now.
Lackenmeier tries to land knees in the clinch but Winkler avoids the damage to the body.
Lackenmeier trying to land knees to the body.
Lackenmeier 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.
Lackenmeier throws a knee to the head but misses.
Winkler tries to break the clinch but Lackenmeier is controlling the position.
Lackenmeier throws an elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Lackenmeier stalling the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Winkler wants to break the clinch but can't.
Winkler blocks an elbow strike from Lackenmeier.
Lackenmeier tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Winkler avoids it.
Winkler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Winkler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Lackenmeier's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Lackenmeier tries to land a knee to the head but Winkler blocks with his arms.
Benny Winkler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bjarno Lackenmeier is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Winkler misses with some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benny Winkler comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lackenmeier 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bjarno Lackenmeier!
After winning the bout, Bjarno Lackenmeier thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.