PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mariano Neal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Black Beard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Neal
vs
Beard

150 cm
24
140 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mariano Neal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Black Beard!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Colin Fotheringham and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beard scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Neal lands with a kick to the temple. Beard shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Beard shoots in and bounces Neal off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Beard controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Neal manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Black Beard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Beard.
Neal really is a fat lump.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sloppy strikes there by Beard.
Beard prevents Neal from escaping the position.
Beard controlling the position.
Neal takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beard trying to control the position but Neal is working away.
Beard throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Neal pushes Beard away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Beard gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Neal wants to control but Beard postures up.

Beard stands up and we're back to a striking position.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Neal throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Beard blocks it with crossed arms.
Neal leaning his opponent against the cage.

Beard has clasped his hands together around Neal's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Beard slows the pace down.
Beard working away.
Beard misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Beard seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Neal wants to control but Beard postures up.

Beard is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Neal is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Neal defending against the ground and pound.
Neal wants to get back to his feet.

Beard is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Neal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Beard controlling from side mount.

Beard thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neal wants to control but Beard postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Black Beard dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Neal closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Neal stalling in the clinch.
Beard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Beard successfully pulls guard.

Beard is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Neal presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Beard as Neal tries to tie him up.
Beard is looking to break free of the clinch but Neal has double underhooks.
Beard lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Neal or not.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neal displaying some good clinch control by pressing Beard up against the cage.
Beard has Neal pushed against the cage.
Beard is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Beard successfully pulls guard.
Neal might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beard working a defensive guard here.
Beard keeping moving, preventing Neal from controlling successfully.
Beard looking to control but Neal passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Beard wants to control but Neal is keeping busy.
Beard manages to get to full guard.
Neal working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Beard seems keen to control Neal's posture.
Beard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Beard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Neal is controlling him.
Neal wants to get up but he can't break Beard's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neal wants to control from the top but Beard keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Beard closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Neal's guard.

Neal kicks Beard off and gets to his feet.
Beard looks to land a combination. Neal sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Beard shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Beard was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Beard trying to control the action but Neal is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beard might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Neal haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Neal prevents Beard from moving into mount.
Neal tries to escape but Beard is in control.
Beard trying to control the position but Neal is working away.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
You can see the frustration on Neal's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Beard fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Neal to the ground. Beard is now in Neal's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Black Beard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Beard closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Neal quickly recovers to half guard.
Beard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Neal wants to control but Beard is keeping busy.
Neal is trying to stand.
Black Beard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Beard looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Beard postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Neal to stand up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Beard takes a swing at Neal's ribcage but misses.

Neal gets tackled into the cage by Beard. Beard maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neal avoiding damage.
Beard lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Neal looking to slow down the pace here.
Neal is trying to maintain a safe position but Beard gets an underhook and turns Neal into the cage.
Neal seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Beard is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Beard tries to break free but Neal pushes him back against the cage.
Neal has Beard pushed against the cage.
Beard with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Beard pulls guard successfully.

Beard looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Neal has picked Beard up and slammed him! Beard can't keep hold of the triangle and Neal manages to pass to side control!
Beard is trying to control Neal's posture but Neal avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beard tries to improve position but can't.
A control attempt from Beard but he's now mounted!
Beard is wriggling around trying to escape.
Neal landing punches.
Neal controlling from mount.
Beard wants to control but Neal is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neal misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Neal working Beard over with strikes here.
Beard is desperately trying to improve his position but Neal has a good base and remains in mount.
Beard is trying to stand up.
Beard really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Beard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Neal can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Beard is looking to escape.
Beard tries to hold on but Neal postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neal is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Beard has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Beard!
Beard prevents Neal from getting back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Neal lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Mariano Neal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Black Beard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Beard trying to control but Neal is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Black Beard.
Well Beard 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Black Beard!