PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Pernell Whitaker Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cilian Lynch (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.

Whitaker Jr
vs
Lynch

177 cm
30
167 lbs
27 - 12 - 0

178 cm
25
162 lbs
16 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hellbent

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)
Hellbent

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 27 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pernell Whitaker Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 1, fighting out of London, Cilian Lynch!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Richard Clark and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitaker Jr throws a wild body kick that Lynch sees coming a mile off.
Whitaker Jr throws a big shot that misses.
Whitaker Jr looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Whitaker Jr throws a leg kick that is checked

and Lynch decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Whitaker Jr's guard.
Lynch won't allow Whitaker Jr to sweep him here.
Lynch throws an elbow that misses. Whitaker Jr uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lynch's guard. Nice move by Whitaker Jr!

Whitaker Jr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lynch looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lynch pulls Whitaker Jr in to control the position.
Whitaker Jr throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitaker Jr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Whitaker Jr is looking to pass into half guard but Lynch pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Lynch is in guard.

Lynch is stalling in the full guard.
Whitaker Jr keeping moving, preventing Lynch from controlling successfully.
Whitaker Jr is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Lynch landing with the ground and pound.
Lynch trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker Jr being controlled here, momentarily.
Lynch stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Whitaker Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lynch looking to sit in guard and control but Whitaker Jr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Whitaker Jr wants to control from the top but Lynch keeps moving.
Whitaker Jr postures up in Lynch's guard and throws a big left but Lynch blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker Jr throws a big right hand that misses.
Whitaker Jr throws a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whitaker Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Lynch.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Lynch managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice cross by Lynch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lynch. That's going to slow Whitaker Jr down.
Cilian Lynch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lynch looks to throw a body kick
and Whitaker Jr counters with an inside leg kick.
Whitaker Jr slips under a jab.
Whitaker Jr appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Lynch blocks a head kick by Whitaker Jr.
Lynch tries to land a front kick but Whitaker Jr steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Whitaker Jr throws the left hand but Lynch avoids the punch easily.
Lynch throws a body punch but Whitaker Jr moves out of range.
Lynch avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lynch misses with a shot to the body
and Whitaker Jr counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lynch throws a shot from downtown. Whitaker Jr moves away and avoids it.
Whitaker Jr scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Whitaker Jr on the wrong end of a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cilian Lynch will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Whitaker Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Lynch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Whitaker Jr moves away.
Lynch keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Lynch cracks Whitaker Jr with a right hand to the side of the head.

It looks like Pernell Whitaker Jr has been cut.
Whitaker Jr takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Cilian Lynch seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lynch misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Whitaker Jr.
Whitaker Jr checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Lynch fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Whitaker Jr throws the kick towards the body but Lynch avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker Jr moves out of range as Lynch throws a body kick.
Whitaker Jr has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Lynch.
Whitaker Jr lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Lynch connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitaker Jr takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lynch stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Whitaker Jr.
Lynch misses with a takedown attempt - Whitaker Jr sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lynch has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lynch's jab looks to have found its range, popping Whitaker Jr under the eye.
Lynch walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Whitaker Jr checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Whitaker Jr jabs at Lynch's body.
Lynch goes for a double leg but Whitaker Jr avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Whitaker Jr continues to drive forward.
Whitaker Jr tries to counter with a takedown but Lynch is quick to defend against it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Lynch.
Good leg kick by Lynch there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Lynch misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lynch avoids the body shot from Whitaker Jr.
Whitaker Jr gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Whitaker Jr's jab looks to have found its range, popping Lynch under the eye.

It looks like Cilian Lynch has been cut.
Lynch thumps Whitaker Jr with a low kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Whitaker Jr is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A jab from Whitaker Jr misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Lynch misses the target.
Lynch thows a leg kick but Whitaker Jr checks it

and Whitaker Jr counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Whitaker Jr.
Lynch is trying to keep Whitaker Jr in close.
Whitaker Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Lynch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lynch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Whitaker Jr manages to get himself to full guard.

Lynch trying to control the position from guard on top but Whitaker Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lynch throws an elbow that misses. Whitaker Jr uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lynch's guard. Nice move by Whitaker Jr!

Lynch is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker Jr won't allow Lynch to sweep him here.
Whitaker Jr throws a big elbow that misses.
Lynch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Whitaker Jr manages to get himself to full guard.

Lynch looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Whitaker Jr looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Lynch passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cilian Lynch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Whitaker Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Decent striking displayed by Lynch there.
Lynch goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Lynch throws a shot from downtown. Whitaker Jr moves away and avoids it.
Whitaker Jr was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Lynch has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Whitaker Jr.
Lynch misses with a looping right.
Lynch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker Jr takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lynch misses with an uppercut

and Whitaker Jr counters with a shoot takedown. Lynch fights it but they end up in guard.
Whitaker Jr won't allow Lynch to sweep him here.
Lynch is trying to control the position but Whitaker Jr postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lynch looking for a sweep. Not yet Lynch, not yet.
Lynch wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Whitaker Jr is now in half guard.
Lynch is trying to get back to full guard.
Lynch makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lynch.
Lynch trying to control the position.
Lynch looking for a sweep. Not yet Lynch, not yet.
Pernell Whitaker Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Whitaker Jr lands a couple of digs.
Lynch looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lynch has Whitaker Jr pulled in close to control his posture.
Whitaker Jr chips away with some ground and pound.
Whitaker Jr lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lynch managing to control the position.
Lynch looking for a sweep. Not yet Lynch, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lynch keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Lynch lands a head kick. Whitaker Jr smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Nice cross by Whitaker Jr.
Nice jab there from Lynch.
Lynch fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Whitaker Jr has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lynch fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lynch misses with a looping left.
Whitaker Jr is looking to counter punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Lynch misses.
Whitaker Jr misses with a right hand
and Lynch counters with a nice body kick.
Whitaker Jr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lynch.
Whitaker Jr is looking to counter with head kicks.
Lynch works Whitaker Jr's body with a nice hook.
Lynch misses with a wild combination.
Whitaker Jr feinted with a counter takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Whitaker Jr misses with a leg kick
and Lynch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lynch lands an overhand right.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lynch lands a nice looking body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lynch. That's going to slow Whitaker Jr down.
Lynch goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cilian Lynch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lynch winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cilian Lynch!
During a confident post fight interview, Cilian Lynch thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.