PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sven Svensson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Neil comes to the cage accompanied by Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Neil
vs
Svensson

183 cm
22
193 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

175 cm
23
203 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Project Mayhem

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Neil!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sven Svensson!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Skip Squint and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neil takes one to the chin there.
Neil throws a body shot but no joy.
Neil scores with a punch to the head.
Nice defenses there by Svensson.
Svensson tries to counter by closing the distance.
Svensson looks to score with a jab to the body but Neil is just out of range.
Neil misses the body punch

and Svensson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Neil breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Svensson ducks right into an uppercut from Neil.

Svensson instigates a clinch.
Svensson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
I was talking to Neil's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Svensson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Neil is looking to control Svensson's arms but Svensson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Neil has his back to the cage.
Svensson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Svensson lands with a light punch inside.
Neil misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil wants a takedown but no success here.
Neil is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Svensson misses with some punches.
Neil misses with a hook to the ribs.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Svensson lands a hook that snaps the head of Neil backwards.
Svensson throws a punch but it's blocked by Neil.
Svensson lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Neil or not.
Neil tries to break the clinch but Svensson is controlling the position.
Svensson blocks a body shot from Neil.
Svensson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Neil misses with a body punch.
Neil blocks a body shot from Svensson.
Svensson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Neil.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svensson has a couple of punches blocked by Neil.
Neil wants to break the clinch but can't.
Neil lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Svensson or not.

Neil breaks from the clinch.
Sven Svensson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Neil sizes up Svensson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Neil throws a shot from downtown. Svensson moves away and avoids it.
Neil connects with a body shot.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Svensson, as that shot connected.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Neil scores with a jab.
Neil blocks a jab.
Svensson throws an overhand right that lands on Neil's shoulder, as Neil tries to avoid the shot.
Svensson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Neil misses the jab.
Svensson doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svensson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Neil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Svensson moves away.
Neil pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
As Neil backs off Svensson throws a huge counter combo but Neil manages to avoid it all.
Neil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Svensson moves away.
Svensson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Svensson drops his hands momentarily and Neil takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Svensson slips under a jab.
James Neil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Svensson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Neil manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Good standup being displayed there by Svensson as he connects with a hook.
Neil throws out a powerful jab.
Svensson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Neil.
Neil misses with a jab to the body
and Svensson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Neil throws a looping overhand right but Svensson ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neil drops Svensson with a left and a right! Oh, Svensson is hurt - Neil dives into side control looking to finish!

Svensson is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Svensson is looking to reverse the position.
Svensson is still in real trouble! Can Neil finish him?
Neil trying to control the action but Svensson is working from the bottom.
Svensson is trying to control Neil's posture but Neil avoids it.
Svensson seems to have recovered his senses.
Svensson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Neil working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Neil misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The ground and pound from Neil seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Neil cracks Svensson with a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Neil 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.

Neil throws a shot to the body.
Nice body punch from Neil.
Neil throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Svensson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Neil ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Neil misses with a wild body shot.
Neil uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Svensson.
Neil throws a jab when Svensson was well out of range.
Svensson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A jab from Neil misses.
Svensson tries to clinch but Neil moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neil connects with a right hand. Svensson shakes it off.

Neil closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Svensson to the mat! Svensson manages to get full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Neil throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Svensson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Neil trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil stopping the sweep attempt from Svensson.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Svensson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Svensson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Neil's guard.

In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Svensson working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Svensson wants to control from the top but Neil keeps moving.
Svensson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Neil is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Svensson defends well.
Neil bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Svensson's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neil trying to control but Svensson is working from the bottom.
Neil loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Svensson is adopting a defensive guard.
Neil scoring with punches to the head and body.
Neil is in close to Svensson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Neil connects with a couple of short punches.
Neil trying to control but Svensson is working from the bottom.
Neil throws a strike but Svensson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Svensson wants to control from the top but Neil keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neil looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Svensson passes into side control.
Neil is trying to improve his position.
You can see the frustration on Neil's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Neil is trying to improve his position.
Svensson controls the position.
Neil manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Svensson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Neil is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neil wants to free his trapped foot but Svensson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Svensson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Neil trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Neil keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Svensson's head.
Svensson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Neil working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Svensson's head.
Neil trying to control but Svensson is working from the bottom.
Neil working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Neil is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Neil dominated that second round.
That's time! Neil's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Neil throws a body punch but Svensson moves out of range.
Svensson appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Svensson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Neil paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Neil throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Svensson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Svensson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Neil.
Svensson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A shot to the body from Neil misses
and Svensson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Neil misses the jab.
Neil throws a body shot but no joy.
It seemed like Svensson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neil scores with a sloppy right hand. Svensson should have avoided that one.
Neil connects with a good right hand that stumbles Svensson. Svensson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Neil throws a poor cross that misses
and Svensson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Neil throws a lazy uppercut
and Svensson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil misses with a hook
and Neil takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Neil gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Neil misses with a body shot
and Svensson counters with a stiff right hand.
Svensson is looking to clinch but Neil is avoiding it.
Neil misses with a body punch
and Svensson counters with a nice uppercut.
Neil throws a good cross that connects.
Neil tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Svensson was well out of range. Poor timing from Neil.
Svensson tries to counter with a clinch but Neil shakes him off and moves away.
Neil thows a left - swing and a miss!
Neil misses with a jab to the body
and Svensson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Svensson lands with a cross.
Neil throws an off balance right hand
and Svensson counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neil misses with a body shot
and Svensson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Neil throws a shot from downtown. Svensson moves away and avoids it.
Neil misses with a two punch combination.
Neil lands a slapping body shot.

Svensson has Neil up against the cage in a clinch.
Neil misses with a punch to the body.
Svensson lands with a light punch inside.
Svensson scores with a shot to the side of Neil's head.

Neil breaks the clinch.
Neil misses with an uppercut.
Neil misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Svensson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Svensson finds it's target.
Svensson misses the shot to the body.
Neil misses with a takedown attempt
and Svensson counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A big left from Neil misses.
Svensson tries to counter by closing the distance.
Svensson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Neil.
Neil cracks Svensson with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A left lands for Neil.
Svensson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Neil blocks a jab.
Neil changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Neil scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Svensson doesn't seem bothered though.
Svensson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Svensson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Neil throws a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Svensson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Neil connects with the punch.
Svensson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Neil.
Svensson ducks under a wild hook from Neil.
Svensson now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Neil misses the jab.
Svensson throws a hook but Neil blocks it.
Neil throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Svensson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Svensson.
Neil misses with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Sven Svensson just about did enough to take it.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Neil lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Neil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Svensson moves away.
Svensson throws a body punch but Neil moves out of range.
Svensson lands a nice hook to Neil's body. Neil takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Svensson moves into the clinch successfully.
A head punch on the inside from Neil fails to land.

Neil has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Svensson is trying to keep an underhook but Neil manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Neil thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Svensson taking some punishment here, with Neil in his half guard.
Neil is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Svensson can do to turn this around?
Svensson tries to get to full guard but Neil has control of the leg.
Neil sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Svensson defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil trying to control from half guard but Svensson is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neil working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Neil throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Svensson wants to improve his position but Neil is controlling well.
Svensson trying to control but Neil postures up.
Neil throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Neil not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Neil thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Svensson's head.
James Neil overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svensson gets back to full guard.
Neil throwing strikes from guard but Svensson blocks nicely.
Neil works over Svensson with some ground and pound from guard.
Neil trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Neil has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Svensson working for a triangle but Neil defends it easily.
Neil throws a strike but Svensson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Svensson looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svensson trying to control but Neil is working from the bottom.

Neil is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Neil has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Svensson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Neil.
Svensson trying to control the action but Neil is working from the bottom.
Neil tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Neil is working hard here to advance position.
Svensson wants to control but Neil is keeping him busy.
Neil manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Neil landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Neil throwing shots but Svensson is blocking nicely.
Svensson is looking to control Neil's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Svensson avoid being mounted?
Neil with the ground and pound but Svensson uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Svensson trying to control the position.
Svensson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Neil haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Neil had his way with Sven Svensson in that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Svensson works the jab nicely.
Svensson cracks a nice hook into Neil's ribs.
Svensson throws an overhand right that lands on Neil's shoulder, as Neil tries to avoid the shot.
Neil throws a big shot that misses.
Svensson throws a looping overhand right but Neil ducks down to avoid it.
Svensson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Neil throws a leg kick
and Svensson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Neil scores with a jab to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neil fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Svensson is out of range.
Neil throws a looping overhand right but Svensson ducks down to avoid it.
Neil's corner calls for a 1-2. Neil obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Neil misses its intended target.
Svensson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Neil throws a body punch but Svensson moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Neil.
Neil working away.
Neil working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Neil throwing strikes but Svensson manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Svensson controlling from side mount.

Neil is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Svensson's leg. Oh but that's left an opportunity for Svensson! He's got an arm triangle... it looks tight! He's rotating and Neil has tapped! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 5, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Sven Svensson!
Sven Svensson is the new middleweight champion!
After the fight, Sven Svensson was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.
In defeat, James Neil stepped up to the mic, saying 'No comment.'.