PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Big Man (ranked 5481 p4p, 104 weight class) and Shaquille ONeal (ranked 4488 p4p, 163 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Man
vs
ONeal

186 cm
26
250 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

215 cm
19
304 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Big Man!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Shaquille ONeal!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
ONeal tries to clinch but Man is having none of it.
Man is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from ONeal.
Donk. ONeal catches Man right on the button with a cross.
ONeal misses with a combination
and Man cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A combination from ONeal does no damage.
Man ducks under a wild hook from ONeal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ONeal misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Man closes the distance and clinches.
ONeal swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man has ONeal pressed against the cage, preventing ONeal from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Man lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Man has ONeal pressed against the cage, preventing ONeal from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Man misses with a punch to the body.

ONeal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Man takes a jab right on the kisser.

Man moves into the clinch.
ONeal working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Man working some nice short punches in the clinch.
ONeal is looking to break free of the clinch but Man has double underhooks.
Man effectively controlling the action here.
ONeal blocks an uppercut.
ONeal misses with a hook from the clinch.

ONeal's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Man on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Man clinches.
Man working aggressively here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
ONeal can't break the clinch.
Man softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Man misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Man misses with some punches.
ONeal tries to break free but Man pushes him back against the cage.
Man tries to throw a body punch but ONeal avoids it by throwing Man back against the cage.
ONeal looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Man lands with a short head shot on the inside.
ONeal lands a right hand.
ONeal is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on ONeal's face as he tries to break the clinch.
ONeal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of ONeal backwards.
ONeal tries to break the clinch but Man is controlling the position.
Man stalling in the clinch.

ONeal manages to break the clinch.
ONeal misses with a jab, cross combination.
It looked like Man wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Man uses good head movement to avoid the hook from ONeal.

Man closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
ONeal wants to break free but Man has control.
ONeal tries to work over Man's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

ONeal's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
ONeal tries to clinch but Man moves out of range.
Man tries to close the distance and clinch but ONeal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ONeal tries to bum rush Man with a series of wild strikes but Man uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
It looked like Man wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A combination from ONeal does no damage.
ONeal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Man is on the wrong end of a nice combination from ONeal.
Man tries to close the distance and clinch but ONeal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
ONeal looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Man takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
ONeal misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaquille ONeal dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Big Man's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Man connects with a good right hand that stumbles ONeal. ONeal circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Man moves into range and clinches up with ONeal.
ONeal looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Man throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Man tries to throw a body punch but ONeal avoids it by throwing Man back against the cage.
ONeal is looking to break free of the clinch but Man has double underhooks.
Man lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ONeal wants to get back to striking at distance but Man won't allow it.

ONeal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Man clinches up against the cage.
ONeal throws a head punch that misses.
Man slowing the pace effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ONeal is trying to break free.

Man manages to break the clinch.
Man takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Man swats away the attempt to clinch by ONeal.
ONeal tests Man's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Man tries to clinch there but ONeal circles away.
Man tries to close the distance and clinch up but ONeal swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ONeal lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
ONeal misses with an uppercut.
Man scores with a sloppy right hand. ONeal should have avoided that one.

It looks like Shaquille ONeal has been cut.
Man is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
ONeal misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Man counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fight stays on the outside here - ONeal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A counter left hand to the body from Man misses its target.
A shot to the body from ONeal misses

and Man moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ONeal has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Man has ONeal pushed against the cage.
Man keeps the fight in the clinch, despite ONeal's efforts to push away.

ONeal breaks from the clinch.
ONeal swats away the attempt to clinch by Man.
Shaquille ONeal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Man tries to clinch up but ONeal circles away and keeps his distance.
ONeal stuns Man with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
ONeal throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ONeal bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Man's head backwards.
ONeal throws a combination. Man tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Man closes the distance and clinches.
ONeal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
ONeal has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
ONeal can't break the clinch.
ONeal tries to break the clinch but Man is controlling the position.
Man lands a body shot.
ONeal has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
ONeal has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Man lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A frustrated look appears on ONeal's face as he tries to break the clinch.
ONeal wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Big Man will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Man slips under a jab from ONeal.
Man tries to clinch up.
Sloppy strikes from Man. Those never looked like landing.
Man tries to clinch but ONeal moves out of range.
ONeal looks to land a combination but Man avoids it well.
Man displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as ONeal throws out the jab.
A little feinted left hand from Man on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Shaquille ONeal seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from ONeal misses.

Man closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down ONeal.
ONeal tries to break the clinch but Man is controlling the position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Man.
Man lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short uppercut from ONeal.
ONeal tries to circle away but Man has him pinned against the cage.

ONeal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Man tries to clinch but fails miserably
and ONeal counters with a straight right hand.
ONeal rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Man counters with a straight right hand.
ONeal rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Man moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Man tries to clinch there but ONeal circles away.
A little jabbing left from ONeal on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Man takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Man steps to the side to avoid the strikes from ONeal.
ONeal moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Man takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
ONeal connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Man momentarily.
ONeal lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Man circles away quickly and effectively.
ONeal avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
ONeal looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Good shot there by Man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man tries to clinch up but ONeal circles away and keeps his distance.

Man gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from ONeal fails to land.
ONeal can't break the clinch.
Man keeps control of ONeal as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

ONeal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
ONeal 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.
ONeal looks to land a left hand but Man moved out of range nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Man misses the target.
The fighters circling - ONeal throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
ONeal tests Man's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A telegraphed right hand from ONeal misses the target.
Man was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ONeal is looking to clinch.
Man throws a combination but it was largely blocked by ONeal.
ONeal looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Man tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. ONeal manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
ONeal swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
ONeal circles away from the clinch attempt.
ONeal lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
ONeal misses with a jab, cross combination.
Man is looking to clinch but ONeal is avoiding it.
ONeal misses with a lunging right hand
and Man counters with a nice body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shaquille ONeal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think ONeal has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shaquille ONeal!
A less than humble Shaquille ONeal misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.