PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finnish Experiment Il (ranked 971 p4p, 96 weight class) and Joseph OByrne (ranked 509 p4p, 56 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.

Experiment Il
vs
OByrne

175 cm
29
153 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

175 cm
29
159 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finnish Experiment Il!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joseph OByrne!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
OByrne misses with an uppercut. Experiment Il saw that one coming.
Experiment Il swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
An inside leg kick lands from OByrne.
OByrne throws a body shot but no joy.
Experiment Il throws out a leg kick but OByrne moves out of range and Experiment Il only half commits.
Experiment Il keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Experiment Il defending well as OByrne loads up on a big left hand.
Experiment Il throws an overhand right that lands on OByrne's shoulder, as OByrne tries to avoid the shot.

Experiment Il lands a big head kick that sends OByrne tumbling to the mat! Experiment Il takes a step backwards and waves OByrne back to his feet - he wants the finish!

OByrne is rocked!

It looks like Joseph OByrne has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Experiment Il keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
OByrne is still on wobbly legs! Can Experiment Il finish him?
Experiment Il throws a body kick that misses
and OByrne connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
OByrne scoring well with a low kick there.
A swing and a miss from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
OByrne seems to have recovered his senses.
That kick from OByrne tenderised Experiment Il's leg. Experiment Il is trying to keep his angry face on.
OByrne tries to work over Experiment Il's front leg with a kick but Experiment Il checks it.

Experiment Il cracks OByrne with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! OByrne looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Experiment Il finish him?
OByrne lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Experiment Il motions for OByrne to come forward. Experiment Il throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
OByrne circles away from the clinch attempt.
OByrne slips a jab from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il walks forward, straight into a front kick from OByrne.
OByrne throws a leg kick that misses.
Joseph OByrne seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Experiment Il keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from OByrne.
OByrne throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Experiment Il sees it coming and avoids it easily.
OByrne throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A decent looking cross lands there for OByrne.
OByrne with a nice cross.
OByrne scores with a nice body kick.
A swing and a miss from OByrne.
OByrne throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
OByrne thows a body kick. Experiment Il tries to catch it but that hurt him.
OByrne waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Experiment Il.
Experiment Il throws a sloppy head kick and OByrne moves out of range easily.
OByrne pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sloppy strikes from Experiment Il. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
OByrne avoids the body shot from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il throws a predictable looking body shot
and OByrne counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Experiment Il fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with OByrne, pushing him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Experiment Il blocks an uppercut.
Experiment Il misses with a knee to the head.
Experiment Il lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Experiment Il landing knees to the body.
Experiment Il lands a good knee to the midsection. OByrne won't want to take too many of those.
OByrne throws a punch but it's blocked by Experiment Il.
Experiment Il misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from OByrne.
Experiment Il tries to work over OByrne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knees in the clinch landing for Experiment Il.
Experiment Il misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from OByrne.
OByrne wants to stall.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OByrne misses with a body punch.
OByrne avoiding damage as Experiment Il throws knees to the body.
OByrne tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
OByrne has a couple of punches blocked by Experiment Il.
Experiment Il misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from OByrne.
Experiment Il tries to land a knee to the head but OByrne blocks with his arms.
Experiment Il working OByrne over with knees to the body.
Experiment Il using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Experiment Il lands with a left to the head.
Experiment Il misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from OByrne.
OByrne managing to block the knees to the body from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il pushes OByrne back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
OByrne softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il blocks a body shot from OByrne.
OByrne tries to throw a body punch but Experiment Il avoids it by throwing OByrne back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
OByrne misses with the head strike.
Experiment Il misses with a shot to the kidneys.
OByrne has a couple of punches blocked by Experiment Il.
Experiment Il tried to land a shot to the body but connects with OByrne's elbow.
OByrne lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Experiment Il.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Experiment Il is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. OByrne is defending well for now.
Experiment Il is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
OByrne pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
OByrne misses with a short punch on the inside.

OByrne breaks the clinch.
Experiment Il swings and misses with a hook to the body.
OByrne throws a wild body kick that Experiment Il sees coming a mile off.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
OByrne throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Experiment Il sees it coming and avoids it easily.
OByrne throws a nice outside leg kick.
OByrne getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
OByrne is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Experiment Il.
OByrne scores with a jab. Experiment Il acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finnish Experiment Il dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joseph OByrne'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.

OByrne's corner calls for a 1-2. OByrne obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
OByrne ducks under a wild hook from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il scores with the left hand. OByrne knows he should have avoided that one.
Experiment Il takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
OByrne lands with an overhand left.
OByrne throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
OByrne dodges the punch combination from Experiment Il.
OByrne tests Experiment Il's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Experiment Il takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
OByrne takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
This has been an exciting period of action!
OByrne throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts OByrne, as that shot connected.
Experiment Il throws a series of punches but OByrne moves out of range.
OByrne connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
OByrne fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Experiment Il on the side of the head.
Experiment Il avoids the body shot from OByrne.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Experiment Il smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Experiment Il walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Experiment Il moves out of range of the leg kick from OByrne.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Experiment Il checks a leg kick.
Experiment Il looks to score with a jab to the body but OByrne is just out of range.
OByrne throws a good cross that connects.
OByrne throws a low kick but it's checked well by Experiment Il.
A swing and a miss from OByrne.
Experiment Il bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
OByrne cracks Experiment Il with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
OByrne ducks under a wild hook from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il takes one to the side of the head.
Joseph OByrne seems to be getting the better of the standup.
OByrne misses with an attempted mid kick.
Experiment Il gets cracked there but stands up to it.
OByrne lands the left hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Experiment Il misses with a left hand
and OByrne counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Experiment Il throws a leg kick but OByrne sees it coming and moves out of range.
OByrne ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Experiment Il moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Experiment Il, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And OByrne responds with a good body kick, but Experiment Il manages to step out the way in time.

Experiment Il moves into the clinch successfully.
Experiment Il prevents a body shot from OByrne.
OByrne lands a body punch in the clinch.
Experiment Il tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
OByrne misses with a punch to the body.
Experiment Il trying to land knees to the body.
Experiment Il working OByrne over with knees to the body.
Experiment Il looking to stall.
OByrne struggles to land a body shot inside as Experiment Il controls his hands.
OByrne misses with a shot to the kidneys.
OByrne works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Experiment Il tries to land knees in the clinch but OByrne avoids the damage to the body.
A nice left hand lands by OByrne.
OByrne misses with a shot to the kidneys.

OByrne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OByrne scores with a nice head shot.
Experiment Il throws an overhand right that lands on OByrne's shoulder, as OByrne tries to avoid the shot.
OByrne throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
OByrne bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
OByrne is trying to counter with his kicks.
Experiment Il slips under a jab.
Experiment Il fakes the leg kick and cracks OByrne in the body.
OByrne scores with a nice head shot.
Experiment Il with a jab.
Experiment Il tries to clinch up
and OByrne counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
OByrne throws a front kick aimed at Experiment Il's knee but Experiment Il avoids it well.
OByrne avoids a kick to the body.
A shot to the body from Experiment Il misses
and OByrne counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Experiment Il checks a leg kick.
Experiment Il throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
OByrne lands with a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Experiment Il uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by OByrne.
Experiment Il throwing a counter right hand but OByrne manages to avoid it.
Experiment Il with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Experiment Il has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from OByrne finds it's way round the side to connect with Experiment Il's head.
OByrne bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
OByrne thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Experiment Il if he has to take too many more of those.
Experiment Il connects with a leg kick. OByrne looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
OByrne misses with an attempted mid kick.
Experiment Il appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Experiment Il scoring well with a low kick there.
Good standup being displayed there by Experiment Il as he connects with a hook.
Experiment Il throws a hook to the side of OByrne's head but OByrne sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
OByrne moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Experiment Il.
OByrne throws a low kick, looking for Experiment Il's leg but Experiment Il calmly moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Experiment Il misses with a hook.
Experiment Il will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Experiment Il scores with a head kick.
A big left from Experiment Il misses.
OByrne blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph OByrne showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joseph OByrne's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! 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.

OByrne keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Experiment Il.
OByrne lands a slapping body shot.
Experiment Il tries a head kick but it misses.
OByrne darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Experiment Il looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
OByrne takes a swing at Experiment Il's ribcage but misses.
Experiment Il avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A leg kick checked by Experiment Il.
Experiment Il throws an overhand right that lands on OByrne's shoulder, as OByrne tries to avoid the shot.
Experiment Il misses with an uppercut
and OByrne makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
OByrne thows a left - swing and a miss!
Experiment Il throws a sloppy head kick and OByrne moves out of range easily.
OByrne connects with a looping right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OByrne thows a body kick. Experiment Il tries to catch it but that hurt him.
OByrne uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Experiment Il has time to react.
Experiment Il throws a body punch but OByrne moves out of range.
OByrne avoids a punch combination nicely.
OByrne let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
OByrne throws a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
OByrne throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Experiment Il is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Experiment Il lands a head shot.
Experiment Il keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
OByrne displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Experiment Il throws out the jab.
OByrne blocks a leg kick.
Experiment Il swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Experiment Il throws a jab but it's blocked by OByrne.
Jab, jab by OByrne - just one landing.
Experiment Il looks to land a right hand but OByrne moved out of range.
OByrne scores with a jab. Experiment Il acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Experiment Il takes a jab right on the kisser.
OByrne ducks right into an uppercut from Experiment Il.
OByrne moves out of range of the body kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
OByrne wants to land a leg kick but Experiment Il is out of range.
Experiment Il scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
OByrne scores with a sloppy right hand. Experiment Il should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Experiment Il misses with a looping left.
Experiment Il walks into a straight right hand from OByrne.
OByrne walks into a stiff left hand from Experiment Il.
OByrne slips a jab from Experiment Il.
Experiment Il throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
OByrne displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Experiment Il throws out the jab.
Left hook, right uppercut from OByrne.
OByrne fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Experiment Il manages to avoid it.
Experiment Il throws a half hearted mid kick.
OByrne swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
OByrne scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Good work by OByrne as he checks the leg kick.
OByrne lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Experiment Il throws a nice head kick!
OByrne lands with a straight right. Experiment Il didn't see that one coming.
OByrne getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A decent looking cross lands there for OByrne.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OByrne ducks under a wild hook from Experiment Il.
OByrne scores with a kick to the midsection.
OByrne misses with a looping left.
Experiment Il moves out of range of the body kick from OByrne.
OByrne throws a wild body kick that Experiment Il sees coming a mile off.
OByrne checks a leg kick.
Experiment Il ducks under a wild hook from OByrne.
Jab, jab by OByrne - just one landing.
Experiment Il thows a left - swing and a miss!
And OByrne responds with a good body kick, but Experiment Il manages to step out the way in time.
OByrne swings and misses with a hook to the body.
OByrne lands a glancing blow to the side of Experiment Il's head.
OByrne moves out of range as Experiment Il strikes.
Experiment Il misses the shot to the body.
OByrne loads up on a big right hand but Experiment Il slips the punch.
That kick from OByrne tenderised Experiment Il's leg. Experiment Il is trying to keep his angry face on.
OByrne fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Experiment Il.
Experiment Il needs to keep his hands up - OByrne had a free shot at his head there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Experiment Il throws a hook to the side of OByrne's head but OByrne sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Experiment Il tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but OByrne was well out of range. Poor timing from Experiment Il.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An inside leg kick from Experiment Il misses.
OByrne avoids the body shot from Experiment Il.
OByrne connects with a nice looking jab.
Experiment Il misses with a body kick.
OByrne misses with an uppercut.
Jab, jab by Experiment Il - just one landing.
Experiment Il throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
OByrne looks like he wants to counter punch here.
OByrne blocks the body kick.
Nice uppercut lands for OByrne. That snapped Experiment Il's head back.
OByrne tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Experiment Il is able to avoid easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A leg kick checked by OByrne.
OByrne lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Experiment Il misses with a straight right.
OByrne throws a looping overhand right but Experiment Il ducks down to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph OByrne comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think OByrne 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joseph OByrne!
Joseph OByrne thanked the fans post fight for their support.