PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rod Stickmann (ranked 2286 p4p, 266 weight class) and Patrick OConnor (ranked 3455 p4p, 373 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.

Stickmann
vs
OConnor

195 cm
26
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

192 cm
25
199 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rod Stickmann!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Patrick OConnor!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

OConnor clinches up against the cage.
OConnor lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Stickmann is trying to break the clinch but OConnor is controlling him.
Stickmann blocks the elbow strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Stickmann.
Stickmann displaying some good clinch control by pressing OConnor up against the cage.
Stickmann gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Stickmann blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
OConnor lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OConnor throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
OConnor lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Rod Stickmann has been cut.
OConnor tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stickmann avoids it.
OConnor blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
OConnor misses with a punch on the inside.
OConnor tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
OConnor blocking some punches.
OConnor has a couple of punches blocked by Stickmann.
OConnor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stickmann.
OConnor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stickmann has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. OConnor avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
OConnor pushes Stickmann back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
OConnor unloads a knee to the mid-section. Stickmann lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
OConnor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
OConnor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stickmann has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
I was talking to Stickmann's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
OConnor trying to land knees to the body.
OConnor fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
OConnor misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Stickmann.
Stickmann really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
OConnor misses with a short punch on the inside.
OConnor lands a damaging elbow.
OConnor trying to land knees to the body.
OConnor lands a knee to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stickmann blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stickmann has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
OConnor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
OConnor throws a punch but it's blocked by Stickmann.
OConnor working Stickmann over with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OConnor lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Stickmann avoiding damage as OConnor throws knees to the body.
Stickmann blocks an uppercut.
OConnor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
OConnor lands a good knee to the midsection. Stickmann won't want to take too many of those.
OConnor lands with a light punch inside.
OConnor lands a left hand.
OConnor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Stickmann takes a shot to the head.
OConnor lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Stickmann is rocked!

Rod Stickmann's cut is getting worse.
Stickmann is trying to break free.
Oh Stickmann is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
OConnor crunches a lovely knee into Stickmann's ribcage.
Stickmann is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
OConnor lands with a right to the head.
OConnor lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stickmann backwards.
OConnor working aggressively here.
OConnor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
OConnor lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Stickmann to his knees! OConnor keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Patrick OConnor!
Patrick OConnor decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.
Rod Stickmann was interviewed post fight and said 'Dammit'.