PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Little Late (ranked 23834 p4p, 24104 weight class) and Jeff Neel (ranked 643 p4p, 655 weight class). Jeff Neel has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Late
vs
Neel

189 cm
27
181
0 - 3 - 0

180 cm
26
171
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Little Late!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeff Neel !
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Kenichi Hosakawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Late circles away from the clinch attempt.
Late drops down looking for a counter takedown but Neel sprawls and moves away.
Late avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Late swats away the attempt to clinch by Neel .
Late pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A big right from Neel misses.
Late tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Neel defends well and Late ends up having to push Neel into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Late escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Late shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Late sets himself, and Neel steps forward looking for the clinch! Late avoids it this time.
Neel misses with a takedown attempt
and Late counters with a three punch combo that has Neel backing up. Neel nods at Late to acknowledge the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Late throws a head kick that misses.
Late has been working on his balance at Rabid Dog , so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Neel .
Neel throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Neel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Late misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Late. Neel does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Late throws a body shot but no joy.
Late throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Neel tries to counter by closing the distance.
Neel throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A head kick misses from Neel .
Neel misses with a takedown
and Late counters with a two punch combo.
Late looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Little Late. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Late shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Neel as he avoids it easily.
Neel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Late sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Neel somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Late tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Neel swivels and escapes.
Late uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Neel .
Late keeps the fight on the outside.
Late fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Late throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Neel throws a head kick but Late moves out of range.
Late half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Neel displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Late shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Neel sprawls well. Neel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Late gets slowly back to his feet.
Late throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Late drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Neel has his feet on Late's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Late misses its intended target.
Neel tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Late dives in for a single leg takedown but Neel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Neel tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Late tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Late misses with some punches.
Neel blocks an elbow strike.
Late tries to land a knee to the head but Neel blocks with his arms.
Neel lands a nice elbow.

Late's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Late fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Neel avoids the head kick by Late.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Late. No joy for Neel on that attempt.
Late ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Neel moves away.
Neel shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Late pinned against the cage. Late gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Neel looks winded!

Late forces Neel back against the cage and clinches.
Late tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Neel smiles and moves away.

Late clinches up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Little Late dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Neel dives in for a single leg takedown but Late sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Neel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Late defends it nicely.
Late seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Neel is looking to clinch.
Neel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Late stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Late wants it to stay on the feet.
Little Late has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeff Neel .

Late pushes Neel up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neel prevents the takedown attempt.
Late stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Neel is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Late pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Neel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Neel wants it to stay on the feet.

Late closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Late digs a right hand into Neel 's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Neel 's gas tank.
Neel is breathing heavily.
Late digs a right hand underneath Neel 's ribcage. Neel let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Late avoiding damage.

Late jumps into guard, dragging Neel to the mat.

Late pushes Neel off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Neel tries to keep at a distance but Late has taken the fight into the clinch.
Late pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Late pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Late shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Neel but Neel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Neel darts in looking for a takedown but Late gets double underhooks and turns Neel into the cage.
Late tries a head kick but it misses.
Neel looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neel lands a slapping body shot.

Neel gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Late postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Late content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Late decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Late drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Late lands a couple of elbows.
Late has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Late scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Little Late overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Late showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Late stands up and waves to Neel to follow him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Late clinches.

Late decides to pull guard.

Late has his foot on Neel 's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Neel works his way back into a safe position though.
Late throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Late on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Late tries to get out of the position.
Late controlling Neel 's posture.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Little Late dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Neel is looking to clinch.

Late drives through and clinches with Neel against the cage.
Neel wants to stall.
Neel tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Late just stands there and leans against the cage.
Neel tries to break the clinch but Late is controlling the position.
A frustrated look appears on Neel 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Neel is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Neel misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice left hand lands by Late.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Late slows down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Late gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Late wants to pass to mount but Neel is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Late is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Late stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Neel to get to his feet.
Neel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Late tries to clinch but Neel is having none of it.
Little Late is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Late looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Neel !
Neel tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Neel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Late stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Late shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Neel as he avoids it easily.
Late tries for a takedown but Neel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Little Late. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Late tries a head kick but it misses.
Neel goes for a double leg but Late avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Late continues to drive forward.
Late will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Late tries to close the distance and clinch but Neel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Neel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Late goes for a double leg but Neel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Neel continues to drive forward.
Neel is looking for the big counter here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Late breaks the clinch.

Late closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Neel quickly recovers to half guard.

Late decides to return to a standing position.
Neel blocks a head kick by Late.
Late circles away from the clinch attempt.

Late shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Neel wants to stand back up but Late manages to pass into side control.
Jeff Neel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Little Late is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Late is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Neel can do to turn this around?

Late looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

And that's the end of the fight!
Little Late showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Late has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Little Late!
After winning the bout, Little Late thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.