PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Larry Ballard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick O Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Neil has chosen eye of the tiger as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ballard
vs
O Neil

174 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Larry Ballard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Patrick O Neil!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ballard closes the distance and clinches.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ballard - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ballard crunches a lovely knee into O Neil's ribcage.
O Neil is trying to force a seperation but Ballard has the dominant position.
O Neil looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A short left from Ballard.
Ballard is struggling to control the position.
Ballard lands a body punch.
Ballard landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ballard is pressed up against the cage. O Neil has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ballard down to the mat. Ballard avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ballard lands a lovely overhand right.
Ballard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from O Neil.
Ballard jabs O Neil right on the nose. O Neil blinks but takes it well.
Ballard tries to clinch but O Neil moves out of range.
Ballard lands with a nice body punch.
A nice combination there by O Neil.
Ballard tests O Neil's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ballard throws out a powerful jab.
O Neil tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ballard swivels and escapes.
Larry Ballard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick O Neil.

Ballard moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

O Neil jumps guard and drags Ballard to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ballard trying to control but O Neil is working from the bottom.
O Neil is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ballard advances to half guard.
Ballard is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ballard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
O Neil is trying to get back to full guard.
Ballard throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ballard is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Larry Ballard.
Ballard scores with a jab. O Neil acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Ballard lands a slapping body shot.
O Neil is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Ballard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ballard stuns O Neil with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
O Neil shoots in for a double leg but Ballard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ballard cracks O Neil with a right hand to the side of the head.
Ballard lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Ballard rushes O Neil and presses him up against the cage.
O Neil is trying to push Ballard away but Ballard has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ballard softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
O Neil fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ballard.
Ballard prevents O Neil from breaking the clinch.
Ballard lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ballard.
O Neil takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Patrick O Neil has been cut.
O Neil looks gassed!
O Neil drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ballard pulls his leg out and moves away.
O Neil takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
O Neil misses with a head kick.
Ballard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jab from Ballard.
O Neil shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ballard sprawls well. Ballard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. O Neil gets slowly back to his feet.
O Neil avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Ballard takes the fight into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ballard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Larry Ballard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Patrick O Neil's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

O Neil circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ballard works over O Neil's head and body with a nice combination.
Ballard wants to clinch up but O Neil keeps it at a distance.
O Neil fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
O Neil tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ballard lands with an uppercut that bounces O Neil off the cage and back into rage.
Nice takedown defense from Ballard. No joy for O Neil on that attempt.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ballard.
Ballard tries to clinch up but O Neil circles away and keeps his distance.
Ballard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from O Neil.
Larry Ballard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick O Neil.
Ballard digs a good body shot into O Neil's ribs.
Ballard fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ballard keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Ballard tries to clinch there but O Neil circles away.
Ballard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from O Neil.
Ballard lands an overhand right.
O Neil is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neil is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from O Neil.
Ballard lands a really nice looking cross but O Neil seems unphased.
Ballard tries to clinch there but O Neil circles away.
Ballard lands with a straight right. O Neil didn't see that one coming.
Ballard lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ballard lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ballard.
Ballard scores with a body shot.
Larry Ballard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ballard punishes O Neil's body with a nice straight punch.
Ballard connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Ballard lands with a good body shot.
Ballard swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by O Neil.

Ballard has O Neil up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Ballard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ballard.
Ballard lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ballard.
Ballard lands a damaging elbow.
Knees to the body from Ballard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A hook to the body from Ballard.
Ballard lands an elbow just above O Neil 's eye.
Ballard lands a left hand that snaps the head of O Neil backwards.
O Neil's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ballard lands a nice shot to the body.
O Neil takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ballard lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt O Neil or not.
Ballard unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Ballard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ballard gets through O Neil's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ballard lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ballard lands a shot to the body.
O Neil letting Ballard take a breather here.
Ballard putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has O Neil in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ballard is leaning against O Neil and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ballard lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down O Neil.
Ballard stalling.
Ballard lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Ballard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballard lands a hook to the side of the head.
O Neil drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ballard pulls his leg out and moves away.
O Neil drops his hands momentarily and Ballard takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Ballard closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ballard softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ballard lands with a light punch inside.
O Neil wants to get back to striking at distance but Ballard won't allow it.
O Neil has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ballard is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A short right from Ballard.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ballard creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Larry Ballard has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ballard unloads a knee to the mid-section.
O Neil has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ballard.
Good body shot from Ballard.
Ballard lands a knee to the head.
A short right from Ballard on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Ballard as the two fighters clinch.
Ballard taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ballard obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of O Neil backwards.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ballard obliges.
O Neil goes for a takedown attempt but Ballard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ballard connects with a good right hand that stumbles O Neil. O Neil circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ballard lands with a nice body punch.
Ballard wants to clinch.
Ballard connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Ballard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and O Neil counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
O Neil working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ballard wants to sweep here but O Neil controlling him for the moment.
Ballard is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Larry Ballard dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Patrick O Neil's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ballard lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A swing and a miss from O Neil.
O Neil takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
O Neil shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ballard pinned against the cage. Ballard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Good exchange - Ballard coming out on top.

Ballard moves into range and clinches up with O Neil.
Ballard lands a body shot.
O Neil changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ballard fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ballard fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ballard wants to clinch up but O Neil keeps it at a distance.
Ballard darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
O Neil takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ballard wants it to stay on the feet.
Larry Ballard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Patrick O Neil.
A shot to the liver by Ballard. Beautiful body shot.
Ballard lands a nice shot to the body.
Ballard is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that O Neil can do to turn this around?
A shot to the liver by Ballard. Beautiful body shot.
Ballard scores with a nice strike.
Good standup being displayed there by Ballard as he connects with a hook.
Larry Ballard is winning the standup battle so far.
O Neil gets cracked there but stands up to it.
O Neil looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ballard is looking to clinch but O Neil is avoiding it.
Ballard tests O Neil's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ballard uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before O Neil has time to react.
Ballard tries to close the distance and clinch up but O Neil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Neil takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neil circles away from the clinch attempt

and O Neil counters with a single leg into guard. Ballard didn't expect that.
Ballard trying to keep a closed guard but O Neil is proving a slippery customer.
Ballard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in O Neil's guard.
O Neil wants to sweep but no luck.
O Neil wants to get back to his feet but Ballard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ballard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ballard passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Patrick O Neil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Ballard 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.
Ballard has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Ballard controlling the pace for now.
O Neil is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Larry Ballard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ballard controlling the pace for now.
Ballard has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Larry Ballard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ballard, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Larry Ballard!