PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mickey oNeill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hans Lankari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lankari has chosen AC/DC - Thunderstruck as his entrance music. The key to victory for Mickey oNeill has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

oNeill
vs
Lankari

180 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

177 cm
21
142 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mickey oNeill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hans Lankari!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
oNeill falls off balance throwing a combination
and oNeill takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
oNeill misses with a combination
and oNeill takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
oNeill swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Lankari to counter with a crisp jab.

Lankari shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lankari was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lankari lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
oNeill is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

oNeill bucks up and throws Lankari to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
oNeill misses with a combination
and Lankari counters with a thumping low kick.
oNeill is breathing heavily.
oNeill falls off balance throwing a combination

and Lankari counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for oNeill!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lankari lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
oNeill has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Lankari punishes oNeill with strikes from the back mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lankari tightening his grip on oNeill, looking for the choke.

oNeill is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Lankari controlling from the back.
Lankari lands an elbow to the side of the head.

oNeill fending off the submission attempt from Lankari.
oNeill controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lankari connects with a big shot to the side of oNeill's head.
oNeill controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Lankari controls the position.
oNeill grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

Lankari is persistently looking for the submission but oNeill is defending it well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lankari landing with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lankari biding his time, looking for the opening.
oNeill is trying to get back to his feet but Lankari has full control of the position and if anything, oNeill has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lankari is persistently looking for the submission but oNeill is defending it well.
oNeill holding both Lankari 's hands and preventing any damage.
oNeill trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
oNeill looking very determined here, making life difficult for Lankari.
oNeill holding both Lankari 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lankari lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Lankari scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. oNeill is looking for a way out.
oNeill is trying to get back to his feet but Lankari has full control of the position and if anything, oNeill has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Lankari has oNeill flattened out and is raining down punches.

Lankari is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but oNeill has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
oNeill controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Lankari lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns oNeill.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hans Lankari dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Lankari shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in oNeill's guard.

oNeill pushes Lankari off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Mickey oNeill is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed right hand from oNeill misses the target.
Lankari fails in his attempt to clinch.

Lankari moves into the clinch successfully.
oNeill wants to get back to striking at distance but Lankari won't allow it.
oNeill looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lankari has oNeill pressed against the cage, preventing oNeill from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
oNeill gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lankari.
A frustrated look appears on oNeill's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Lankari breaks the clinch.

Lankari shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in oNeill's guard.
Lankari sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed oNeill's guard.
oNeill pushes Lankari off looking to stand but Lankari dives back in and keeps control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Lankari stands up from half guard.
Mickey oNeill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
oNeill takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Lankari. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
oNeill misses with a double jab
and Lankari makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. oNeill really felt that one!
oNeill takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
oNeill misses with a combination

and Lankari counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for oNeill!
Lankari is landing with some decent strikes but oNeill is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Lankari looking to control but oNeill is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Lankari lands with some vicious ground and pound - can oNeill hang on?
oNeill is squirming around, avoiding Lankari's attempts to control the action.
Hans Lankari has got the better of the ground game so far.
oNeill tries to buck Lankari off but Lankari takes his back!
What can oNeill do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Lankari cracks oNeill with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing oNeill from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lankari struggling to keep hold of the position.
oNeill wants to get back to his feet.

Lankari is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. oNeill defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
oNeill staying busy and making it hard for Lankari to control.
Lankari connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for oNeill to escape the position.
Lankari scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Lankari scores with strikes from the back.

Lankari tightening his grip on oNeill, looking for the choke.
Lankari scores with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Lankari.

oNeill defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Lankari's arms.
Lankari struggling to keep hold of the position.

oNeill manages to stand up with Lankari still on his back. Eventually Lankari drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
Lankari is looking to clinch but oNeill is avoiding it.
Lankari moves in looking to clinch but oNeill pushes him off.
Lankari is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
oNeill swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Lankari counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lankari.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lankari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lankari has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lankari throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Lankari shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. oNeill is trying to defend but Lankari finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Lankari seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but oNeill does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lankari stops oNeill from getting back to his feet.
Lankari has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
oNeill scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Lankari manages to mount him!
oNeill wants to try and get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lankari pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Lankari is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. oNeill can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Lankari gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hans Lankari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

oNeill stuffs the takedown attempt from Lankari. Lankari gets slowly back to his feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from oNeill enables Lankari to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. oNeill manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
oNeill is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Lankari decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on oNeill, up you get!

Lankari closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. oNeill did well to prevent Lankari getting side control.

Lankari escapes and gets back to his feet.
oNeill misses with a left hand
and Lankari counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Lankari shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lankari was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
oNeill squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Lankari lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
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!

Lankari has control of oNeill's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and oNeill regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lankari looking to finish oNeill with some ground and pound. This is bad for oNeill!
oNeill is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Lankari looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lankari punishing his opponent with strikes.
oNeill is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Lankari lands a big shot there that rocks oNeill but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Lankari controlling his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Lankari can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as oNeill is looking to escape.
oNeill tries to buck Lankari off but Lankari takes his back!
oNeill wants to get back to his feet.
Lankari softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Lankari is landing with strikes. oNeill can't take much more of this.
oNeill looking very determined here, making life difficult for Lankari.
Lankari lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns oNeill.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

oNeill is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Lankari gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
oNeill trying to get back to his feet but Lankari is in full control for now.

Lankari is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

oNeill is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Lankari off. It looks like it's working - Lankari slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! oNeill displaying calm under pressure there.

Lankari moves into the clinch.
Lankari tries to land a knee to the head but oNeill blocks with his arms.
oNeill wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
oNeill working hard to break the clinch.
oNeill looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A frustrated look appears on oNeill's face as he tries to break the clinch.
oNeill is trying to break free.

Lankari breaks from the clinch.
oNeill throws a left and a right that both miss

and Lankari counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lankari.
Lankari controls from within his opponent's guard.
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!
Lankari sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed oNeill's guard.

Lankari is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Lankari stops oNeill from getting back to his feet.
Mickey oNeill has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hans Lankari is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
oNeill is trying to escape back to his feet but Lankari uses the scramble to pass into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hans Lankari comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lankari has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 25:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hans Lankari!