PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Kearney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Neer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kearney might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hadouken - For the Masses. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kearney
vs
Neer

170 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
181 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Kearney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Josh Neer!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Bruno Lombardi and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Neer takes the fight into the clinch.

Neer pulls guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kearney stopping the sweep attempt from Neer.
Neer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kearney. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kearney wants to control from the top but Neer keeps moving.
Kearney tries to free his leg and advance position but Neer is retaining full guard.
Kearney wants to control from the top but Neer keeps moving.
Kearney looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kearney stays in close to Neer's body and controls the position.

James Kearney has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Neer lands a two punch combo.

It looks like James Kearney has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kearney bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Neer is looking to regain half guard here but Kearney keeps moving and retains side control.
Kearney throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Kearney is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Neer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Neer is looking to reverse the position.

Kearney wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Neer, who protects the arm well.

Kearney is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Neer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neer sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neer tries to kick Kearney off but Kearney keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Neer is looking for a sweep. Kearney is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Neer pushes Kearney off and gets back to his feet.

Kearney gets caught flat footed, as Neer shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kearney looking to control.

Kearney wriggles free and stands up.

Neer gets a takedown into half guard.
Kearney is breathing heavily.
Kearney wants to stand back up but Neer manages to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kearney struggling a bit here.
Kearney is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Neer's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Kearney pushes Neer off and gets back to his feet.

Neer feints and as Kearney raises his hands in defense, Neer changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Kearney has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Neer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Neer stands and steps away. Kearney gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Josh Neer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Neer looks to land a combination but Kearney avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Neer.

Kearney gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Neer to score an easy takedown into full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Neer is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kearney trying to keep a closed guard but Neer is proving a slippery customer.
Neer showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Neer passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Neer decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Neer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Kearney's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Neer wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Neer tries to land a front kick but Kearney steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Neer scores with a body shot.
Neer lands a nice shot to the body.
Neer swinging wildly here.

Neer throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kearney was covering up waiting for the punch and Neer finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kearney is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Neer gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Neer closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Neer lands in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Neer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Josh Neer has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kearney trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Neer gets to his feet. Kearney looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
James Kearney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Neer throws a right and a left that both miss.

Kearney looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kearney prevents Neer from standing back up.
Neer trying to hold on to Kearney's head to control him but Kearney postures up.
Neer gets back to full guard.
Kearney trying to control the position from guard on top but Neer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kearney prevents Neer from getting back to his feet.
Neer will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Kearney passes Neer's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neer is staying active underneath Kearney, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
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!
Neer trying to control but Kearney postures up.
Neer is staying active underneath Kearney, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Neer is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neer is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kearney is looking for a kimura but Neer is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kearney to get the leverage.
Kearney seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Neer pushes Kearney off and gets back to his feet.
Kearney tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Neer gets the takedown into side control.
Kearney is looking for a sweep.

Neer is trying to get an arm triangle but Kearney is defending well.
Kearney struggling a bit here.
Neer is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neer is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kearney has escaped the position, nice work there.
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!

Neer tries for a kimura but Kearney is defending well.
Neer working away.
Kearney is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Neer is controlling him well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Neer tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Neer tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kearney's legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Neer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Kearney's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Neer scores a takedown into full mount!
Neer controlling from mount.
Kearney is wriggling around trying to escape.
Kearney regains half guard.
Kearney wants to control but Neer is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Neer seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Kearney is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Josh Neer!