PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Neymar Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick Pippel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Messi
vs
Pippel

175 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
200 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Neymar Messi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dick Pippel!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Patrick Alders and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pippel throws a head kick that misses.
Pippel misses with a few strikes there.
Nice body punch from Pippel.

Messi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Messi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pippel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Messi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Messi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pippel looking to control.
Messi pushes down on Pippel's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Messi looks to land a strike but Pippel avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Messi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pippel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Messi wants to control from the top but Pippel keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Messi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Messi trying to control but Pippel is working from the bottom.
Messi throws a big elbow that misses.
Pippel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pippel is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Messi scores with a body shot.
Pippel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Messi.

Pippel gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Messi to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Messi throws a big elbow that misses.
Messi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
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!
Messi wants to control from the top but Pippel keeps moving.
Messi throws a strike but Pippel rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Pippel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Dick Pippel has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Pippel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pippel wants to stall.
Pippel is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Messi has denied him.
Pippel pushes off an throws an elbow but Messi leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Pippel lands an elbow just above Messi 's eye.
Messi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Pippel prevents it.
Pippel stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Messi has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Pippel is trying to keep an underhook but Messi manages to get the takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pippel pushes Messi off looking to stand but Messi dives back in and keeps control.
Messi content to control rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi is looking to take a break and control but Pippel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A punch lands to the side of Messi 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Pippel throws a front kick aimed at Messi's knee but Messi avoids it well.
Pippel fails to land with a series of punches.
Messi misses the shot to the body.
Messi misses with a wild body shot.
Pippel takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Pippel thows a body shot but no joy.
Messi misses the shot to the body.

Messi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Pippel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pippel wants to get back to his feet but Messi is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi wants to control from the top but Pippel keeps moving.
Pippel seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Messi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pippel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Messi trying to control but Pippel is working from the bottom.
Neymar Messi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dick Pippel was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Messi moves out of range as Pippel strikes.
No joy there for Pippel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pippel throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pippel throws a sloppy body shot
and Messi counters with a stiff right hand.
Messi comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Messi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A punch combination from Pippel misses.
Messi thows a body shot but no joy.
Pippel throws a right and a left that both miss.
Messi throws a lazy right hand but Pippel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pippel darts in trying to clinch
and Messi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pippel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Messi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A swing and a miss from Pippel.

Pippel gets caught flat footed, as Messi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Messi trying to control but Pippel is working from the bottom.
Messi throws a big elbow that misses.
Messi throws a big elbow that misses.
Messi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pippel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pippel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pippel trying to keep a closed guard but Messi is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Messi looking to sit in guard and control but Pippel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Messi wants to stand up but Pippel is controlling him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Neymar Messi has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Pippel swings away with a body shot that misses
and Messi counters with a straight right hand.
Pippel defending well as Messi loads up on a big left hand.
Messi jabs at Pippel's body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neymar Messi dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Messi misses the body punch
and Pippel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Messi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Pippel darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Pippel throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Pippel misses with a hook
and Messi counters with a nice body shot.
Pippel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Pippel pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Pippel doesn't manage to clinch there - Messi circles away.

Messi scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Pippel is looking to reverse the position.
Messi happy to just control the position for now.
Pippel is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi landing a few strikes.
Pippel is looking to reverse the position.
Messi in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Messi trying to control the position but Pippel is working away.
Messi working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pippel holds on to Messi's head and controls the position momentarily.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Messi shoots in for a takedown but Pippel shows good takedown defense.
Messi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Messi swings for the body but Pippel moves out of range.
Pippel swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Messi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Messi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Messi is stalling here. Pippel is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Messi seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pippel has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Messi is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pippel stands up and beckons Messi to his feet.
Messi catches Pippel with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Messi just misses with a punch to the body.
Pippel tries to clinch
and Messi counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pippel connects with a high kick.
Dick Pippel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pippel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dick Pippel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Messi looks to score with a jab to the body but Pippel is just out of range.

Messi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pippel!
Pippel wants to control but Messi postures up.
Messi controls the position.
Messi trying to control the action but Pippel is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pippel gets back to half guard.
Neymar Messi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Messi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Neymar Messi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Messi, 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neymar Messi!