PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vasyl Kovalchick (ranked 2214 p4p, 92 weight class) and Shaquille ONeal (ranked 3700 p4p, 168 weight class). Kovalchick comes into the arena with Ukrainian blaring out of the sound system. Shaquille ONeal told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Kovalchick
vs
ONeal

190 cm
30
235 lbs
5 - 4 - 1

215 cm
20
315 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)
Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vasyl Kovalchick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shaquille ONeal!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovalchick throws a right hand that ONeal ducks under and follows up with a left that ONeal also avoids with ease.
Kovalchick looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kovalchick throws a body punch but ONeal moves out of range.
ONeal doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Kovalchick misses with a hook
and ONeal counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kovalchick rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling ONeal to counter with a crisp jab.
Kovalchick throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A jab from Kovalchick finds it's way through ONeal's defenses.
Kovalchick pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ONeal blocks a head kick by Kovalchick.
Kovalchick will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
ONeal is looking for the big counter here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalchick throws a leg kick that misses.
ONeal misses with a body shot.
A low kick from Kovalchick is predictable there
and ONeal counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kovalchick misses with a hook
letting ONeal counter with a right hand.
Kovalchick throws a sloppy head kick
and ONeal counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A jab from ONeal finds it's way through Kovalchick's defenses.
Kovalchick throws a hook to the side of ONeal's head but ONeal sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
ONeal is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
ONeal misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick throws a combination that misses
and ONeal cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kovalchick misses with the combination.
ONeal blocks a head kick by Kovalchick.
Kovalchick gets cracked with a nice right hand there by ONeal.
Kovalchick misses with a combination
and ONeal counters with a straight right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kovalchick falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kovalchick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick misses with a few strikes there.
Kovalchick takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
ONeal with a nice cross.
Kovalchick throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A little jabbing left from ONeal on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Kovalchick misses with an uppercut
and Kovalchick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kovalchick takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
ONeal connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kovalchick momentarily.
Kovalchick on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donk. ONeal catches Kovalchick right on the button with a cross.
Kovalchick pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kovalchick thuds his shin into the meat of ONeal's side.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kovalchick looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kovalchick tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
ONeal has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Kovalchick throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kovalchick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
No joy there for Kovalchick, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
It seemed like ONeal was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kovalchick works over ONeal's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaquille ONeal dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

ONeal slips under a jab.
Kovalchick misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick misses from Kovalchick.
A combination from Kovalchick does no damage.

ONeal pushes Kovalchick up against the cage in a clinch.
ONeal wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ONeal wants to break the clinch but can't.
ONeal tries to break the clinch but Kovalchick is controlling the position.
ONeal tries to circle away but Kovalchick has him pinned against the cage.

Kovalchick manages to break the clinch.

ONeal takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ONeal is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
ONeal is trying to push Kovalchick away but Kovalchick has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

ONeal breaks from the clinch.
Kovalchick rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but ONeal moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kovalchick throws a sloppy head kick and ONeal moves out of range easily.
ONeal blocks a head kick by Kovalchick.
Kovalchick steps to the side to avoid the strikes from ONeal.
Vasyl Kovalchick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
ONeal throws a series of strikes that have Kovalchick backpedaling.
A punch combination from Kovalchick misses.
A little jabbing left from ONeal on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
ONeal now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Kovalchick misses with a series of wild punches.
Kovalchick cracks ONeal with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
ONeal tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kovalchick thinks about countering with a head kick.
Kovalchick throws a head kick that misses
enabling ONeal to counter with a crisp jab.
Kovalchick misses with an uppercut
and ONeal counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick swings widly with a right hand
enabling ONeal to counter with a crisp jab.
Kovalchick pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kovalchick lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Shaquille ONeal seems to be getting the better of the standup.
ONeal blocks a head kick by Kovalchick.
ONeal closes the distance but Kovalchick moves to the side
and Kovalchick counters with a series of strikes. ONeal will be more careful next time no doubt.
ONeal lands a head shot.

ONeal has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ONeal wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kovalchick prevents ONeal from breaking the clinch.
ONeal wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchick has him pressed against the cage.

ONeal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kovalchick throws a nice looking combination but ONeal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
ONeal might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kovalchick is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by ONeal.
ONeal is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
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!
Kovalchick throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting ONeal counter with a right hand.
Kovalchick throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Some wild striking there from Kovalchick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasyl Kovalchick dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Kovalchick showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from ONeal.
Kovalchick went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Kovalchick throws a left and a right that both miss
and ONeal connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
ONeal misses with an uppercut
and Kovalchick counters with a left and a right that stings ONeal.
Kovalchick uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from ONeal.
A combination from Kovalchick does no damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovalchick misses with the combination.
Kovalchick misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalchick misses with a straight right.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from ONeal! But no joy.
Sloppy strikes from Kovalchick. Those never looked like landing.
ONeal connects with a body shot.
Kovalchick throws a head kick that misses
and ONeal counters with a nice body shot.
Kovalchick throws a sloppy head kick
and ONeal counters with a nice uppercut.
ONeal lands with a straight right. Kovalchick didn't see that one coming.
Kovalchick ducks down and throws a hook to the body but ONeal moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick misses with an uppercut
and ONeal counters with a series of strikes. Kovalchick will be more careful next time no doubt.
ONeal lands a jab to the nose.
ONeal paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kovalchick rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and ONeal cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
ONeal closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
ONeal jabs at Kovalchick's body.
ONeal tries to clinch but Kovalchick is having none of it.
Kovalchick throws a head kick but ONeal moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from ONeal on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick misses with a lunging right hand
and ONeal connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kovalchick tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
ONeal looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
ONeal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovalchick moves away.
Kovalchick slips under a jab from ONeal.
Kovalchick misses with a series of wild punches.
Kovalchick sizes up ONeal with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Kovalchick looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchick falls off balance throwing a combination
and ONeal counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
ONeal avoids a punch combination nicely.
A countering left hand to the body from ONeal misses.
ONeal looks to score with a jab to the body but Kovalchick is just out of range.
Kovalchick is looking for a counter combo.
A jab from Kovalchick does it's job there.
ONeal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kovalchick moves away.
Kovalchick appears to be looking for a big counter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shaquille ONeal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well ONeal 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shaquille ONeal!
After the fight, Shaquille ONeal was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.