PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Axel Youngblood (ranked 1600 p4p, 202 weight class) and Joao Neves (ranked 1619 p4p, 204 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Youngblood
vs
Neves

193 cm
26
245 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

193 cm
20
245 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

Groove Gear
Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Axel Youngblood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joao Neves!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neves lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Youngblood takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Youngblood throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Neves makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Axel Youngblood seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Youngblood closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Neves quickly recovers to half guard.
Neves wants to get back to his feet.
Youngblood sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Neves defending well though.
Youngblood prevents Neves from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Youngblood thows a huge punch but Neves dodges it nicely.
Neves told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Youngblood prevents Neves from standing back up.
Neves blocking the ground and pound attempt from Youngblood.
Neves is trying to stand back up but Youngblood is controlling him
Youngblood is taking a breather. Neves says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Youngblood thows a huge punch but Neves dodges it nicely.
Youngblood wants to lay and pray for a moment but Neves keeps working.
Youngblood throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Neves can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neves pushes Youngblood off looking to stand but Youngblood dives back in and keeps control.
Youngblood is keen to just control but Neves is a slippery customer.
Neves pushes Youngblood off looking to stand but Youngblood dives back in and keeps control.
Youngblood is keen to just control but Neves is a slippery customer.
We've been hearing that Youngblood has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Neves pushes Youngblood off looking to stand but Youngblood dives back in and keeps control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Neves dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Youngblood with a poor takedown
and Neves connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Neves looks to score with a jab to the body but Youngblood is just out of range.
Youngblood is looking to counter punch.
A big right from Youngblood misses.
Neves now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Neves moves out of range of the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Youngblood misses with a straight left.
Youngblood scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Neves fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Youngblood on the side of the head.
Youngblood throws a right hand that misses
enabling Neves to counter with a crisp jab.
Youngblood lands a nice shot to the body.
Youngblood throws the left hand but Neves avoids the punch easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Youngblood tries to score a power double leg takedown but Neves sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Youngblood somewhat.
Neves walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neves swings for the body but Youngblood moves out of range.
Youngblood misses with a combination
and Neves counters with a nice uppercut.
Youngblood swings away with a body shot that misses
and Neves counters with a straight right hand.
Youngblood misses with a body shot.
Neves looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Youngblood lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Youngblood throws a lazy right hand but Neves sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youngblood misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Neves.
Neves keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A little jabbing left from Neves on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Axel Youngblood. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Neves gets caught flat footed, as Youngblood shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Neves manages to escape and get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joao Neves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Youngblood closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Neves wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Youngblood working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Neves pushes Youngblood away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Youngblood gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joao Neves will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Neves takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Youngblood feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Neves wants to stand but Youngblood is controlling the position.
Neves working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Youngblood.
Youngblood won't allow Neves to get back to his feet.
Neves working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Youngblood.
Youngblood stays in close to Neves's body and controls the position.
Neves is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Youngblood is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neves working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Youngblood.
Youngblood loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Neves working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Youngblood.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Youngblood throws a big right hand that misses.
Youngblood distracts Neves with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Neves preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Neves utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Neves is looking to stand up but Youngblood isn't so interested in that idea.
Youngblood distracts Neves with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Youngblood trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Youngblood won't allow Neves to get back to his feet.
Youngblood throws a big elbow that misses.
Neves wants to stand and escape but Youngblood is having none of it.
Youngblood with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Youngblood lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Neves is looking to stand up but Youngblood isn't so interested in that idea.

Neves has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Youngblood off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neves slips a jab from Youngblood.
Neves throws out a counter right but Youngblood avoids it with no problem.
Youngblood throws a shot from downtown. Neves moves away and avoids it.
Neves swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Youngblood cracks a nice hook into Neves's ribs.
Neves ducks under a wild hook from Youngblood.
Joao Neves seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Neves slips under a jab.
Neves is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Youngblood with a body shot.
Youngblood fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Neves manages to avoid it.
Neves throws out a counter right but Youngblood avoids it with no problem.
Youngblood thuds his right hand into Neves's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Youngblood misses with a hook to the body
and Neves connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Youngblood looks to score with a jab to the body but Neves is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Youngblood lands a nice hook to Neves's body. Neves takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Neves slips a straight right by Youngblood.
A countering left hand to the body from Neves misses.

Youngblood shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Neves uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Youngblood changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Neves tries to avoid it but Youngblood manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Neves to the ground. Neves escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Neves swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Youngblood fails with a takedown attempt.
A little jabbing left from Neves on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nice defenses there by Neves.
Neves throws out a counter right but Youngblood avoids it with no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youngblood misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Neves counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Axel Youngblood has been cut.
A big right from Youngblood misses.
Are you kidding me?! Neves ducked down and unloaded an uppercut from hell that sent Youngblood clean off his feet! Someone make me a GIF - that's knockout of the night for sure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Joao Neves!
A victorious Joao Neves thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.