PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kyle ONeill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diago Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

ONeill
vs
Sanchez

172 cm
21
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Kyle ONeill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Diago Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, James Ackerman and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

ONeill pushes Sanchez up against the cage in a clinch.

ONeill has hold of one of Sanchez's legs. Sanchez is fighting the takedown attempt but ONeill gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Sanchez trying to keep a closed guard but ONeill is proving a slippery customer.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but ONeill controlling him for the moment.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as ONeill tries to pass.
Sanchez has momentary wrist control but ONeill slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez looking to control.
Sanchez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Sanchez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute 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.

ONeill is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sanchez's half guard.
Sanchez wants to improve his position but ONeill is controlling well.
Sanchez trying to control here.
ONeill working over Sanchez with some ground and pound. Sanchez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
ONeill is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sanchez trying to control here.
ONeill lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sanchez moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ONeill postures up and lands a big shot to Sanchez's brow.
ONeill throwing strikes from guard but Sanchez blocks nicely.
ONeill wants to pass the guard but Sanchez is keeping the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
ONeill trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
ONeill preventing the sweep.
ONeill trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez is looking for a triangle but ONeill pushes his legs off easily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sanchez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but ONeill manages to avoid it.

ONeill has managed to clinch.
Sanchez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sanchez prevents a takedown attempt there.

ONeill pulls guard successfully.
ONeill wants to sweep but no luck.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but ONeill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
ONeill tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but ONeill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
ONeill throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Sanchez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

ONeill looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Sanchez passes into side control.
ONeill is breathing heavily.
Sanchez wants to control but ONeill is keeping him busy.
ONeill manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
ONeill not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
ONeill is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

ONeill shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Sanchez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Sanchez wants to control but ONeill is having none of it.
Sanchez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Sanchez wants to hold on but ONeill pushes him away.
ONeill lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
A nice elbow there by ONeill.

ONeill working for a guillotine from mount but Sanchez is in no mood to give up.
ONeill punching from mount but Sanchez doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez holds on for dear life, controlling ONeill's posture momentarily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ONeill pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Sanchez tries to hold on but ONeill postures up.
ONeill scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sanchez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
ONeill looking to control but Sanchez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sanchez throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
ONeill is landing with some decent strikes but Sanchez is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
ONeill lands a big elbow.
ONeill controlling the position easily from mount.
ONeill has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
ONeill in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
ONeill landing strikes, looking to finish!
Sanchez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by ONeill.
ONeill looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Sanchez tries to reverse the position but ONeill maintains control.
Sanchez takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sanchez tries to hold on but ONeill pushes him away.
Sanchez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
ONeill is landing with some decent strikes but Sanchez is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
ONeill working away from the top, dropping strikes.
ONeill is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sanchez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ONeill breaks from Sanchez's wrist control and lands an elbow.
ONeill in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kyle ONeill overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez is trying to stand.
Sanchez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
ONeill putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
ONeill landing strikes from the mount.
ONeill in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle ONeill dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

ONeill 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.
ONeill working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
ONeill trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
ONeill throwing strikes but missing.
ONeill lands a couple of digs.
Sanchez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst ONeill is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanchez is trying to keep ONeill in close.
Sanchez wants to stand up but ONeill is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

ONeill clinches up against the cage.

Sanchez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

ONeill scores with a takedown into Sanchez's guard.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet but ONeill is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sanchez tries to strike from the bottom.
ONeill thows a big elbow that misses.
ONeill working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
ONeill looking to sit in guard and control but Sanchez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

ONeill scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Sanchez wants to clinch up but ONeill keeps it at a distance.
ONeill circles away from the clinch attempt.

ONeill shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
ONeill breaks from Sanchez's wrist control and lands an elbow.
ONeill is stalling here but it's allowed Sanchez to get half guard.
Sanchez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sanchez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ONeill landing with the ground and pound.
ONeill trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
ONeill is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sanchez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. ONeill manages to get himself to full guard.
ONeill keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Sanchez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Kyle ONeill is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanchez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of ONeill is proving hard to escape from.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but ONeill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
ONeill seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
ONeill trying to keep a closed guard but Sanchez is proving a slippery customer.
Sanchez wants to get up but he can't break ONeill's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Diago Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
ONeill trying to strike off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyle ONeill showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for ONeill, 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyle ONeill!