PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Gaffney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mickey O Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Gaffney
vs
O Neil

180 cm
19
164 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

177 cm
26
163 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Kobra Clothing Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jamie Gaffney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mickey O Neil!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Neil throws a right and a left that Gaffney avoids nicely.
Gaffney throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
O Neil rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gaffney moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
O Neil lands a jab to the head.
Gaffney ducks under a wild hook from O Neil.
O Neil with a hook.
O Neil fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
O Neil fails to land with a series of punches.
O Neil swinging wildly here.
Gaffney throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
O Neil looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gaffney gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting O Neil counter with a right hand.
Gaffney tries to clinch up but O Neil circles away and keeps his distance.
A combination from O Neil does no damage.
No joy there for Gaffney, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaffney throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mickey O Neil is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
O Neil connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gaffney. Gaffney circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Gaffney uses good head movement to avoid the hook from O Neil.
Gaffney misses with a few strikes there.
Gaffney misses with a wild combination.
O Neil throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gaffney counters with a two punch combo.
Gaffney takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
O Neil wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mickey O Neil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gaffney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by O Neil.
Gaffney wants to clinch.
Gaffney avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaffney has closed the distance and engaged O Neil in a clinch.
Gaffney is looking to take this one to the mat.
O Neil is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

O Neil pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
O Neil misses with a wild body shot.
O Neil uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
O Neil lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gaffney backs up against the cage.
No joy there for O Neil, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gaffney misses with a few strikes there.
Gaffney misses with a two punch combination.
O Neil circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gaffney looks to land a combination but O Neil avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil misses with a double jab

and Gaffney counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in O Neil's guard now.
Gaffney pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. O Neil is keeping the position for now.
Gaffney controlling from the top position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if O Neil can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gaffney wants to control from the top but O Neil keeps moving.
Gaffney landing with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaffney advances to half guard.
Gaffney wants to take a breather but O Neil is having none of it.
Gaffney stalling.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
O Neil avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gaffney.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jamie Gaffney will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gaffney moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Left hook, right uppercut from O Neil.
Gaffney fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gaffney slips a jab and a cross from O Neil.
O Neil throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gaffney shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. O Neil eats them both and turns towards Gaffney to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Some wild striking there from O Neil.
O Neil misses with the combination.
Gaffney closes the distance but O Neil moves to the side
and O Neil connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
No joy there for O Neil, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gaffney throws a nice looking combination but O Neil bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
O Neil fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neil feints a jab promting Gaffney to slip. O Neil then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Gaffney slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
O Neil checks a leg kick.
O Neil throws a right and a left that Gaffney avoids nicely.
Gaffney on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Some wild striking there from O Neil.
O Neil misses with a jab, cross combination.
O Neil throws a body punch but Gaffney moves out of range.
Gaffney lands a jab to O Neil's midsection.

Gaffney darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gaffney is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaffney is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and O Neil defends it well.
Gaffney working O Neil over with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaffney trying to control from half guard but O Neil is working away.
Gaffney trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaffney wants to pass the guard but O Neil is defending well.
Gaffney throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gaffney thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
O Neil really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gaffney. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
O Neil taking some punishment here, with Gaffney in his half guard.
Gaffney wants to control but O Neil is keeping him busy.
Gaffney wants to free his trapped foot but O Neil is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Gaffney is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neil tries to kick Gaffney off but Gaffney keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Jamie Gaffney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
O Neil blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gaffney.
Gaffney is taking a breather. O Neil 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gaffney drops an elbow to the side of O Neil's head.
Gaffney scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Gaffney dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

O Neil fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
O Neil shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gaffney eats them both and turns towards O Neil to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
O Neil circles away from the clinch attempt.
O Neil misses with a combination
and Gaffney counters with a three punch combo that has O Neil backing up. O Neil nods at Gaffney to acknowledge the strikes.
O Neil misses with the combination.
Jamie Gaffney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Gaffney!
Gaffney showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from O Neil.
Mickey O Neil seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gaffney fails to land the takedown.
Gaffney misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gaffney takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaffney slips a jab and a cross from O Neil.
O Neil rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gaffney moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
O Neil throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
O Neil takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gaffney dips to his left and cracks O Neil with an uppercut!
O Neil scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
O Neil misses with a jab, cross combination.
O Neil scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gaffney moves in looking to clinch but O Neil pushes him off.
O Neil tries to bum rush Gaffney with a series of wild strikes but Gaffney uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gaffney misses with a two punch combination.
O Neil misses with the combination.
Gaffney tries to clinch up but O Neil circles away and keeps his distance.
O Neil misses with a few strikes there.
Jamie Gaffney is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neil throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gaffney.
A swing and a miss from O Neil.
Gaffney misses with a jab, cross combination.
O Neil stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and O Neil wants it to stay on the feet.
O Neil connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Gaffney's hands.
O Neil lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gaffney backs up against the cage.
O Neil 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.
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!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gaffney.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamie Gaffney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
O Neil scores with a sloppy right hand. Gaffney should have avoided that one.
Gaffney showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from O Neil.
Sloppy strikes from Gaffney. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaffney misses with a wild combination.
O Neil avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gaffney tries to close the distance and clinch up but O Neil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Neil throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
O Neil swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gaffney uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from O Neil.
Gaffney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by O Neil.
Gaffney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gaffney looks for a takedown but O Neil sprawls well.
Gaffney shoots for a double leg takedown but O Neil sprawls well. He's pushed Gaffney's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from O Neil misses.
A left and a right from O Neil both land. Nice combination.
O Neil throws a series of punches but Gaffney moves out of range.
O Neil looks to land a combination but Gaffney avoids it well.
O Neil looks to land a combination but Gaffney avoids it well.
Gaffney tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
O Neil keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
O Neil swats away the attempt to clinch by Gaffney.
O Neil misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gaffney tries to close the distance and clinch up but O Neil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mickey O Neil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
O Neil misses with a double jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mickey O Neil comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gaffney has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jamie Gaffney!
Jamie Gaffney seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.