PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Boxcar Willie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Mantegna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Tony Mantegna enters the cage!

Willie
vs
Mantegna

190 cm
27
280 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

191 cm
30
242 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Boxcar Willie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tony Mantegna!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Robert Douchet and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Mantegna does no damage.
Willie checks the leg kick.
Mantegna bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Mantegna displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Willie.

Willie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mantegna to the mat! Mantegna manages to get full guard.
Mantegna avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Willie's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Willie cracks Mantegna with a solid left hand.
Willie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Willie postures up.
Mantegna wants to get back to his feet but Willie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Willie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Willie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willie stands and throws Mantegna's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Willie works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Willie is trying to ground and pound but Mantegna uses the momentary lack of control by Willie to regain half guard.
Willie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Willie 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.

Willie wants to work for an arm triangle but Mantegna is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Willie passes to side control.

Willie is trying to get an arm triangle but Mantegna is defending well.
Willie throws an elbow but Mantegna slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willie throws a strike aimed at the side of Mantegna's head but Mantegna avoids it well.
Mantegna sneaks back into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Willie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Willie thows a huge punch but Mantegna dodges it nicely.
Mantegna blocking the ground and pound attempt from Willie.
Willie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Willie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mantegna defends it well.
Mantegna is positioning himself well to prevent Willie advancing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Willie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mantegna keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mantegna works his way to full guard. Good work.
Willie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Willie throwing strikes but missing.
Willie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mantegna works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mantegna preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Willie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mantegna works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willie stands up over Mantegna, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Willie postures up in Mantegna's guard and throws a big left but Mantegna blocks it.
Willie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Willie throws a strike but Mantegna rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mantegna scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Willie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mantegna's guard.
Willie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Willie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mantegna is keeping the position for now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mantegna looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Willie stands up over Mantegna, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Boxcar Willie dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Willie dodges the punch combination from Mantegna.
Danga de danga de dang - Mantegna scores with a four punch combination!
Mantegna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Willie.
Mantegna misses with a wild body shot.
A nice combination there by Mantegna.
Tony Mantegna seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Willie shoots in and drives through. Mantegna sprawls well.
Willie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mantegna manages to avoid it.
Tony Mantegna is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mantegna throws a chopping leg kick but Willie manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Willie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mantegna.
Mantegna pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Mantegna looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Willie is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mantegna misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Willie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantegna stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mantegna wants it to stay on the feet.
No joy there for Mantegna, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mantegna throws a right and a left that both miss.
Willie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mantegna sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boxcar Willie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Willie defending well as Mantegna loads up on a big left hand.
Mantegna ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Willie moves away.
Mantegna fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Willie is out of range.
Willie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mantegna misses the shot to the body.
Willie slips a jab and a cross from Mantegna.
Willie lands a jab to Mantegna's midsection.
Mantegna misses with a head kick.
Mantegna swings for the body but Willie moves out of range.
Tony Mantegna is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantegna misses with a double jab.
Mantegna throws a right hand that Willie ducks under and follows up with a left that Willie also avoids with ease.
Mantegna just misses with a punch to the body.
Mantegna misses with a wild combination.
Mantegna is breathing heavily.
Willie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mantegna misses the shot to the body.
Mantegna is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Willie rather than just go for the knockout.
Mantegna ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mantegna tries to bum rush Willie with a series of wild strikes but Willie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mantegna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Willie.
Willie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mantegna looks for the body kick but Willie saw that one coming.
Willie fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Willie closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Mantegna's guard.
Willie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Willie throws an elbow that misses. Mantegna uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Willie's guard. Nice move by Mantegna!
Willie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Willie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mantegna is in close to Willie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Willie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Willie not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Willie connects with a nice short shot to Mantegna's temple.
Willie wants to free his trapped foot but Mantegna is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Willie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Willie thows a huge punch but Mantegna dodges it nicely.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mantegna manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mantegna is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Willie is controlling him.
Boxcar Willie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Willie postures up in Mantegna's guard and throws a big left but Mantegna blocks it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Willie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mantegna works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Willie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Willie lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tony Mantegna will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Mantegna pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Willie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mantegna sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A combination from Mantegna does no damage.
Mantegna scores with a three punch combo!
A slow jab from Mantegna misses its intended target.
Mantegna fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Willie fails with a takedown attempt.
Mantegna throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Willie.
Mantegna looks to land a combination but Willie avoids it well.
Mantegna keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boxcar Willie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Willie checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantegna defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Willie.
Mantegna lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Willie circles away quickly and effectively.
Horrible takedown by Willie or perhaps it was just good defense by Mantegna which made him look bad.
Mantegna fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mantegna misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mantegna looks to score with a jab to the body but Willie is just out of range.
Willie just misses with a punch to the body.
Mantegna misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Willie.
Willie drops his hands momentarily and Mantegna takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mantegna misses with a combination

and Willie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mantegna's guard now.
Mantegna takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Willie throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantegna is trying to control the position but Willie postures up.
Willie is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Willie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mantegna's head.
Willie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Willie prevents Mantegna from getting back to his feet.
Willie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mantegna utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mantegna really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Willie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Willie forces his way into half guard.
Willie passes to side control.

Willie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Willie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantegna managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Willie.
Willie working the ground and pound but Mantegna is defending the strikes.
Willie throws an elbow but Mantegna slips to the side and avoids it well.
Willie throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Mantegna works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Mantegna trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantegna on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Willie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Willie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mantegna's head.
Willie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Willie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Mantegna makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

And that's the end of the fight!
Boxcar Willie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Willie 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Boxcar Willie!
A relieved looking Boxcar Willie thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.