PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Josh Carlsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mickey O Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Carlsen
vs
O Neil

177 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Carlsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mickey O Neil!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Neil throws a right and a left that Carlsen avoids nicely.

Carlsen moves into range and clinches up with O Neil.
Carlsen blocks an uppercut.
Carlsen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Carlsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
O Neil is trying to break free.
Carlsen using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
O Neil is trying to push Carlsen away but Carlsen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Carlsen working O Neil over with knees to the body.
Carlsen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Carlsen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Carlsen obliges.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
A knee to the head by Carlsen.
Carlsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but O Neil blocks it with crossed arms.
Carlsen looking to throw knees to the head but O Neil is blocking nicely.
Carlsen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
Carlsen crunches a lovely knee into O Neil's ribcage.
Carlsen is breathing heavily.
Carlsen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
O Neil takes a knee right on the jaw!
Carlsen misses with a knee strike.
Carlsen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from O Neil.
O Neil wants to get back to striking at distance but Carlsen won't allow it.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carlsen lands a knee to the head.
Carlsen prevents O Neil from breaking the clinch.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but O Neil blocks with his arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neil has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
O Neil takes a knee right on the jaw!
Carlsen misses with a knee strike.
O Neil is trying to break free.
Carlsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but O Neil blocks it with crossed arms.
O Neil tries to break the clinch but Carlsen is controlling the position.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
O Neil tries to pull guard but Carlsen won't allow it.
Carlsen landing knees to the head.
O Neil jumps guard but Carlsen stands there with O Neil around his waist. O Neil gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Josh Carlsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mickey O Neil.
Carlsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but O Neil blocks it with crossed arms.
O Neil wants to break free but Carlsen has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
O Neil tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Carlsen smiles and moves away.
Nice takedown defense from Carlsen. No joy for O Neil on that attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Carlsen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
O Neil throws a nice looking combination but Carlsen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Carlsen moves in looking to clinch but O Neil pushes him off.

O Neil gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Carlsen landing knees to the head.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neil has had enough of the clinch but Carlsen keeps him there for the moment.
O Neil working hard to break the clinch.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil looking for a takedown.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carlsen prevents O Neil from breaking the clinch.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Carlsen to keep the fight standing.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
O Neil misses with a punch to the body.
O Neil wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Carlsen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

O Neil clinches up with Carlsen and pushes him back against the cage.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
O Neil takes a knee right on the jaw!
Carlsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Carlsen connects with a knee to the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil throws a head punch that misses.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but O Neil blocks with his arms.
Carlsen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but O Neil has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Carlsen landing knees to the head.
Josh Carlsen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
O Neil is trying to pull guard but Carlsen has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
O Neil is trying to drag Carlsen to the mat but Carlsen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
O Neil tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Carlsen smiles and moves away.
Josh Carlsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mickey O Neil.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neil shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Carlsen eats them both and turns towards O Neil to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

O Neil has taken the fight to the clinch.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
O Neil is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Carlsen trying to land knees to the body.
Carlsen lands a knee to the body.
O Neil is trying to break free.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil misses with a hook to the ribs.
O Neil is trying to force a seperation but Carlsen has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carlsen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
O Neil tries to pull guard but Carlsen holds him up against the cage and eventually O Neil drops back down to his feet.
O Neil wants to break free but Carlsen has control.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but O Neil blocks with his arms.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
O Neil tries to circle away but Carlsen has him pinned against the cage.
O Neil is working for takedown but Carlsen is calmly controlling the position for now.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
O Neil tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Carlsen smiles and moves away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
O Neil will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil throws a nice looking combination but Carlsen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from O Neil.

O Neil instigates a clinch.
Carlsen landing knees to the head.
Carlsen connects with a knee to the head.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
O Neil tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Carlsen's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

O Neil jumps guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
O Neil is looking to stand up but Carlsen isn't so interested in that idea.
O Neil is trying to keep Carlsen in close.

Carlsen stands up and waves to O Neil to follow him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Carlsen clinches up with O Neil and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mickey O Neil will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

O Neil misses with a jab, cross combination.
O Neil shoots in for a takedown but Carlsen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
O Neil throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Carlsen gets a clinch.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Carlsen connects with a knee to the head.
Carlsen looking to throw knees to the head but O Neil is blocking nicely.
O Neil tries to circle away but Carlsen has him pinned against the cage.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Carlsen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but O Neil blocks it with crossed arms.
Carlsen misses with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carlsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
O Neil wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neil misses with a punch to the body.
Carlsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
O Neil has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
O Neil is trying to break the clinch but Carlsen has him pressed against the cage.
Carlsen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
O Neil tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Carlsen's elbow.
Carlsen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but O Neil has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
O Neil jumps guard but Carlsen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Carlsen using the Thai plumb to throw knees but O Neil has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Carlsen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Carlsen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
O Neil is trying to force a seperation but Carlsen has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

O Neil manages to pull guard.
Carlsen wanted to stand there but O Neil had control of the position.
O Neil working a defensive guard here.
Carlsen wants to stand and escape but instead O Neil has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
O Neil in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
O Neil lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neil missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
O Neil has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
O Neil with a flurry of punches that miss.

O Neil stands up from Carlsen's guard - O Neil perhaps looking for a knockout.
Josh Carlsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
O Neil scores with a punch to the head.
Josh Carlsen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Carlsen tries to close the distance and clinch up but O Neil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Neil throws a right and a left that both miss.
Carlsen slips a jab and a cross from O Neil.

Carlsen moves into range and clinches up with O Neil.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlsen tries a knee to the head but O Neil blocks it.
Carlsen looking to throw knees to the head but O Neil is blocking nicely.
O Neil looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Carlsen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil wants to break free but Carlsen has control.
Carlsen throws a knee to the head but misses.
O Neil avoiding damage as Carlsen throws knees to the body.

O Neil has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Carlsen uses from the top position.
Carlsen prevents O Neil from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

O Neil is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
O Neil is trying to control the position but Carlsen postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mickey O Neil.
I think O Neil has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mickey O Neil!