PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenny Hill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Neil is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hill
vs
Neil

167 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

163 cm
26
138 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kenny Hill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michael Neil!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body punch from Neil.
Neil connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hill momentarily.
Neil misses with a straight right.
Neil throws a poor cross that misses

and Hill decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Neil's guard.
Neil looks gassed!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hill accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hill in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hill with a nice head shot there.
Hill throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neil works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hill trying to control but Neil is working from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hill lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hill scoring with some ground and pound.
Neil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hill.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hill trying to control but Neil is working from the bottom.
Neil utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Neil is looking for a triangle but Hill pushes his legs off easily.
Hill postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Hill drops back, looking for a kneebar! Neil looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Neil looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Neil!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neil wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hill keeps working.
Hill on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hill tries to get out of the position.
Hill sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hill looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Hill looking for submissions off his back.
Hill is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Neil's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Neil's back!

Hill is persistently looking for the submission but Neil is defending it well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neil avoids the strikes from Hill.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neil manages to escape to a better position under a series of strikes. Hill is now in side control.
Hill throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Neil works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Hill scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Hill misses with a head shot. Neil uses the momentum to regain guard.
Hill scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hill throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill wants to stand but Neil has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hill trying to control but Neil is working from the bottom.
Hill with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hill knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Neil on the ground.
Hill throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neil works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hill works over Neil with some ground and pound from guard.
Hill is looking to work some ground and pound but Neil has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill throws an elbow that misses. Neil uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hill's guard. Nice move by Neil!

Hill is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Neil defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Hill dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Neil scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Neil misses with an uppercut. Hill saw that one coming.
Neil misses with a wild combination.
Neil fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hill on the side of the head.
Hill misses with a takedown attempt - Neil sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Neil connects with a looping right hand.
Hill takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Neil changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Neil ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hill moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neil tries to sprawl but Hill drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Hill trying to control the action but Neil is working from the bottom.
Hill working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hill not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hill thows a huge punch but Neil dodges it nicely.

Neil looking for submissions off his back.
Hill missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hill working over Neil with some ground and pound. Neil looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neil avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hill.
Neil is trying to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hill lands a nice short elbow.
Neil moves into full guard.
Hill wants to control from the top but Neil keeps moving.
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!
Neil not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hill is working Neil over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hill decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hill.
Hill moves forwards but Neil connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Hill shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Neil napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hill working the body and head with strikes.
Neil is trying to get back to half guard.
Hill is chipping away with strikes.
Neil prevents Hill from moving into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill lands some shots froms side control.
Neil can't do much from the bottom here.

Hill decides to stand back up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hill tries to clinch up.

Hill scores a takedown into full mount!
Neil wants to hold on but Hill pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill looking to control but Neil is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hill avoids the attempt from Neil to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hill misses with a takedown attempt - Neil sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Neil dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Neil catches Hill with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kenny Hill is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hill throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Neil's waist but Neil gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hill off to one side.
Neil fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Neil lands a head shot.
Hill takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hill on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Neil swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hill.
Neil slips under a jab.
Neil throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hill sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil scores with a nice head shot.
Neil throws a hook to the side of Hill's head but Hill sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hill is trying hard to land a takedown here. Neil sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenny Hill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hill fails with a takedown attempt.
Hill is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Hill closes this distance looking for a takedown but Neil circles away.
Hill is looking to clinch.
Hill takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Neil throws a shot from downtown. Hill moves away and avoids it.
Hill tries for a takedown but Neil sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hill uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Neil.
Michael Neil has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hill scores a takedown into full mount!
Hill landing shots from mount.
Hill in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Hill lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Neil tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hill breaks from Neil's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Neil slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Hill misses with a head shot. Neil uses the momentum to regain guard.
Hill tries to free his leg and advance position but Neil is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neil is looking for a triangle but Hill pushes his legs off easily.
Neil keeping moving, preventing Hill from controlling successfully.
Hill lands a couple of elbows.
Neil avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Neil is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Hill postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Neil is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Hill, into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neil drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Neil jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Hill working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Neil doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Neil manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Hill working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Neil has passed into half guard!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hill avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Neil.
Kenny Hill is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Neil is thwarting Hill's attempts to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Michael Neil.
I think Hill 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenny Hill!
Kenny Hill decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.