PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Neely (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tito Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ortiz is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Break Stuff. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Neely
vs
Ortiz

185 cm
25
200 lbs
5 - 6 - 1

188 cm
34
200 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
KO power

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Neely !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tito Ortiz!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neely has a takedown stuffed.
Neely turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ortiz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Ortiz drives through with a takedown into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ortiz forces his way into half guard.
Neely wants to improve his position but Ortiz is controlling well.
Ortiz throws a strike but Neely avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Ortiz working some strikes from top position.
Ortiz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ortiz wants to control from the top but Neely keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz throws a strike but Neely rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Neely lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ortiz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Neely controls the pace.
Neely trying to control but Ortiz is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neely is looking to work some ground and pound but Ortiz has wrist control.
Neely is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ortiz is pulling down on Neely 's head. It's preventing any offense from Neely , at least for the moment.
Neely loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Neely throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ortiz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Neely manages to get himself to full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ortiz wants to control from the top but Neely keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neely is looking for a triangle but Ortiz pushes his legs off easily.
Neely 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.
Neely pulls Ortiz in to control the position.
Ortiz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ortiz trying to control but Neely is working from the bottom.
Neely bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ortiz's guard.
Neely looking to sit in guard and control but Ortiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ortiz loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz tries to free his leg and advance position but Neely is retaining full guard.
Ortiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Neely is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ortiz postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Neely keeping moving, preventing Ortiz from controlling successfully.
Neely is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Ortiz drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Neely dives on top into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ortiz working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Neely has passed into half guard!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neely missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
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 Mike Neely will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ortiz scores with a takedown into Neely 's guard.
Neely looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ortiz is one step ahead there.
Tito Ortiz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ortiz wants to pass the guard but Neely is keeping the position.

Neely has his foot on Ortiz's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ortiz works his way back into a safe position though.
Neely preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ortiz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ortiz throws an elbow that misses. Neely uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ortiz's guard. Nice move by Neely !
Neely trying to control the position from guard on top but Ortiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Neely lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Neely got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ortiz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Neely has managed to get both his arms back between Ortiz's legs - danger averted.
Neely trying to control but Ortiz is working from the bottom.
Neely throws an elbow that misses. Ortiz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Neely 's guard. Nice move by Ortiz!

Neely looking for a guillotine here but Ortiz defends easily.
Ortiz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz trying to control but Neely is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neely controls Ortiz momentarily but Ortiz frees himself.
Ortiz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Neely controls Ortiz momentarily but Ortiz frees himself.
Ortiz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ortiz is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Neely is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Neely has escaped and now he's on top!
Neely throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ortiz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz keeping moving, preventing Neely from controlling successfully.

Ortiz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Neely in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Neely throwing strikes from guard but Ortiz blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz wants to control but Neely passes easily into half guard.

Ortiz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ortiz is looking to control Neely 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ortiz avoid being mounted?
Neely trying to control the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ortiz is in trouble now - Neely has advanced to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mike Neely will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ortiz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Neely .

Ortiz throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Neely tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ortiz is in Neely 's guard.
Ortiz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ortiz wants to control from the top but Neely keeps moving.

Neely working for a triangle but Ortiz defends it easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Neely is on top in guard.

Ortiz working for a triangle but Neely defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neely slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ortiz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Neely is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ortiz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tito Ortiz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neely trying to control here.
Ortiz throwing shots but Neely is blocking nicely.
Neely tries to kick Ortiz off but Ortiz keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ortiz trying to control the action but Neely is working from the bottom.
Ortiz with the ground and pound but Neely uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Ortiz throws an elbow that misses. Neely uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ortiz's guard. Nice move by Neely !

Ortiz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Neely defends well.
Neely is working Ortiz 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.
Neely trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ortiz keeping moving, preventing Neely from controlling successfully.
Ortiz trying to keep a closed guard but Neely is proving a slippery customer.
Neely with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Neely working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Neely with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mike Neely is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neely slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ortiz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Neely is looking to work some ground and pound but Ortiz has wrist control.

Ortiz working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Neely doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Neely manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ortiz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Ortiz working for submissions but it's allowed Neely to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Neely passes the guard and advances to mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mike Neely .
Well Neely has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mike Neely !
Mike Neely spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.