PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rylee Mannion (ranked 3403 p4p, 4551 weight class) and Lester Neich (ranked 422 p4p, 516 weight class). Lester Neich will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mannion
vs
Neich

171 cm
24
150
8 - 9 - 0

168 cm
21
168
10 - 7 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rylee Mannion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lester Neich!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mannion slips a straight right by Neich.
Neich misses with a straight left.
Mannion drops down looking for a counter takedown but Neich sprawls and moves away.
Mannion shoots in looking for a takedown but Neich manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mannion's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mannion fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mannion misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mannion seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rylee Mannion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Neich connects with a looping right hand.
Neich dips to his left and cracks Mannion with an uppercut!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neich lands with a shot to the body.
Neich throws out a loose jab but Mannion uses good head movement to avoid it.
Neich moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Neich tests Mannion's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Neich dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neich ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mannion moves away.
A slow jab from Neich misses its intended target.
Mannion fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mannion throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Neich connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mannion doesn't manage to clinch there - Neich circles away.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mannion tries a head kick but it misses.
Lester Neich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mannion is looking to clinch.
Neich circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mannion slips a jab and a cross from Neich.
Mannion moves in looking to clinch but Neich pushes him off.
Neich just misses with a punch to the body.
Good shot there by Neich.
Neich throws a body shot but no joy.
Mannion lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mannion takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Neich ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Horrible takedown attempt by Mannion or perhaps it was just good defense by Neich, which made it look bad.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mannion changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Neich tries to avoid it but Mannion manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Neich to the ground. Neich escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mannion takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neich avoids the head kick by Mannion.
Neich checks the leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Neich.
Mannion wants to clinch
letting Neich counter with a right hand.

Mannion is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Neich's half guard.
Neich tries to get to full guard but Mannion has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neich controlling the position well.
Neich is trying to maintain the position but Mannion is very close to passing his half guard.
Neich is concentrating on defense, preventing Mannion from advancing position.
Neich is looking to improve his position.
Mannion is looking to take a break and control but Neich is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Neich trying to control from the bottom.
Neich is looking to improve his position.
Neich holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Neich wants to get back to full guard.
Neich is trying to escape back to his feet but Mannion uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Mannion taking a breather here.
Neich is trying to get back to half guard.
Neich struggling a bit here.
Neich is looking to regain half guard here but Mannion keeps moving and retains side control.
Neich managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Mannion.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Neich dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mannion shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mannion passes the guard and advances to mount!
Neich gets back to half guard.
Neich has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mannion is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neich is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mannion not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Neich trying to control but Mannion postures up.
Neich pushes Mannion off looking to stand but Mannion dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neich is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mannion not doing much here.
Mannion tries to pass the half guard into mount. Neich knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Neich is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mannion is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Neich is looking to improve his position.
Mannion missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Neich wants to sweep but Mannion has passed to side control!
Neich seems a little lost for a moment, as Mannion dominates the positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mannion stands up and beckons Neich to his feet.
Neich throws a shot from downtown. Mannion moves away and avoids it.
Rylee Mannion is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Neich throws a big shot that misses.
Neich scores with a sloppy right hand. Mannion should have avoided that one.
Neich waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mannion.

Mannion shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Neich is trying to defend but Mannion finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Mannion tries to pass to full mount but Neich defends it.
Mannion is thwarting Neich's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neich tries to get to full guard but Mannion has control of the leg.

Neich pushes Mannion off and gets back to his feet.
Nice cross by Neich.
Neich misses with an uppercut. Mannion saw that one coming.
Mannion misses with a takedown attempt - Neich sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Neich jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Neich stuffs the takedown attempt from Mannion. Mannion gets slowly back to his feet.
Neich throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Neich has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neich misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Neich smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Neich takes a swing at Mannion's ribcage but misses.
A big right from Neich misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mannion.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rylee Mannion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Neich fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Mannion looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Neich waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mannion.
Neich will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Neich swings for the body but Mannion moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Neich showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Neich. No joy for Mannion on that attempt.
Neich throws a poor cross that misses

and Mannion counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Neich lands with a right to the head.
Neich throws a head punch that misses.

Mannion drags the fight down to the ground.
Neich controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mannion looking for a sweep. Not yet Mannion, not yet.
Neich wants to control from the top but Mannion keeps moving.
Mannion is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Neich looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mannion is trying to keep Neich in close.
Neich preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mannion swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Neich wants to control from the top but Mannion keeps moving.
Neich trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Mannion manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Neich can do anything to dispel that myth.
Neich tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Neich is trying to hold Mannion in close to prevent damage but Mannion has managed to pass into half guard.
Mannion performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mannion is trying to control. Neich wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neich wants to get back to full guard.
Rylee Mannion overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Neich wants to control but Mannion is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Neich is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mannion scores with a couple of nice shots.
Mannion lands with a punch from half guard.
Neich is not content to let Mannion control the position.
Neich is pressing down on Mannion's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Neich looking to control.
Neich looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mannion is one step ahead there.
Mannion 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mannion stopping the sweep attempt from Neich.
Mannion trying to control but Neich is working from the bottom.
Neich is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mannion stopping the sweep attempt from Neich.
Neich avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mannion fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mannion shoots in for a double leg but Neich sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rylee Mannion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mannion has a takedown stuffed.
Mannion uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Neich.
Neich bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mannion's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neich scores with a jab to the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Neich.
Mannion darts in looking for a takedown but Neich gets double underhooks and turns Mannion into the cage.

Neich manages to break the clinch.
Mannion is trying hard to land a takedown here. Neich sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neich tests Mannion's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Neich throws a right and a left that Mannion avoids nicely.
Neich throws an overhand right that lands on Mannion's shoulder, as Mannion tries to avoid the shot.
Mannion moves out of range as Neich strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mannion fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Neich avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lester Neich comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Neich winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lester Neich!
Lester Neich took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Knock Out Clothing for their support in the buildup to the fight.