PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Juzek Karon (ranked 4681 p4p, 6331 weight class) and Jeff Neel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Karon
vs
Neel

200 cm
25
180
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
171
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Juzek Karon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeff Neel !
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Karon has Neel up against the cage in a clinch.
Karon drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Neel is trying to maintain a safe position but Karon gets an underhook and turns Neel into the cage.
Karon wants a takedown.

Karon's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Neel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Karon stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Karon wants it to stay on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karon misses with a double jab.
Karon really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Neel tries to break the clinch but Karon is controlling the position.

Karon successfully pulls guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karon seems keen to control Neel 's posture.
Neel throwing strikes but missing.
Karon looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Neel wants to control from the top but Karon keeps moving.
Karon will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Karon is pulling down on Neel 's head to control his posture.

Neel drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Karon manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Neel has Karon in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Neel looking for a guillotine here but Karon defends easily.

Karon thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Karon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Karon passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Karon working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Karon stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Neel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Karon moves away.
Karon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Neel sprawls and moves away.
Karon fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juzek Karon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Neel moves in looking to clinch but Karon pushes him off.
Karon dives in and grabs Neel 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Neel pushes down on Karon's head and hops out.
Neel slaps away a takedown attempt from Karon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Neel tries to clinch but Karon is having none of it.
Karon stuffs the takedown attempt from Neel . Neel gets slowly back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Neel will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Neel looks winded!

Karon has Neel up against the cage in a clinch.
Karon landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Neel gets tackled into the cage by Karon. Karon maintains the clinch.
Neel wants to break the clinch but can't.

Karon gets control of Neel 's arms and successfully pulls guard. Karon will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Neel must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Karon pulls Neel in to control the position.
Karon trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Karon keeping moving, preventing Neel from controlling successfully.
Karon trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karon controlling the position.

Karon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Neel defends it easily.
Neel preventing the sweep.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karon managing to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Karon has managed to clinch.
Karon has Neel pressed against the cage, preventing Neel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Karon stops a takedown attempt from Neel .
Neel is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Karon breaks the clinch.
Karon shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Neel pinned against the cage. Neel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karon moves into the clinch successfully.
Neel letting Karon take a breather here.
Karon is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Neel can do to turn this around?
Neel trying to control the position but instead, Karon has worked for underhooks and has pushed Neel into the cage.
Neel jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Karon walks away with a smile on his face. Neel gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Juzek Karon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeff Neel .
Neel stuffs the takedown.
Karon sets himself, and Neel steps forward looking for the clinch! Karon avoids it this time.
Neel swings for the body but Karon moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Karon. No joy for Neel on that attempt.
Neel is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neel closes the distance and clinches up with Karon, looking for a takedown. Neel pushes Karon against the cage but Karon circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Neel as Karon shoots in.
Karon is trying hard to land a takedown here. Neel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Neel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Karon sprawls well. Karon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Neel gets slowly back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Karon is defended easily by Neel .
Neel throws a counter combo.
Neel takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Karon.
Karon darts in looking for a takedown but Neel gets double underhooks and turns Karon into the cage.
And Neel tries to counter it with a takedown but Karon pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Karon has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Neel uses from the top position.
Karon 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.
Karon lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Karon gets to his feet - Neel follows without any prompting.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Karon scores with a leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juzek Karon dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Karon scores with a push kick.
Karon darts in looking for a takedown but Neel gets double underhooks and turns Karon into the cage.

Karon breaks the clinch.
Neel looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Karon is fending him off so far but Neel persists. Nope, Karon circles away and we're back to standing.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Neel .
Karon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Neel circles away.
Neel misses with a series of wild punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karon looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Neel is fending him off so far but Karon persists. Nope, Neel circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Juzek Karon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karon keeps the fight on the outside.
Karon shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Neel as he avoids it easily.
Neel changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Karon closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Karon breaks the clinch.
Karon stuffs the takedown attempt from Neel . Neel gets slowly back to his feet.
Karon misses with a jab, cross combination.
Karon pushes Neel away with a front kick.

Karon gets a clinch.

Karon's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Karon lands a head kick. Neel smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Karon has taken the fight to the clinch.
Karon wants a takedown but no success here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karon pulls guard effortlessly.
Neel wants to control from the top but Karon keeps moving.

Karon is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Karon wants to sweep here but Neel controlling him for the moment.
Karon has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Neel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karon is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neel avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Karon seems keen to control Neel 's posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Karon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Neel fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Karon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice sprawl there from Neel as Karon shoots in.
No luck for Karon with that takedown attempt.
Neel unleashes a big counter combination but Karon bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nice takedown defense from Karon. No joy for Neel on that attempt.
Karon is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Neel .
Karon lands a head kick!
Neel throws a sloppy head kick and Karon moves out of range easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Karon leaves Neel with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jeff Neel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Juzek Karon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Karon shoots in looking for a takedown. Neel tries to sprawl out of it but Karon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Neel manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juzek Karon showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Karon 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juzek Karon!