PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jach Bresnar (ranked 660 p4p, 1532 weight class) and Lester Neich (ranked 89 p4p, 205 weight class). Neich has chosen Yot club as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bresnar
vs
Neich

180 cm
27
165
8 - 3 - 1

168 cm
24
150
15 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jach Bresnar!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lester Neich!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Steve Erwin and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neich throws a right and a left that Bresnar avoids nicely.
Neich throws a looping overhand right but Bresnar ducks down to avoid it.
Left hook, right uppercut from Bresnar.
Nice jab there from Neich.
Bresnar doesn't manage to clinch there - Neich circles away.
Bresnar's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Bresnar duly obliges.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Neich paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Bresnar. Those never looked like landing.
Neich misses with a two punch combination.
Bresnar throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
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!
Bresnar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Neich counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Neich scores with a one two! Bresnar had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Bresnar shoots for a takedown but Neich saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar closes the distance but Neich moves to the side
and Neich counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Neich swings for the body but Bresnar moves out of range.
Bresnar looks to score with a jab to the body but Neich is just out of range.

Bresnar clinches.
Neich is trying to break the clinch but Bresnar is controlling him.
Neich looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Bresnar struggles to land a body shot inside as Neich controls his hands.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Neich.
Neich working aggressively here.
Neich lands an uppercut.

Neich breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bresnar tries to clinch up but Neich circles away and keeps his distance.
Neich scores with a nice strike.
Bresnar is looking to clinch.
Bresnar throws a lazy uppercut
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neich misses with a body shot.
It looked like Bresnar wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Neich swats away the attempt to clinch by Bresnar.

Bresnar drives through and clinches with Neich against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice body punch from Neich.

Neich's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bresnar throws a right and a left that both miss.
Despite the aggression on Neich's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Bresnar slips a jab and a cross from Neich.
Bresnar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Neich.
Neich swats away the attempt to clinch by Bresnar.
Neich looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Neich throws a right and a left that Bresnar avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neich goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Bresnar moves to clinch but Neich breaks away
and Neich counters with a straight right hand.

Bresnar moves into the clinch successfully.
A frustrated look appears on Neich's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Neich tries to circle away but Bresnar has him pinned against the cage.
Neich misses with a hook from the clinch.
Neich lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bresnar backwards.
Bresnar controlling the action here for a moment.
Neich lands a body punch in the clinch.
Neich has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Bresnar gets control of Neich's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bresnar will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Neich must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bresnar keeping moving, preventing Neich from controlling successfully.
Neich is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar controlling the position.
Neich trying to control the position from guard on top but Bresnar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Neich controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Neich trying to control but Bresnar is working from the bottom.
Neich sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

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

Bresnar moves into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Neich dominated that round.
That's time! Bresnar's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bresnar tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bresnar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Neich lands a nice hook to Bresnar's body. Bresnar takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Neich throws a jab but it's blocked by Bresnar.
Sloppy strikes from Neich. Those never looked like landing.
Bresnar fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bresnar clobbers Neich with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neich throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bresnar.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bresnar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bresnar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Neich manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Neich moves away from the strike by Bresnar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar wants to clinch.
Neich throws a counter combo.
Jab by Neich.
Bresnar ducks right into an uppercut from Neich.
Neich throws a nice looking combination but Bresnar bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bresnar was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Bresnar darts in and clinches Neich up against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Bresnar keeps control of Neich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bresnar blocks a body shot from Neich.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Neich.

Neich breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bresnar closes the distance and clinches.
Bresnar keeps control of Neich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Neich fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Neich misses with a short punch on the inside.
Neich is trying to break the clinch but Bresnar has him pressed against the cage.
Neich tries to work over Bresnar's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Neich's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Bresnar clinches with his opponent.
Bresnar misses with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Neich's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jach Bresnar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bresnar takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Neich circles away from the clinch attempt
and Neich counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lester Neich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Neich.
Bresnar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bresnar throws an off balance right hand
letting Neich counter with a right hand.
Neich takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bresnar throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Neich counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lester Neich seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nice shot by Neich.
Neich takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Neich swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bresnar.

Bresnar has Neich up against the cage in a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Neich scores with a nice short uppercut.
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!

Neich's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Neich dodges the punch combination from Bresnar.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bresnar doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Neich. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Bresnar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Neich moves away.
Neich lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Bresnar closes the distance but Neich moves to the side
and Neich counters with a nice body shot.
Neich ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Neich ducks under a wild hook from Bresnar.
Neich lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Nice jab there from Bresnar.
Neich lands a jab to the head.
Bresnar keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Neich.
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.

Neich connects with a body shot.
Bresnar tries to clinch up.
Bresnar tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Neich counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Bresnar with a jab.
Neich swats away the attempt to clinch by Bresnar.
Neich throws a lazy right hand but Bresnar sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Neich scores with a jab to the body.
Bresnar moves in looking to clinch but Neich pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bresnar shoots in looking for a takedown but Neich manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bresnar's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Jach Bresnar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Neich lands a lovely overhand right.
A telegraphed right hand from Neich misses the target.
Neich cracks Bresnar with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neich lands a jab.
Bresnar has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Neich finds it's way round the side to connect with Bresnar's head.
Neich lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bresnar backs up against the cage.
Neich throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Neich feints a jab promting Bresnar to slip. Neich then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Bresnar slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Bresnar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Bresnar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Neich with a jab.
Bresnar looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Bresnar tries to clinch there but Neich circles away.
Bresnar fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar shoots in looking for a takedown but Neich manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bresnar's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Neich scores with a punch to the head.
Bresnar tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Neich to counter with a crisp jab.
Bresnar fails with an attempt to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Neich misses the target.
Neich scores with the left hand. Bresnar knows he should have avoided that one.
Neich throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bresnar tries to clinch up but Neich circles away and keeps his distance.
Neich circles away from the clinch attempt.
Neich appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Bresnar closes the distance and clinches.
Bresnar blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bresnar avoiding damage.
Still in the clinch, Neich scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neich breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Neich has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A punch combination from Bresnar misses.
Neich now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bresnar.

Neich explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Neich paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Bresnar drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Neich is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Bresnar presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Neich misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Neich escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bresnar wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich moves out of range.
Bresnar tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Some wild striking there from Bresnar.
Bresnar fails with an attempt to clinch.
Neich lands with an overhand left.
Neich lands with a good body shot.
Bresnar tries to clinch up.
Neich smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bresnar is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Neich.
Bresnar goes for a double leg but Neich avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Neich continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jach Bresnar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Neich has a couple of punches blocked by Bresnar.
Lester Neich seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Neich breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Neich keeps the fight on the outside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Neich really dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Neich lands a lovely overhand right.
Bresnar pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Neich back to the cage. Bresnar follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Neich lands with an uppercut that bounces Bresnar off the cage and back into range.
Neich looks to land a left hand but Bresnar moved out of range nicely.
Neich looks to land a combination but Bresnar avoids it well.
Neich misses with a double jab.
Neich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Bresnar takes the fight into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bresnar is trying to maintain a safe position but Neich gets an underhook and turns Bresnar into the cage.
Bresnar keeps control of Neich as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Neich lands a shoulder strike.
Bresnar swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar is pushing Neich up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Bresnar breaks from the clinch.
Bresnar throws a shot from downtown. Neich moves away and avoids it.
Neich thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bresnar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich is having none of it.
Bresnar wants to clinch.
Bresnar wants to clinch up but Neich keeps it at a distance.
Bresnar shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Neich as he avoids it easily.
Neich throws out a counter right but Bresnar avoids it with no problem.
Bresnar wants to clinch up but Neich keeps it at a distance.
Neich works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar closes the distance looking to clinch
and Neich connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Neich will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bresnar shoots in looking for a takedown. Neich tries to sprawl out of it but Bresnar keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Neich manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Neich looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bresnar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bresnar moves in looking to clinch but Neich pushes him off.
Bresnar fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jach Bresnar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Neich lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bresnar circles away quickly and effectively.
Neich lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Bresnar moves into the clinch successfully.
Bresnar blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bresnar tries to work over Neich's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Neich has a couple of punches blocked by Bresnar.
Bresnar is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Neich is keeping busy.

Neich pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bresnar tries to clinch up
and Neich counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bresnar thinking.
Bresnar wants to clinch up but Neich keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to clinch up.
Bresnar doesn't manage to clinch there - Neich circles away.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Neich rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bresnar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Some wild striking there from Neich.
Neich misses with a straight right.
A shot to the liver by Neich. Beautiful body shot.
Bresnar keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Neich.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich moves out of range.
Neich looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Bresnar throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Neich's waist but Neich gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bresnar off to one side.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Neich dominated that fourth round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bresnar throws a series of punches but Neich moves out of range.
Bresnar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Neich fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bresnar looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bresnar lands with a shot to the body.
Neich thuds a left hand into Bresnar's body.
A right-left combo lands from Neich.
Neich throws a right and a left that Bresnar avoids nicely.
A counter left hand to the body from Bresnar misses its target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich moves away
and Neich counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bresnar swings widly with a right hand
and Neich counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Neich throws a combination. Bresnar tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
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!
Bresnar doesn't manage to clinch there - Neich circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bresnar takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Neich listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Neich throws a looping overhand right but Bresnar ducks down to avoid it.
Bresnar defending well as Neich loads up on a big left hand.
Bresnar tries for a takedown but Neich sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Some wild striking there from Neich.
Neich throws a body shot but no joy.
A shot to the liver by Neich. Beautiful body shot.
Bresnar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Neich manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Neich swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Neich lands with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bresnar wants to clinch up but Neich keeps it at a distance.
Bresnar throws an off balance right hand
and Neich cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Neich paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bresnar tries to clinch up.

Bresnar rushes Neich and presses him up against the cage.
Neich lands a shot to the body.
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!

Neich breaks the clinch.
Bresnar doesn't manage to clinch there - Neich circles away.
Neich misses with a hook.
Bresnar is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Neich.
Neich lands a nice looking body shot.
Neich takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar tries to clinch up.
Bresnar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Neich keeps the fight on the outside.
Bresnar moves in looking to clinch but Neich pushes him off.
Neich scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bresnar in his tracks.
Jach Bresnar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Neich dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Neich keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Bresnar misses with an uppercut.
Neich doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Bresnar tries to clinch but Neich is having none of it.
Bresnar wants to clinch but Neich slips to the side
letting Neich counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bresnar takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Bresnar moves to clinch but Neich breaks away
and Neich counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Neich lands a jab to Bresnar's midsection.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Neich paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bresnar scores with a jab to the head.

It looks like Lester Neich has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Neich misses with a double jab.
Neich misses with a two punch combination.
Bresnar jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bresnar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neich swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Neich lands with a cross.

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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 45:50
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 45:50
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lester Neich!
Lester Neich is the new lightweight champion!
Lester Neich decided to call for a title shot in his post fight interview, which was very strange given the fact this fight was for a title and he's already the champion. I guess that's what getting punched in the head does for you.