PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darwin Jones (ranked 7517 p4p, 596 weight class) and Zak Kanjo (ranked 6811 p4p, 573 weight class). Zak Kanjo has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Jones
vs
Kanjo

191 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Darwin Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Zak Kanjo!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Jones goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kanjo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kanjo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jones as he jumps to the side.

Jones tries to sprawl but Kanjo drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Jones makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jones lands with a nice body punch.
Jones fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Jones throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kanjo shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Darwin Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zak Kanjo.
Kanjo walks forward, straight into a front kick from Jones.
Jones feints and then cracks Kanjo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kanjo down.
Jones throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Jones connects with a solid leg kick.
Kanjo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Kanjo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Jones napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kanjo looks winded!
Jones pushes Kanjo away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Kanjo gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Jones gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is trying to stand back up but Kanjo is controlling him
Jones controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Jones keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Jones keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Jones wants to control but Kanjo is keeping busy.
Kanjo prevents Jones from improving his position.
Jones is pressing down on Kanjo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Jones controls Kanjo momentarily but Kanjo frees himself.
Kanjo cracks Jones with a solid left hand.
Kanjo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two 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.
Kanjo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kanjo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones wants to sweep but no luck.
Jones looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Jones is trying to control the position but Kanjo postures up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Jones looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Jones has momentary wrist control but Kanjo slips an elbow through the middle.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Jones holds on and takes a little breather.
Kanjo lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kanjo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kanjo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jones with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Jones throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Jones has Kanjo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Jones obliges.
Kanjo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Jones pulls his leg out and moves away.
Jones connects with a body shot that sends Kanjo's belly button to the back.
Jones lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kanjo at a distance.
Jones fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kanjo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Kanjo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Jones sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kanjo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Jones passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kanjo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Jones is working away from the top position though.
Jones throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Jones performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kanjo is looking to get back to full guard here but Jones has managed to pass to side control instead.
Jones moves into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darwin Jones dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jones shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Jones was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Kanjo tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Jones easily slips into full mount!
Kanjo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Kanjo is still trying to improve position.
Kanjo wants to control but Jones is having none of it.
Kanjo is looking to get to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Jones prevents Kanjo from getting the reversal.
Kanjo tries to lock up and control but Jones gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kanjo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darwin Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jones punching from mount but Kanjo doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Jones sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kanjo bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Jones working a defensive guard here.
Jones is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kanjo is trying to get back to full guard.
Kanjo is looking to control Jones's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kanjo avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kanjo has his hands clasped together around Jones's back. He's all about the action.
Kanjo is looking for a sweep. Jones is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jones moves into full mount! Kanjo won't be happy about that!
Kanjo is looking to get to half guard.
Kanjo tries to lock up and control but Jones gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying to control but Kanjo is having none of it.
Kanjo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kanjo is working to get back to half guard.
Kanjo holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Jones tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kanjo sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kanjo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jones works his foot free and advances to mount.
Jones throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kanjo because Jones loaded up on that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones content just to control the position here.
Kanjo wants to hold on but Jones pushes him away.
Jones controlling the pace for now.
Jones unloads with some shots from mount but Kanjo bucks and avoids them well.
Jones is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kanjo can do to turn this around?
Jones tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones unloads with some shots from mount but Kanjo bucks and avoids them well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darwin Jones 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!

Jones lands a head kick. Kanjo smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Kanjo closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Jones's guard.

Jones pushes Kanjo off and scrambles back to his feet.
Darwin Jones is winning the standup battle so far.
Kanjo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jones as he avoids it easily.
Jab, jab by Jones - just one landing.
Jones scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kanjo has a takedown stuffed.
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!
Jones lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Jones closes the distance and clinches.
Kanjo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Jones pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Darwin Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zak Kanjo.

Jones's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jones looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kanjo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Good leg kick by Jones there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Zak Kanjo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Jones pushes Kanjo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones stops a takedown attempt from Kanjo.

Jones has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Kanjo regains guard immediately.
Jones slips nicely into half guard.
Still in half guard, Jones seems content to control.
Kanjo tries to get to full guard but Jones has control of the leg.
Jones wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kanjo keeps working.
Kanjo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Jones is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kanjo defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones wants to get back to his feet.
Kanjo is looking to control Jones's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kanjo avoid being mounted?
Jones is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Kanjo working to try and regain half guard.
Jones trying to control but Kanjo is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones controlling from mount.
Kanjo tries to lock up and control but Jones gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kanjo is trying desperately to improve position.
Kanjo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Jones wants to control the pace but Kanjo is squirming around nicely.

That's four 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.
Jones sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Darwin Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jones throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Jones can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kanjo is looking to escape.
Kanjo is looking to get to half guard.
Zak Kanjo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jones wants to control the pace but Kanjo is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darwin Jones showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Jones 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darwin Jones!
Darwin Jones decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.
Zak Kanjo spoke after the fight, saying 'Fuck the haters'.