PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gianfranco Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Kositzky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zola comes to the cage accompanied by Balls to the Wall. Kositzky has chosen Mein Teil as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Paul Kositzky is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Zola
vs
Kositzky

163 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Fast

Blaze Ronin Street Gear
Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gianfranco Zola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Kositzky!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola checks a leg kick.
Kositzky throws a solid leg kick but Zola takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kositzky.
Kositzky looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Zola is looking to clinch but Kositzky is avoiding it.
Kositzky fails to land the takedown.
Kositzky misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zola checks the leg kick.

Kositzky has managed to clinch.

Kositzky escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kositzky wants to land a leg kick but Zola is out of range.

Zola shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zola showed some decent athleticism there.

Zola seems to be working for a kimura but Kositzky defends the submission attempt.

Zola is working for a kimura but Kositzky is defending it quite comfortably.
Zola trying to control the action but Kositzky is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zola is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kositzky doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Zola.
Kositzky is positioning himself well to prevent Zola advancing to mount.
Kositzky is not content to let Zola control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kositzky avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Zola.
Kositzky keeping hold of Zola's head, controlling as best he can.
Zola with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Kositzky wants to control but Zola is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kositzky tries to get to full guard but Zola has control of the leg.
Zola is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kositzky!
Kositzky bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Kositzky circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zola tries to clinch up

and Kositzky counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zola looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kositzky puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Kositzky is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Zola defends it well.
Kositzky wants to take a breather but Zola is having none of it.
Zola is looking to control Kositzky's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zola avoid being mounted?
Zola is trying to get back to full guard.
Zola wants to control but Kositzky passes into side.
Kositzky wants to stand but Zola is controlling his arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kositzky darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kositzky is looking to take a break and control but Zola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zola tries to get to full guard but Kositzky has control of the leg.
Zola wants to control the action here but instead Kositzky manages to pass to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Kositzky dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Zola tries to clinch but Kositzky moves out of range.
Zola blocks a leg kick.
Zola stuffs the takedown.
Kositzky tries for a takedown but Zola sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kositzky is looking to clinch but Zola is avoiding it.

Zola has Kositzky up against the cage in a clinch.

Zola jumps into guard, dragging Kositzky to the mat.

Zola is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zola trying to control the position here.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Kositzky from controlling successfully.
Zola throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola trying to keep a closed guard but Kositzky is proving a slippery customer.
Zola thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Zola looking for a guillotine here but Kositzky defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kositzky wants to control from the top but Zola keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kositzky lands with a nice combination. Zola backs away looking to recover.

Kositzky has closed the distance and engaged Zola in a clinch.
Zola prevents a body shot from Kositzky.
Zola keeps control of Kositzky as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Kositzky breaks from the clinch.

Zola closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zola lands in his opponent's guard.
Kositzky can't keep his opponent in guard - Zola advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Zola wants to pass the guard but Kositzky is defending well.
Zola passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kositzky!
Kositzky tries to hold on but Zola pushes him away.

Zola goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Kositzky is on top in guard.

Kositzky stands up and waves to Zola to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kositzky digs a good hook to Zola's body.
Zola tries to clinch but Kositzky moves out of range.

Zola tries to keep at a distance but Kositzky has taken the fight into the clinch.

Kositzky breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kositzky shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Zola's guard.
Zola looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kositzky trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zola not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Kositzky from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zola has an active guard here but Kositzky has managed to pass into half guard.
Zola is refusing to be controlled, as Kositzky sits in half guard.
Kositzky prevents Zola from improving his position.
Zola wants to get back to full guard but Kositzky has mounted him!
Kositzky throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Zola is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kositzky can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zola is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Kositzky will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kositzky fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Zola sprawls well initially but Kositzky persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Zola is trying to get back to full guard.
Kositzky passes the guard and advances to mount!
Kositzky is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Zola is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zola manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kositzky tries to stand but can't do so whilst Zola controls his leg.
Zola wants to control but Kositzky is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Zola actively working from the bottom here.
Kositzky seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Zola wants to sweep but Kositzky has passed to side control!
Kositzky controlling the position.
Zola tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gianfranco Zola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kositzky happy to just control the position for now.
Zola looks to move to half guard but instead Kositzky has passed into mount! Damn!
Zola gets back to half guard.
Zola regains full guard. Nicely done.

Zola is looking for a triangle but Kositzky pushes his legs off easily.
Kositzky stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zola swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola is looking to sweep but instead, Kositzky has passed into half guard.
Zola works his way to full guard. Good work.
Zola is pulling down on Kositzky's head to control his posture.

Zola has his feet on Kositzky's thighs here. He's pushed Kositzky off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Kositzky screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Gianfranco Zola!