PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sassou ZuZu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forza Gr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sassou ZuZu has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

ZuZu
vs
Gr

188 cm
19
185 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

160 cm
20
190 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sassou ZuZu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Forza Gr!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gr misses with a takedown attempt - ZuZu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

ZuZu gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gr wants a takedown.
ZuZu prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sassou ZuZu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forza Gr.
Gr tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. ZuZu just stands there and leans against the ropes.

Gr manages to pull guard.
ZuZu wants to get up but he can't break Gr's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Gr working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. ZuZu doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. ZuZu manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Gr looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Gr had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. ZuZu is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Gr Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take ZuZu's back instead.
ZuZu looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Gr is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. ZuZu is defending well though. Gr let's go of the attempt for now.
Gr looks gassed!

ZuZu is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gr gets his way!

That's one minute gone in the round.
ZuZu is trying to stand back up.

Gr patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

ZuZu defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Gr's arms.
ZuZu wants to get back to his feet.
ZuZu trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Gr has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's two 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.
ZuZu controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
ZuZu grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

Gr working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
ZuZu has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
ZuZu knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gr on the ground.

Gr looking for the choke from the back.
Gr should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

ZuZu is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Gr off. It looks like it's working - Gr slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! ZuZu displaying calm under pressure there.

ZuZu closes the distance and pushes Gr back into the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ZuZu connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gr's face.
ZuZu lands a nice elbow.
ZuZu lands a knee to the body.
ZuZu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gr lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
ZuZu lands a knee to the head.
ZuZu lands a knee to the head.
ZuZu lands an elbow that stopped Gr in his tracks for a moment.
ZuZu creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gr's defenses.
Gr changes levels and goes for a takedown here. ZuZu fights it off and pushes away nicely.
ZuZu fails in his attempt to clinch.
ZuZu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

ZuZu has taken the fight to the clinch.
ZuZu lands a nice elbow.
Gr is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
ZuZu gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gr takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gr takes an elbow to the temple.

ZuZu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gr swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gr scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gr fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Gr tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gr has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
ZuZu is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Gr thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Gr scores with punches from side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
ZuZu is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Forza Gr dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gr shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as ZuZu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

ZuZu kicks Gr off and gets to his feet.
Gr shoots for a takedown but ZuZu saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gr shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with ZuZu but ZuZu pushes him off and we're back to square one.

ZuZu clinches up against the ropes.
Gr is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Sassou ZuZu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forza Gr.
ZuZu landing knees to the head.
ZuZu gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
ZuZu crunches a lovely knee into Gr's ribcage.
ZuZu connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Forza Gr has been cut.

ZuZu breaks from the clinch.
Gr fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
ZuZu moves in looking to clinch but Gr pushes him off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

ZuZu moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gr jumps guard but ZuZu stands there with Gr around his waist. Gr gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
ZuZu lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
ZuZu connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gr's face.
Gr is trying to drag ZuZu to the mat but ZuZu just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
ZuZu connects with a knee to the head.
ZuZu lands an elbow inside.
ZuZu lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Gr goes for a takedown attempt but ZuZu pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gr tries for a takedown but ZuZu sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Gr has eaten all the pies!
Gr shoots in but no luck this time.

ZuZu has closed the distance and engaged Gr in a clinch.
ZuZu landing some nice looking knees to the body.
A knee to the head by ZuZu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gr has ZuZu pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. ZuZu manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
ZuZu using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gr takes a knee right on the jaw!
Gr takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gr tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gr tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nice elbow from ZuZu.
ZuZu prevents the takedown attempt.
Knees to the body from ZuZu.
Gr has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. ZuZu avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
ZuZu prevents the takedown attempt.
ZuZu using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gr tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gr goes for a takedown attempt but ZuZu pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Forza Gr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

ZuZu pushes Gr up against the ropes in a clinch.
ZuZu gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gr.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ZuZu creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gr's defenses.
Knees to the body from ZuZu.
ZuZu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gr lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gr tries to pull guard but ZuZu won't allow it.
Gr jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as ZuZu walks away with a smile on his face. Gr gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gr shoots for a takedown but ZuZu saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sassou ZuZu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gr throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around ZuZu's waist but ZuZu gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gr off to one side.

ZuZu moves into the clinch successfully.
Gr tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. ZuZu smiles and moves away.
Gr fails to land the takedown.

Gr gets a takedown into half guard.
Gr thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed ZuZu's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gr is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gr thows a huge punch but ZuZu dodges it nicely.
Gr prevents ZuZu from standing back up.

Gr in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. ZuZu tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Gr!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Forza Gr!