PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zalt Gaanja (ranked 2427 p4p, 2689 weight class) and Fiore Azul (ranked 301 p4p, 333 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gaanja might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Nathan Evans - Wellerman. Fiore Azul has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Zalt Gaanja's chin.

Gaanja
vs
Azul

195 cm
28
190
8 - 6 - 0

182 cm
27
199
10 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Urban Fighter
Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers -160Q

Fantasy Threads

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zalt Gaanja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fiore Azul!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Chris Dean and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaanja misses the shot to the body.
Azul steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Azul swings widly with a right hand
and Gaanja connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Azul throws a lazy body kick
and Gaanja counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Azul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gaanja.
Gaanja backing away here, and Azul unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Gaanja looks to land a right hand but Azul moved out of range.
Azul just misses with a punch to the body.
A slow jab from Gaanja misses its intended target.
Azul looks to land a left hand but Gaanja moved out of range nicely.
It looked like Gaanja wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Jab, jab by Gaanja - just one landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaanja misses with a body shot.
Gaanja throws a jab when Azul was well out of range.
Azul takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Gaanja connects with a nice looking jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Gaanja. That snapped Azul's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaanja throws a hook to the side of Azul's head but Azul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gaanja punishes Azul's body with a nice straight punch.
Gaanja has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Doom's Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Gaanja misses with a looping left.
Gaanja lands a nice hook to Azul's body. Azul takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gaanja misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Gaanja takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gaanja connects with a body shot.
Azul misses with a body shot.
Azul walks into a stiff left hand from Gaanja.
Gaanja throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Azul sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Azul takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gaanja waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Azul.
Gaanja throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Azul now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Azul takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gaanja with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Azul to score with a decent uppercut.
Nice defenses there by Gaanja.
Gaanja tests Azul's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Azul shoots for a takedown but Gaanja saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gaanja throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gaanja ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Azul moves away.
Jab by Gaanja.
Gaanja dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gaanja is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Gaanja throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Azul stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gaanja throws out a powerful jab.
Azul walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gaanja takes one to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azul doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A swing and a miss from Azul.
Azul throws a front kick aimed at Gaanja's knee but Gaanja avoids it well.
The fighters circling - Gaanja throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gaanja backing away here, and Azul unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Azul throws an off balance right hand
and Gaanja counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gaanja fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Azul thows a leg kick but Gaanja checks it
and Gaanja connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Azul is rocked!
Azul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gaanja.
Gaanja cracks Azul with a good jab.
Azul is still on wobbly legs! Can Gaanja finish him?
Azul swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Azul seems to have recovered his senses.
Gaanja cracks Azul with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
An inside leg kick from Azul misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gaanja slips a jab from Azul.
Gaanja misses with a wild body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gaanja misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Azul.
Azul tries to land a leg kick but Gaanja saw it coming and moves away.
Gaanja swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gaanja smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
A low kick from Azul misses
and Gaanja cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Gaanja lands a big uppercut and Azul crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Azul looks OK. Gaanja waves Azul back to his feet!
Gaanja misses with a looping right.
Gaanja misses with a jab to the body
and Azul cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gaanja connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Azul momentarily.
Azul moves out of range as Gaanja strikes.
Gaanja misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Azul.
Gaanja sizes up Azul with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zalt Gaanja dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Azul bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Gaanja drops his hands momentarily and Azul takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Azul cracks Gaanja with a big right hand and Gaanja goes down!

Gaanja is rocked!
Gaanja will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Azul trying to control but Gaanja is working from the bottom.
Oh Gaanja is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Azul won't allow Gaanja to sweep him here.
Azul is in close to Gaanja's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Azul works over Gaanja with some ground and pound from guard.
Azul loads up on a big left hand. Gaanja felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Azul looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Gaanja can't hide his disappointment, as Azul celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fiore Azul!
A victorious Fiore Azul thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.