PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abdullah Zaire (ranked 1546 p4p, 2071 weight class) and Jonny Picogram (ranked 218 p4p, 279 weight class). Zaire comes to the cage accompanied by Hypnotize U by N*E*R*D. Jonny Picogram has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Zaire
vs
Picogram

189 cm
41
206
25 - 19 - 1

194 cm
38
210
13 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Brooklyn Apothecary

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Abdullah Zaire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jonny Picogram!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Picogram tries to clinch there but Zaire circles away.
Zaire throws a series of strikes that have Picogram backpedaling.
Zaire slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Zaire avoids the head kick by Picogram.
Zaire misses with a straight right.
Nice shot by Zaire.

Picogram is rocked!
A solid leg kick lands there for Picogram.
Picogram is still on wobbly legs! Can Zaire finish him?
Zaire tries to bum rush Picogram with a series of wild strikes but Picogram uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Picogram seems to have recovered his senses.
Zaire throws a sloppy head kick and Picogram moves out of range easily.
Picogram swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Zaire.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Picogram connects with a body shot that sends Zaire's belly button to the back.
A jab from Zaire does it's job there.

Zaire clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire leaning his opponent against the cage.
Picogram being controlled against the cage.
Come on Zaire - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Picogram being controlled against the cage.
Zaire has Picogram pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abdullah Zaire.
A jab from Picogram misses.
Zaire throws a wild body kick that Picogram sees coming a mile off.
Picogram keeps the fight on the outside.
Picogram only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Zaire pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zaire on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Zaire tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zaire lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Zaire ducks right into an uppercut from Picogram.
Zaire scores with a body shot.
Zaire gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like Abdullah Zaire has been cut.
Picogram loads up on a big right hand but Zaire slips the punch.
Zaire misses with a straight right.
Picogram scores with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaire throws the kick towards the body but Picogram avoids it.
Zaire on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Zaire throws a nice looking combination but Picogram bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Zaire closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zaire.
Picogram misses with the head strike.
Zaire misses with a body punch.
Picogram throws a head punch that misses.
Zaire throws a head punch that misses.
Zaire controlling the action here for a moment.
Zaire will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Picogram up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Picogram creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zaire's defenses.
Picogram blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Picogram tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zaire trying to land knees to the body.
Zaire is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Zaire dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Zaire is stalling here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Abdullah Zaire's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zaire gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Zaire is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Picogram can do to turn this around?
Zaire tries to work over Picogram's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zaire misses with a body punch.
Picogram avoiding damage as Zaire throws knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Zaire.
Picogram misses with a hook from the clinch.
Picogram tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zaire lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Picogram.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Picogram stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Picogram.
Zaire blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Picogram just misses with a elbow thrown towards Zaire's brow.
Zaire struggles to land a body shot inside as Picogram controls his hands.
Zaire displaying some good clinch control by pressing Picogram up against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Zaire.
Zaire stalling the fight.
Zaire is stalling here.
Picogram trying to land knees to the body.
Picogram stalling in the clinch.
Picogram has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Zaire seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Picogram can turn it around.
Picogram missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Picogram blocks an elbow strike.
Picogram stalling in the clinch.
Picogram throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zaire digs a right hand into Picogram's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Picogram's gas tank.
Picogram letting Zaire take a breather here.
Stalling in the clinch from Zaire.
The referee calls for Zaire to work.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abdullah Zaire.
Zaire throws a half hearted mid kick.
And Picogram responds with a good body kick, but Zaire manages to step out the way in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaire scores with a body shot.
Zaire doesn't manage to clinch there - Picogram circles away.
Picogram catches Zaire with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The fight stays on the outside here - Zaire looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zaire wants to clinch up but Picogram keeps it at a distance.
Picogram throws out a loose jab but Zaire uses good head movement to avoid it.
Picogram chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zaire can pounce on him.
A head kick misses from Zaire.
Zaire lands a leg kick that knocks Picogram off balance momentarily.

Zaire moves into the clinch successfully.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaire taking a breather.
Zaire is struggling to control the position.
Zaire holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The referee calls for Picogram to work.
Picogram managing to block the knees to the body from Zaire.
Abdullah Zaire has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Picogram tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Picogram stalls.
Picogram misses with a knee to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Abdullah Zaire's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Picogram throws out a loose jab but Zaire uses good head movement to avoid it.
Abdullah Zaire is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zaire throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Picogram takes one on the button.

Zaire gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Picogram misses with the head strike.
Zaire content to slow the pace in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Zaire - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A hook to the body from Zaire.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Picogram tries to throw a body punch but Zaire avoids it by throwing Picogram back against the cage.
Picogram pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Picogram missing with knees to the body.
Zaire stalling against the cage.
Picogram leaning against his opponent.
Zaire throws an elbow but it misses.
Zaire trying to land knees to the body.
Picogram avoiding damage as Zaire throws knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zaire.
Zaire is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Picogram stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Picogram trying to stall but Zaire improves his position.
Zaire manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Zaire is stalling here.
Zaire seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Abdullah Zaire.
Zaire thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zaire tries to clinch up but Picogram circles away and keeps his distance.
Zaire tries to close the distance and clinch up but Picogram swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Picogram throws an off balance right hand
and Zaire counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Picogram throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Zaire counter with a right hand.
A cross from Picogram lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaire takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Zaire does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Zaire tries to bum rush Picogram with a series of wild strikes but Picogram uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Picogram looks to land a right hand but Zaire moved out of range.
Zaire on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Zaire throws a hook but Picogram blocks it.
Zaire keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Picogram.
Zaire goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
It seemed like Picogram was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A slapping body kick lands there for Zaire.
Picogram blocks a head kick by Zaire.
Picogram throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Picogram drives through and clinches with Zaire against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaire is trying to maintain a safe position but Picogram gets an underhook and turns Zaire into the cage.
Picogram stalling in the clinch.
Zaire looking to throw knees to the head but Picogram is blocking nicely.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Picogram.
Zaire leaning against his opponent.
Jonny Picogram has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zaire tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zaire throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Picograms head.
Picogram throws a knee to the head but misses.
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!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Picogram lands a hook that snaps the head of Zaire backwards.
Picogram scores a nice knee to the body.
Abdullah Zaire is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Picogram has Zaire pushed against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Abdullah Zaire.
Well Zaire 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 Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdullah Zaire!
During a confident post fight interview, Abdullah Zaire thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.