PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikael Sjoberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Zieniek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikael Sjoberg has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sjoberg
vs
Zieniek

186 cm
20
209 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Elite Clothing
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikael Sjoberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Zieniek!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sjoberg feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sjoberg looking to pass the guard.
Sjoberg wants to control from the top but Zieniek keeps moving.
Zieniek wants to sweep here but Sjoberg controlling him for the moment.
Sjoberg stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zieniek swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Sjoberg loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sjoberg wants to control from the top but Zieniek keeps moving.
Sjoberg trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zieniek looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sjoberg has a takedown stuffed.

Sjoberg scores with a takedown into Zieniek's guard.
Sjoberg is looking to work some ground and pound but Zieniek has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sjoberg slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sjoberg passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zieniek looks gassed!
Sjoberg working the body and head with strikes.
Sjoberg is working Zieniek over with some ground and pound from side control.
Sjoberg wants to control but Zieniek is keeping him busy.
Zieniek looks to move to half guard but instead Sjoberg has passed into mount! Damn!
Zieniek is squirming around, avoiding Sjoberg's attempts to control the action.
Zieniek is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sjoberg putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sjoberg prevents Zieniek from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zieniek wants to control but Sjoberg is having none of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sjoberg has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Zieniek's face.
Sjoberg looking to finish with strikes here!
Zieniek wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Sjoberg.
Sjoberg looking to control but Zieniek is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zieniek keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sjoberg breaks from Zieniek's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sjoberg with shots to the head and body - Zieniek looks very uncomfortable down there.
Zieniek flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Zieniek regains half guard.
Zieniek wants to control but Sjoberg is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zieniek is trying to stand up here but Sjoberg is controlling him well.
Sjoberg blocks the strikes from Zieniek.
Zieniek manages to get to full guard.
Sjoberg has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zieniek is on top in guard.
Zieniek stopping the sweep attempt from Sjoberg.

Sjoberg pushes Zieniek off and gets back to his feet.

Sjoberg feints and as Zieniek raises his hands in defense, Sjoberg changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg wants to control from the top but Zieniek keeps moving.

Sjoberg gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Sjoberg closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sjoberg has a takedown stuffed.
Sjoberg wants to clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A head kick misses from Sjoberg.
Sjoberg tries to clinch there but Zieniek circles away.
Sjoberg shoots in for a double leg but Zieniek sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikael Sjoberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sjoberg moves in looking to clinch but Zieniek pushes him off.
Nice takedown defense from Zieniek. No joy for Sjoberg on that attempt.
Sjoberg misses with a few strikes there.
Zieniek looks to land a combination but Sjoberg avoids it well.

Zieniek closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zieniek lands in his opponent's guard.
Sjoberg will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Sjoberg trying to control the position.
Sjoberg manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sjoberg in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sjoberg trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sjoberg controlling from mount.
BOOM! Sjoberg connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Zieniek is looking to improve his position but Sjoberg isn't that keen on the idea.
Sjoberg lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Zieniek hang on?

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Zieniek in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Sjoberg unloading with bombs!
Sjoberg tries to control but Zieniek wriggling away.
Zieniek can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Sjoberg.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sjoberg pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Zieniek is rocked!
Zieniek tries to reverse the position but Sjoberg maintains control.
Zieniek flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Sjoberg wants to control the pace but Zieniek is squirming around nicely.
Zieniek is looking to improve his position but Sjoberg isn't that keen on the idea.
Zieniek is in a horrible position here. Sjoberg smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Sjoberg with shots to the head and body - Zieniek looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sjoberg can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zieniek is looking to escape.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sjoberg tries to control but Zieniek wriggling away.
Zieniek trying desperately to get to his feet.
Sjoberg lands with some strikes.
Sjoberg avoids the attempt from Zieniek to control.
Sjoberg with the ground and pound from mount.
Zieniek is looking to improve his position but Sjoberg isn't that keen on the idea.
Sjoberg landing strikes, looking to finish!
Sjoberg raining down shots from the mount!
Zieniek is trying desperately to improve position.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sjoberg with a couple of short strikes.
Zieniek regains half guard.
Sjoberg slips a nice elbow through Zieniek's hands, connecting with Zieniek's forehead.
Sjoberg prevents Zieniek from standing back up.
Sjoberg scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sjoberg wants to stand but Zieniek has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Zieniek is trying to control but can't.
Sjoberg content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sjoberg wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zieniek keeps working.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg tries to stand and escape but Zieniek is controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zieniek throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Zieniek closes the distance and clinches.
Sjoberg tries to score a body lock takedown but Zieniek shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zieniek has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sjoberg is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sjoberg goes for a takedown attempt but Zieniek pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Zieniek is looking to clinch.

Sjoberg decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Sjoberg sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sjoberg lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sjoberg is keen to just control but Zieniek is a slippery customer.
Sjoberg trying to pass the guard but Zieniek defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikael Sjoberg dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sjoberg rushes Zieniek and presses him up against the ropes.
Zieniek fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zieniek is pressed up against the ropes. Sjoberg has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zieniek down to the mat. Zieniek avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sjoberg tries to close the distance and clinch but Zieniek swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zieniek tries to bum rush Sjoberg with a series of wild strikes but Sjoberg uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Zieniek shoots and misses

and Sjoberg counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zieniek's guard now.

Zieniek had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sjoberg is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Zieniek Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sjoberg's back instead.
Sjoberg tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Zieniek looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sjoberg is trying desperately to improve position.
Zieniek with shots to the head and body - Sjoberg looks very uncomfortable down there.
Zieniek lands a big elbow.
Zieniek with good strikes from the mount here!
Sjoberg tries to hold on but Zieniek pushes him away.
Sjoberg keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Zieniek is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sjoberg tries to buck Zieniek off but he can't manage it.
Zieniek avoids the attempt from Sjoberg to control.
Sjoberg squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sjoberg bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Sjoberg wants to control from the top but Zieniek keeps moving.
Sjoberg working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zieniek's head.
Zieniek looking to control.
Zieniek is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Zieniek bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sjoberg's guard.
Sjoberg is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sjoberg will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg striking from the bottom here.
Sjoberg looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sjoberg will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Sjoberg working a defensive guard here.
Sjoberg keeping full guard, as Zieniek tries to pass.

Sjoberg pushes Zieniek off and gets back to his feet.

Sjoberg shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Zieniek is looking to escape.
Sjoberg is looking to take a break and control but Zieniek is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sjoberg looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Sjoberg seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zieniek does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg wants to stand up but Zieniek manages to regain full guard.
Sjoberg landing with the ground and pound.

Zieniek is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Sjoberg fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Sjoberg moves into the clinch successfully.
Zieniek jumps guard but Sjoberg stands there with Zieniek around his waist. Zieniek gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zieniek has Sjoberg pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Sjoberg manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Mikael Sjoberg has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Zieniek.
Sjoberg has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zieniek is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Zieniek stalling.
Sjoberg misses with a knee to the head.
Zieniek has Sjoberg pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Sjoberg manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Sjoberg is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zieniek pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zieniek breaks from the clinch.
Sjoberg shoots for a takedown but Zieniek saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zieniek fails with a takedown attempt.
Sjoberg scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zieniek.
Zieniek fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Zieniek as Sjoberg shoots in.
Zieniek showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sjoberg.
Sjoberg is looking to clinch but Zieniek is avoiding it.
Sjoberg has a takedown stuffed.
Zieniek tries to clinch up

and Sjoberg decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zieniek's guard.
Mikael Sjoberg overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zieniek trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Sjoberg scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sjoberg thows a big elbow that misses.
Sjoberg is looking to stand up but Zieniek won't let him.

Sjoberg drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Zieniek manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Sjoberg has Zieniek in his guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Sjoberg throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sjoberg wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Sjoberg is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zieniek trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sjoberg has control of Zieniek's left arm, preventing Zieniek from doing any damage.
Sjoberg throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Zieniek wants to control from the top but Sjoberg keeps moving.
Sjoberg wants to sweep but no luck.

That's six 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sjoberg misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sjoberg shoots in but Zieniek avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zieniek throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Sjoberg counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sjoberg in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sjoberg pushes down on Zieniek's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sjoberg is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sjoberg lands a big elbow.
Zieniek is still in real trouble! Can Sjoberg finish him?
Sjoberg lands a nice shot to the head.
Sjoberg with good strikes from the mount here!
Zieniek is trying to escape the mount.
Sjoberg putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sjoberg in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sjoberg landing shots from mount.
Sjoberg landing shots from mount.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Zieniek is working to get back to half guard.
Sjoberg punishing his opponent with strikes.
Sjoberg scores with a couple of good head shots there.
BOOM! Sjoberg connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Zieniek is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Sjoberg can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zieniek is looking to escape.
Zieniek is looking to improve his position but Sjoberg isn't that keen on the idea.
Zieniek gets back to half guard.
Sjoberg wants to control but Zieniek is keeping him busy.
Zieniek seems to have recovered his senses.
The fighters are battling for position here. Zieniek manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zieniek looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sjoberg is one step ahead there.
Zieniek bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sjoberg's guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Zieniek drops back looking for a leg! Sjoberg is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sjoberg manages to kick Zieniek off! Zieniek jumps back into Sjoberg's guard.
Zieniek wants to stand and escape but instead Sjoberg has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Sjoberg works over Zieniek with some ground and pound from guard.
Sjoberg tries to free his leg and advance position but Zieniek is retaining full guard.
Sjoberg scoring with some ground and pound.
Sjoberg throwing strikes from guard but Zieniek blocks nicely.
Zieniek wants to get back to his feet but Sjoberg is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sjoberg forces his way into half guard.
Zieniek has hold of Sjoberg's hands but Sjoberg slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Sjoberg works his way into full mount!
Sjoberg is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zieniek can do to turn this around?
Sjoberg looking to control but Zieniek is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zieniek is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Sjoberg raining down shots from the mount!
Sjoberg wants to control the pace but Zieniek is squirming around nicely.
Sjoberg scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Zieniek is looking to get to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sjoberg looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Zieniek is bucking up trying to escape but Sjoberg cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Michael Zieniek has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zieniek throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikael Sjoberg showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sjoberg 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Mikael Sjoberg!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for Mikael Sjoberg!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Mikael Sjoberg!

Mikael Sjoberg wins by unanimous decision!