PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Said Zmijanovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muay Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muay Thai will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Zmijanovic
vs
Thai

185 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Said Zmijanovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Muay Thai!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zmijanovic looks for a takedown but Thai sprawls well.
Zmijanovic looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zmijanovic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Zmijanovic drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thai being controlled here, momentarily.
Thai looking for a sweep. Not yet Thai, not yet.
Zmijanovic trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai keeping full guard, as Zmijanovic tries to pass.
Zmijanovic might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thai keeping full guard, as Zmijanovic tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick misses from Zmijanovic.
Thai shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zmijanovic counters with a single leg into guard. Thai didn't expect that.
Thai looks gassed!
Thai scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Thai keeping moving, preventing Zmijanovic from controlling successfully.
Zmijanovic wants to pass the guard but Thai is keeping the position.
Zmijanovic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Zmijanovic lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zmijanovic trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.

Thai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Zmijanovic distracts Thai with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zmijanovic slips nicely into half guard.
Thai really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Zmijanovic. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thai trying to control from the bottom.

Zmijanovic wants to work for an arm triangle but Thai is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Zmijanovic sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Zmijanovic wants to free his trapped foot but Thai is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zmijanovic throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Thai won't allow Zmijanovic to pass to mount.
Thai tries to roll over but Zmijanovic keeps him under control.
Zmijanovic is trying to control the action in half guard but Thai is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Zmijanovic is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Zmijanovicis looking to pass into half guard but Thai pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Thai is in guard.
Thai is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Thai decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Thai with a poor takedown

and Zmijanovic counters with a shoot takedown. Thai fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zmijanovic wants to pass the guard but Thai is keeping the position.

Zmijanovic is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Thai is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Thai has escaped and now he's on top!

Thai gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Zmijanovic drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Thai wants to control but Zmijanovic postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Said Zmijanovic dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thai takes the fight into the clinch.
Zmijanovic tries to pull guard but Thai holds him up against the cage and eventually Zmijanovic drops back down to his feet.
Thai connects with a knee to the head.
Thai is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Zmijanovic can't get the takedown.
Thai lands an elbow that stopped Zmijanovic in his tracks for a moment.
Thai lands an elbow inside that Zmijanovic shrugs off.
Zmijanovic wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Said Zmijanovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thai.
Zmijanovic takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zmijanovic goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thai prevents it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Thai obliges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thai has Zmijanovic pressed against the cage.
Zmijanovic is trying to force a seperation but Thai has the dominant position.
Zmijanovic using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Thai has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Thai holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Zmijanovic tries to break the clinch but Thai is controlling the position.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Thai takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Zmijanovic is looking to break free of the clinch but Thai has double underhooks.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Thai scores a nice knee to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Thai.
Thai putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Zmijanovic in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Thai leaning his opponent against the cage.

Thai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

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.

Thai clinches up with Zmijanovic and pushes him back against the cage.
Thai misses with a knee strike.
Thai looking to slow down the pace here.
Zmijanovic is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Thai landing knees to the head.

Thai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zmijanovic fails with the takedown.
Zmijanovic tries for a takedown but Thai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thai landing knees to the head.
Thai tries to land knees in the clinch but Zmijanovic avoids the damage to the body.
Zmijanovic tries to pull guard but Thai holds him up against the cage and eventually Zmijanovic drops back down to his feet.
Thai putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Zmijanovic in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Zmijanovic throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Thai lands a knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Thai.

Thai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Said Zmijanovic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zmijanovic looks for a takedown but Thai sprawls well.
No luck for Thai with that takedown attempt.

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

Thai closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Thai decides to stand back up. Thai steps back and let's Zmijanovic get back to his feet.
Zmijanovic thows a body shot but no joy.
Thai is looking to clinch.
Zmijanovic doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Thai counters by moving into the clinch.
Zmijanovic takes a knee right on the jaw!
Thai putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Zmijanovic in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Zmijanovic wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thai slows down the pace here.
Thai lands a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muay Thai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Thai throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zmijanovic was covering up waiting for the punch and Thai finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Thai wants to stand and escape but instead Zmijanovic has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Thai has momentary wrist control but Zmijanovic slips an elbow through the middle.
Zmijanovic advances position into side control!
Thai is trying to improve his position.
Zmijanovic lands a nice forearm strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zmijanovic advances to full mount.
Zmijanovic lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zmijanovic takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Zmijanovic lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The referee warns Thai that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Zmijanovic working the ground and pound effectively.

Zmijanovic is working for a guillotine from mount but Thai frees his head quite easily.
Thai is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Zmijanovic landing strikes from the mount and Thai is in trouble!
Thai is squirming around, avoiding Zmijanovic's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zmijanovic is really struggling to control Thai but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Zmijanovic landing strikes from the mount.
Zmijanovic postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Thai looks a forlorn figure.
Thai really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Zmijanovic looking to secure an arm triangle but Thai defends it well.
Thai is squirming around, avoiding Zmijanovic's attempts to control the action.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Zmijanovic cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thai tries to hold on but Zmijanovic pushes him away.
Zmijanovic working the ground and pound effectively.
Thai is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Zmijanovic trying to control but Thai is having none of it.

Zmijanovic is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Thai has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Thai tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zmijanovic is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Thai can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Thai sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Zmijanovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thai keeps working.
Thai trying to hold on to Zmijanovic's head to control him but Zmijanovic postures up.
Zmijanovic with the ground and pound but Thai uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Zmijanovic stands up over Thai, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Thai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Zmijanovic passes Thai's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Zmijanovic is trying to control the action in half guard but Thai is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Said Zmijanovic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zmijanovic has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Said Zmijanovic!