PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Theodore Ives (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bernhard Zeigler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Theodore Ives looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Ives
vs
Zeigler

180 cm
22
182 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
21
191 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Theodore Ives!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bernhard Zeigler!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zeigler is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bernhard Zeigler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zeigler tries to clinch up.
Zeigler throws a low kick, looking for Ives's leg but Ives calmly moves out of range.

Zeigler is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ives's half guard.
Ives tries to get to full guard but Zeigler has control of the leg.
Ives works his way to full guard. Good work.
Zeigler tries to free his leg and advance position but Ives is retaining full guard.
Ives is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zeigler wants to control from the top but Ives keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ives has his hands on Zeigler's head, controlling the position.
Zeigler throws a big right hand that misses.
Zeigler preventing the sweep.
Zeigler wants to control from the top but Ives keeps moving.
Zeigler tries to free his leg and advance position but Ives is retaining full guard.
Zeigler really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ives. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zeigler shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ives pinned against the cage. Ives gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ives tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zeigler will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zeigler looks gassed!

Ives closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zeigler to the mat! Zeigler manages to get full guard.
Ives stands and throws Zeigler's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Zeigler is being controlled here.
Zeigler prevents Ives from improving position.
Ives moves into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ives get's back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ives misses with a body kick.
Zeigler tries for a takedown but Ives circles away easily

and Ives counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Theodore Ives has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bernhard Zeigler.
Ives looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ives is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ives is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Zeigler is refusing to be controlled, as Ives sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Ives prevents Zeigler from improving his position.
Ives stalling.
Ives missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zeigler won't allow Ives to pass to mount.
Ives is trying to control. Zeigler wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ives throwing shots but Zeigler is blocking nicely.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zeigler lands a nice looking body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Theodore Ives 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.

Zeigler shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ives napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ives manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Zeigler is working for a submission of some sort.
Ives is positioning himself well to prevent Zeigler advancing to mount.
Zeigler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ives keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ives has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zeigler is working away from the top position though.
Ives is positioning himself well to prevent Zeigler advancing to mount.
Ives regains full guard. Nicely done.
Zeigler wants to pass the guard but Ives is keeping the position.

Ives throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Zeigler pushes down on Ives's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ives trying to control from the bottom.
Ives tries to get to full guard but Zeigler has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ground and pound from Zeigler.
Ives is trying to maintain the position but Zeigler is very close to passing his half guard.
Ives wants to improve his position but Zeigler is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeigler wants to stand up but Ives has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Zeigler decides to stand and escape the position.
Zeigler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ives scores with a takedown into Zeigler's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ives trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeigler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ives won't allow Zeigler to sweep him here.
Ives stays in close to Zeigler's body and controls the position.
Theodore Ives overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ives pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zeigler is keeping the position for now.
Ives might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Zeigler keeping moving, preventing Ives from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Theodore Ives will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zeigler doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ives decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zeigler's guard.
Ives sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Zeigler keeping full guard, as Ives tries to pass.
Zeigler keeping moving, preventing Ives from controlling successfully.
Zeigler looking for a sweep. Not yet Zeigler, not yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ives trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ives thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeigler seems keen to control Ives's posture.

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

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Ives drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ives wants to control from the top but Zeigler keeps moving.
Ives slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ives wants to control from the top but Zeigler keeps moving.
Zeigler tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ives postures up.
Ives wants to control from the top but Zeigler keeps moving.
Ives slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zeigler doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ives counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zeigler's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ives wants to control from the top but Zeigler keeps moving.
Ives trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ives works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Zeigler is trying to control but can't.

Ives seems to be looking for submissions.
Ives wants to take a breather but Zeigler is having none of it.
Zeigler wants to get back to his feet.

Ives is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

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.
Ives is stalling here. Zeigler is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Ives seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Zeigler has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Ives is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zeigler's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Zeigler trying to mount his opponent but Ives defends it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ives manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bernhard Zeigler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Theodore Ives is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zeigler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ives works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Theodore Ives showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ives, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Theodore Ives!