PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gianfranco Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Corey Bigs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zola kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Balls to the Wall. Bigs has chosen Danko Jones - Lovercall as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Zola
vs
Bigs

163 cm
28
142 lbs
22 - 4 - 0

165 cm
27
143 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Syndicate Drugs

Next Level Nutrition (158q for $50!!!!)
Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gianfranco Zola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Corey Bigs!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Daniel Cesar and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bigs checks a leg kick.
Bigs pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Zola 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.
Zola preventing the sweep.
Zola trying to control the position from guard on top but Bigs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Zola drops back looking for a leg! Bigs is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bigs manages to kick Zola off! Zola jumps back into Bigs's guard.
Zola preventing the sweep.

Bigs looking for a guillotine here but Zola defends easily.
Bigs trying to keep a closed guard but Zola is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bigs throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zola misses with a straight right.
Bigs moves away from the strike by Zola.
Zola takes a swing at Bigs's ribcage but misses.
Zola showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bigs.

Bigs closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Zola did well to prevent Bigs getting side control.
Bigs prevents Zola from improving his position.
Zola manages to get to full guard.
Bigs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zola is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bigs preventing the sweep.

Zola working for a triangle but Bigs defends it easily.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Bigs from controlling successfully.
Bigs slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Zola tries to buck Bigs off but Bigs is having none of it.
Bigs working the ground and pound from side control.
Bigs is chipping away with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zola tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bigs wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Bigs off and has taken his back!
Bigs rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Bigs is staying active underneath Zola, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Zola not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bigs is looking for a sweep. Zola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zola is keen to just control but Bigs is a slippery customer.
Zola passes the guard and advances to mount!

Zola goes for an armbar but Bigs turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Bigs.
Zola is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bigs in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Bigs distracts Zola with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bigs is in close to Zola's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Bigs postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bigs throws a strike but Zola rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Zola pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bigs is keeping the position for now.
Bigs not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Bigs escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zola gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Corey Bigs will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zola defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bigs.
Bigs pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A big left from Zola misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Zola misses the target.
Bigs looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A nice combination there by Bigs.
Zola misses with a looping right.
Bigs misses with a series of wild punches.
A swing and a miss from Zola.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bigs throws out a loose jab but Zola uses good head movement to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Bigs.
Bigs swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Zola throws a hook but Bigs blocks it.
Zola checks a leg kick.
No joy there for Bigs, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola lands with a good body shot.
Bigs with a poor takedown
and Zola counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zola misses with a body kick.
Zola misses the shot to the body.
Zola misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bigs.
Zola with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Zola swings for the body but Bigs moves out of range.
Zola cracks a nice hook into Bigs's ribs.
Zola lands a jab.
Zola misses with a takedown attempt

and Bigs counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bigs cracks Zola with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Bigs wants to control but Zola is keeping him busy.
Bigs is breathing heavily.
Bigs landing a few strikes.
Zola is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Zola is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bigs pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Bigs there.
Bigs is nestled in close to Zola, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Bigs works his way into full mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bigs scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Zola?
Zola is looking to improve his position but Bigs isn't that keen on the idea.
Bigs working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Zola tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bigs lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Zola hang on?
Bigs wants to control the pace but Zola is squirming around nicely.
Zola is in a horrible position here. Bigs smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bigs is working for a guillotine from mount but Zola frees his head quite easily.
Bigs thowing shots but they're missing.
Bigs looking to control but Zola is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Bigs controlling from mount.

Bigs swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Zola is now in Bigs's guard. A big mistake from Bigs there, giving up the dominant position!
Bigs avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four 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.
Zola 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.
Bigs looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zola is one step ahead there.
Zola slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bigs prevents Zola from moving into mount.
Bigs misses with a strike from the bottom.
Zola has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Bigs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Bigs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Zola showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bigs.

Bigs shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Zola napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bigs looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Zola is avoiding damage well.
Corey Bigs has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zola defending against the ground and pound.
Zola is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Bigs's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Bigs passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Zola!
Bigs wants to control the pace but Zola is squirming around nicely.
Zola is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Bigs with a couple of short strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bigs landing strikes, looking to finish!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bigs cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bigs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zola is in all sorts of trouble here.
Zola is working hard here to advance position.
Zola regains half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Zola manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zola trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Bigs postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Zola working a defensive guard here.
Bigs trying to control but Zola is working from the bottom.
Zola 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bigs landing some decent shots from guard.
Bigs trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bigs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zola swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bigs swinging wildly here.
Bigs looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Bigs scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Bigs with a poor takedown
and Zola makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zola.
Bigs is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola tries to advance to mount but can't.
Bigs gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Zola working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Bigs's thigh. Bigs counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Bigs is trying to control the position but Zola postures up.
Zola trying to control but Bigs is working from the bottom.
Zola won't allow Bigs to sweep him here.

That's four 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.
Bigs manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zola manages to get himself to full guard.
Bigs tries to free his leg and advance position but Zola is retaining full guard.
Zola looking to control.
Bigs working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Bigs is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Zola bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bigs's guard.
Zola trying to control but Bigs is working from the bottom.
Zola pushing down on Bigs's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Corey Bigs.
I've got Bigs winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Corey Bigs!
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Corey Bigs!
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Corey Bigs!

Corey Bigs wins by unanimous decision!