PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jason Zane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavel Lopes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Zane
vs
Lopes

189 cm
22
213 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jason Zane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pavel Lopes!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zane throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zane tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Lopes scores a takedown into full mount!
Zane regains half guard.
Lopes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zane keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zane pushes Lopes off looking to stand but Lopes dives back in and keeps control.
Lopes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lopes stops Zane from getting back to his feet.
Lopes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lopes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zane trying to hold on to Lopes's head to control him but Lopes postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zane wants to improve his position but Lopes is controlling well.
Zane wants to get back to his feet.

Lopes is working for a submission of some sort.
Zane keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zane keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lopes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lopes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lopes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zane's waist but Zane gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lopes off to one side.
No joy there for Zane, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zane throws a shot from downtown. Lopes moves away and avoids it.
Zane throws a big shot that misses.
Lopes avoids the head kick by Zane.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Zane, right into the meat.
Zane is breathing heavily.
Zane scores with a one two! Lopes had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Jason Zane is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lopes dives in and grabs Zane's left leg, looking for a takedown. Zane pushes down on Lopes's head and hops out.
Zane throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lopes dodges the punch combination from Zane.
Zane misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Jason Zane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pavel Lopes.
Lopes closes the distance and clinches up with Zane, looking for a takedown. Lopes pushes Zane against the cage but Zane circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lopes slips a straight right by Zane.
Zane tries to clinch up but Lopes circles away and keeps his distance.

Lopes feints and as Zane raises his hands in defense, Lopes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lopes lands a couple of elbows.
Lopes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lopes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lopes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lopes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Lopes prevents Zane from getting back to his feet.
Lopes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Zane is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lopes is controlling him.
Lopes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zane swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lopes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lopes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zane works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jason Zane will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zane tries a head kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Zane.
Zane misses with an attempted mid kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zane looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zane throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zane jabbing away but nothing is landing.
No joy there for Zane, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Lopes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lopes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Lopes landing with the ground and pound.

Lopes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lopes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopes is working Zane over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zane preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lopes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zane avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zane 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.
Zane wants to stand but Lopes is controlling the position.
Zane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lopes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zane misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lopes moves out of range as Zane strikes.
Lopes slips under a jab from Zane.
Zane throws the left hand but Lopes avoids the punch easily.

Lopes scores a takedown into full mount!
Zane tries to buck Lopes off but he can't manage it.
Lopes landing shots from mount.
Lopes looking to ground and pound but Zane is blocking nicely.
Lopes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes won't let Zane get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Lopes lands a nice shot to the head.
Zane is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Lopes cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Zane keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Lopes with a couple of short strikes.
Lopes sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Lopes jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Zane manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Zane is pushing Lopes's head away, looking to escape. Lopes manages to hold on to the position though.

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

Lopes looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Zane!
Lopes throwing strikes here but Zane is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Lopes goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Zane turns into him and now he's in Lopes's guard.
Zane won't allow Lopes to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pavel Lopes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fighters circle momentarily. Zane darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Zane tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lopes swats away the attempt to clinch by Zane.
Lopes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zane.
Zane is looking to clinch.
Zane moves in looking to clinch but Lopes pushes him off.
Zane fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lopes slips a jab and a cross from Zane.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zane.
Lopes takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Zane swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Lopes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pavel Lopes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopes not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zane keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lopes connects with a nice short shot to Zane's temple.
Lopes tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zane knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lopes is nestled in close to Zane, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Lopes. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Lopes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Zane is trying to get back to full guard.
Lopes lands strikes from half guard.

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.
Lopes stops Zane from getting back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Lopes.
Zane looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zane keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zane throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lopes.
Jason Zane seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zane misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jason Zane is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lopes shoots in for a takedown but Zane shows good takedown defense.
Zane doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopes circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zane throws a shot from downtown. Lopes moves away and avoids it.
Nice takedown defense from Zane. No joy for Lopes on that attempt.
Good standup being displayed there by Zane as he connects with a hook.
Zane misses with an uppercut. Lopes saw that one coming.
Lopes avoids the head kick by Zane.
Lopes ducks under a wild hook from Zane.

Lopes throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zane was covering up waiting for the punch and Lopes finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zane wants to get back to his feet but Lopes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zane works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zane is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lopes passes into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopes throwing shots but Zane is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pavel Lopes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lopes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pavel Lopes!