PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sigmund Neujd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zartan Zatarain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zatarain has chosen Linkin Park - The Catalyst as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Neujd
vs
Zatarain

190 cm
20
184 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

Balco Boys - Hilo

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sigmund Neujd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zartan Zatarain!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Sergei Dronov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zatarain tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zatarain avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Neujd misses the target.
Neujd steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zatarain.
A swing and a miss from Neujd.

Neujd closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Zatarain did well to prevent Neujd getting side control.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neujd is taking a breather. Zatarain says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Zatarain wants to improve his position but Neujd is controlling well.
Neujd prevents Zatarain from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neujd slows the pace down in half guard.
Neujd throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Neujd seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Zatarain wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Zatarain avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Neujd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Neujd takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Neujd has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sigmund Neujd.
Zatarain tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neujd swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Neujd.
Neujd misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zatarain tries to clinch up but Neujd circles away and keeps his distance.
Zatarain tries to clinch but Neujd moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zatarain looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Zatarain fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zatarain doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Neujd counters by moving into the clinch.

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.

Neujd has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Zatarain uses from the top position.
Zatarain looking to sit in guard and control but Neujd gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Neujd forces his way into half guard.
Neujd is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Neujd missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neujd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Well, if Neujd is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sigmund Neujd dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Neujd tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zatarain was well out of range. Poor timing from Neujd.
Zatarain misses with a low kick.
A slow jab from Zatarain misses its intended target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zatarain tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Neujd counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zatarain fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Neujd manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zatarain closes the distance looking to clinch
and Neujd counters with a stiff right hand.
Zatarain wants to clinch but Neujd slips to the side
and Neujd counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Zatarain darts in trying to clinch
and Neujd counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two 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.
Neujd looks to land a left hand but Zatarain moved out of range nicely.
Neujd swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big left from Zatarain misses.
Zatarain tries to clinch up
and Neujd counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neujd throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Neujd ducks under a wild hook from Zatarain.

Zatarain 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.
Neujd looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zatarain connects with a couple of short punches.
Zatarain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zatarain throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neujd works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zatarain scoring with some ground and pound.
Zatarain is looking to stand up but Neujd won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zatarain lands a couple of elbows.
Zatarain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Neujd looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zatarain is looking to work some ground and pound but Neujd has wrist control.
Zatarain postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zatarain stopping the sweep attempt from Neujd.
Zatarain lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neujd is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zatarain blocking the ground and pound attempt from Neujd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zartan Zatarain showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Neujd waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zatarain.

Zatarain closes the distance and clinches.
Zatarain throws an elbow that misses.
Neujd lands a body shot in the clinch.

Zatarain jumps guard and drags Neujd to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Neujd wants to control from the top but Zatarain keeps moving.
Neujd seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zatarain looking for a sweep. Not yet Zatarain, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zatarain is trying to hold Neujd in close to prevent damage but Neujd has managed to pass into half guard.
Zatarain wants to improve his position but Neujd is controlling well.
Zatarain really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Neujd. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Nice strikes from Neujd there.
Zatarain trying to hold on to Neujd's head to control him but Neujd postures up.
Neujd keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Neujd has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sigmund Neujd.

Neujd drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zatarain dodges the ground and pound from Neujd.
Neujd controlling the position.
Zatarain can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neujd misses with the ground and pound.
Zatarain tries to escape but Neujd is in control.
Zatarain takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Neujd misses with the ground and pound.
Neujd controls the position.
Neujd passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Zatarain!
Zatarain tries to hold on but Neujd postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neujd controlling from the full mount.
Neujd's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sigmund Neujd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Neujd 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sigmund Neujd!