PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Zeldenthuis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Serra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Zeldenthuis
vs
Serra

172 cm
22
180 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

L.A. Elite Supplements
Das Labor

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dirk Zeldenthuis!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Serra!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Serra comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Zeldenthuis decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Well, if Zeldenthuis 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.
Serra is looking to improve his position.
Serra trying to control but Zeldenthuis postures up.
Serra is refusing to be controlled, as Zeldenthuis sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Serra's head.
Zeldenthuis wants to take a breather but Serra is having none of it.
Zeldenthuis with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Zeldenthuis trying to control from half guard but Serra is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dirk Zeldenthuis wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Nice sprawl there from Serra as Zeldenthuis shoots in.
Serra scores with a shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zeldenthuis is defended easily by Serra.
Zeldenthuis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

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.
A looping hook to the body misses from Serra. Zeldenthuis does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zeldenthuis closes this distance looking for a takedown but Serra circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dirk Zeldenthuis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zeldenthuis is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Serra.

Zeldenthuis shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Zeldenthuis was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Serra wants to control but Zeldenthuis is having none of it.
Zeldenthuis wants to control the pace but Serra is squirming around nicely.
Serra is looking to improve his position but Zeldenthuis isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serra manages to regain half guard whilst avoiding the strikes.
Serra won't allow Zeldenthuis to pass to mount.
Serra has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zeldenthuis is working away from the top position though.
Zeldenthuis wants to free his trapped foot but Serra is holding on for dear life with his legs.

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.
Zeldenthuis wants to control but Serra is keeping him busy.
Zeldenthuis stalling.
Zeldenthuis wants to control but Serra is keeping him busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dirk Zeldenthuis just wasn't active enough.

Serra drives through with a takedown into guard.
Serra trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeldenthuis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
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 Dirk Zeldenthuis will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Zeldenthuis has his takedown stuffed
and Serra counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Zeldenthuis 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.
Zeldenthuis trying to control the position from guard on top but Serra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Serra is adopting a defensive guard.
Zeldenthuis wants to control from the top but Serra keeps moving.
Zeldenthuis is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Serra is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Serra is trying to keep Zeldenthuis in close.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zeldenthuis misses with a takedown
and Serra counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Zeldenthuis throws a nice outside leg kick.
Serra jabs at Zeldenthuis's body.
Zeldenthuis with a poor takedown
and Serra cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dirk Zeldenthuis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zeldenthuis shoots and misses

and Serra counters with a single leg into guard. Zeldenthuis didn't expect that.
Zeldenthuis tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis working a defensive guard here.
Serra wants to control from the top but Zeldenthuis keeps moving.
Serra pushes down on Zeldenthuis's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Well, if Serra 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Serra is looking to take a break and control but Zeldenthuis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Zeldenthuis wants to get back to full guard.
Serra trying to control the pace.
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.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matt Serra.
Zeldenthuis misses with a takedown

and Serra counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Zeldenthuis is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Serra defends well.
Serra trying to control but Zeldenthuis is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Zeldenthuis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zeldenthuis doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Serra counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Serra is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Serra wants to control from the top but Zeldenthuis keeps moving.
Zeldenthuis is trying to control the position but Serra postures up.
Zeldenthuis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Serra trying to control but Zeldenthuis postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Serra is trying to get back to full guard.
Zeldenthuis trying to advance position but Serra counters by regaining guard.
Zeldenthuis wants to control from the top but Serra keeps moving.

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.

Zeldenthuis is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Serra is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Serra has escaped and now he's on top!
Serra must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Zeldenthuis has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Serra can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Serra trying to control but Zeldenthuis is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis is trying to control the position but Serra postures up.
Zeldenthuis can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Serra controls the pace.
Serra looking to pass the guard.

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

Serra got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zeldenthuis has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Serra has managed to get both his arms back between Zeldenthuis's legs - danger averted.
Zeldenthuis trying to keep a closed guard but Serra is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra really dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zeldenthuis feints and as Serra raises his hands in defense, Zeldenthuis changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zeldenthuis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Serra swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Serra is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zeldenthuis stands and throws Serra's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Serra is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Serra dodges the ground and pound from Zeldenthuis.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Serra parries the strikes from Zeldenthuis easily there. Zeldenthuis is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Serra to escape.
Zeldenthuis wants to control but Serra is keeping him busy.
Zeldenthuis misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Zeldenthuis has knee on belly momentarily but Serra bucks him off and regains half guard.
Serra is looking to control Zeldenthuis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Serra avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Zeldenthuis is looking to take a break and control but Serra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dirk Zeldenthuis.
Zeldenthuis misses with a takedown
and Serra counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Zeldenthuis decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Zeldenthuis passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeldenthuis tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Serra tries to hold on but Zeldenthuis postures up.
BOOM! Zeldenthuis connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Zeldenthuis trying to control but Serra is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Zeldenthuis had his way with Matt Serra in that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zeldenthuis keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zeldenthuis misses with a takedown attempt
and Serra connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zeldenthuis with a lazy takedown attempt

and Serra counters with a shoot takedown. Zeldenthuis fights it but they end up in guard.
Serra trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Zeldenthuis is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Serra has his hands clasped together but Zeldenthuis extends an breaks Serra's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Zeldenthuis.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 5, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dirk Zeldenthuis!
Dirk Zeldenthuis retains his welterweight title!