PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Lucas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaoklai Zinerovski (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.

Lucas
vs
Zinerovski

191 cm
18
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Frank Lucas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kaoklai Zinerovski!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lucas tries to clinch but Zinerovski is having none of it.
Zinerovski looks to clinch

and Lucas holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zinerovski is pressed up against the cage. Lucas has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zinerovski down to the mat. Zinerovski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zinerovski tries a head kick but it misses.
Zinerovski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Both fighters circling a little - Zinerovski finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lucas is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zinerovski pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Lucas turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Zinerovski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zinerovski is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Lucas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Zinerovski is looking to improve his position.

Zinerovski looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zinerovski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zinerovski.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zinerovski is pulling down on Lucas's head to control his posture.
Lucas trying to control but Zinerovski is working from the bottom.

Lucas avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Zinerovski wants to sweep but no luck.

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.
Zinerovski keeping moving, preventing Lucas from controlling successfully.

Zinerovski has his feet on Lucas's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Zinerovski looks gassed!

Lucas shoots in and bounces Zinerovski off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Lucas is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lucas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lucas looking to pass the guard.
Zinerovski throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zinerovski looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lucas is one step ahead there.

Zinerovski pushes Lucas off and scrambles back to his feet.
Lucas rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zinerovski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Zinerovski throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Zinerovski shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Lucas's guard.
Zinerovski wants to control from the top but Lucas keeps moving.
Lucas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zinerovski throws a strike but Lucas rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zinerovski is keeping the position for now.
Zinerovski keeping moving, preventing Lucas from controlling successfully.

Zinerovski is looking for a triangle but Lucas pushes his legs off easily.
Lucas passes Zinerovski's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Well, if Lucas 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.

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

Lucas doesn't manage to clinch there - Zinerovski circles away.
Zinerovski lands a nice looking kick to the body. Lucas takes a step back to recover.
Lucas tries to clinch
and Zinerovski counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Zinerovski closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Lucas is trying to escape the position but Zinerovski is controlling the position.
Zinerovski lands a decent elbow from side control.
Lucas struggling a bit here.

Zinerovski looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
You can see the frustration on Lucas's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zinerovski working the head with strikes.
Zinerovski is working Lucas over with some ground and pound from side control.
Lucas struggling a bit here.
Zinerovski landing strikes.

Zinerovski is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Lucas has escaped the position, nice work there.

Zinerovski tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Zinerovski has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Zinerovski stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Zinerovski throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Lucas counters with a single leg into guard. Zinerovski didn't expect that.
Kaoklai Zinerovski has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zinerovski looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Lucas got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zinerovski has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lucas has managed to get both his arms back between Zinerovski's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zinerovski working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lucas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lucas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Zinerovski doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Zinerovski throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Zinerovski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zinerovski wants to sweep here but Lucas controlling him for the moment.

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.
Lucas passes into half guard.
Zinerovski wants to improve his position but Lucas is controlling well.
Zinerovski striking from the bottom.
Lucas wants to take a breather but Zinerovski is having none of it.
Zinerovski is trying to get back to full guard.

Lucas is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zinerovski sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kaoklai Zinerovski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Lucas tries to clinch up but Zinerovski circles away and keeps his distance.
Zinerovski misses with a takedown attempt

and Lucas counters with a single leg into guard. Zinerovski didn't expect that.
Zinerovski throws a couple of heel strikes.
Lucas trying to control the position from guard on top but Zinerovski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lucas stands up out of Zinerovski's guard for a moment - Zinerovski manages to land a nice upkick.
Zinerovski looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Lucas puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Lucas takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Lucas wants to take a breather but Zinerovski is having none of it.
Zinerovski tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Lucas has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lucas prevents Zinerovski from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lucas prevents Zinerovski from getting the reversal.
Zinerovski is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zinerovski tries to control Lucas's body but Lucas pushes him off. Zinerovski squirms to his side and now Lucas has his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lucas is not going to allow Zinerovski to sit and survive in this position.
Zinerovski wants to escape the position.
Lucas landing with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zinerovski is in bad spot here.
Zinerovski just trying to survive but Lucas is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
What can Zinerovski do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Lucas seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Zinerovski for as long as he can get away with.
Zinerovski tries to escape the position.
Zinerovski wants to control his opponent's hands but Lucas gets his hands free.
You can see the frustration on Zinerovski's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Lucas is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Zinerovski. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

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.
Zinerovski wants to get back to his feet.
Zinerovski manages to reverse the position and now he's in Lucas's guard. Nice work there by Zinerovski.
Zinerovski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lucas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zinerovski pinned against the cage. Zinerovski gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lucas is looking to score with low kicks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zinerovski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zinerovski is looking to clinch but Lucas is avoiding it.
Frank Lucas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kaoklai Zinerovski is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lucas clobbers Zinerovski with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Lucas showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zinerovski 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaoklai Zinerovski!