PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pablo Zacancer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Zacancer's choice of entrance music: Piranha - The Prodigy. 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.

Thomas
vs
Zacancer

225 cm
26
265 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

188 cm
23
280 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Pablo Zacancer!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, William Gold and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zacancer shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Thomas manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Zacancer trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.
Zacancer pushes down on Thomas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Thomas is looking to escape.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Thomas is trying to get back to full guard.
Thomas wants to get back to his feet.
Zacancer slows the pace down in half guard.
Zacancer passes into side control, despite Thomas's attempt to control the position.
Zacancer tries to move into full mount but can't pass Thomas's legs.

Zacancer working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Thomas really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zacancer misses with the ground and pound.
Zacancer trying to control the action but Thomas is working from the bottom.
The ground and pound from Zacancer seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Thomas tries to improve position but can't.
Thomas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zacancer on the ground.
Thomas misses with an elbow from the bottom.

Zacancer is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Thomas is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Thomas is looking to reverse the position.
Zacancer is looking to take a break and control but Thomas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

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.
Thomas struggling a bit here.
Zacancer wants to control but Thomas is keeping him busy.

Zacancer tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Zacancer has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Zacancer tries to move to mount but Thomas blocks the move with his legs.
Thomas is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zacancer's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Thomas works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas wants to stand and escape but Zacancer is having none of it.
Thomas is breathing heavily.

Zacancer drops back looking for a leg! Thomas is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Thomas manages to kick Zacancer off! Zacancer jumps back into Thomas's guard.
Zacancer trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zacancer stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thomas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thomas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thomas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zacancer is one step ahead there.

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

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Thomas walks into a stiff left hand from Zacancer.

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.
Thomas showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zacancer.
Zacancer lands the left hand.
Thomas throws a sloppy head kick and Zacancer moves out of range easily.

Thomas gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Zacancer to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Zacancer decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Zacancer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Thomas ducks under a wild hook from Zacancer.
Zacancer moves in looking to clinch but Thomas pushes him off.
Thomas tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zacancer connects with a right hand. Thomas shakes it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zacancer drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Thomas tries to buck Zacancer off but Zacancer is having none of it.

Zacancer decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Thomas throws a wild body kick that Zacancer sees coming a mile off.

Thomas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Zacancer trying to control the position but instead, Thomas has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zacancer into the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Zacancer's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Zacancer breaks the clinch.
Zacancer throws a body punch but Thomas moves out of range.
Thomas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zacancer cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Zacancer fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Thomas doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Zacancer counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zacancer trying to control but Thomas is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zacancer is pushing down on Thomas's leg trying to pass to half guard. Thomas is fighting to maintain full guard but Zacancer has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zacancer stalling.
Zacancer is looking to advance position but Thomas won't allow it.
Zacancer has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Thomas is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Thomas is bucking up trying to escape but Zacancer cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two 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.
Thomas is looking to get to half guard.
Thomas is squirming around, avoiding Zacancer's attempts to control the action.
Zacancer takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Thomas is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Zacancer is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Thomas knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Thomas for a finish.

Zacancer has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Thomas manages to reverse the position and now he's in Zacancer's guard. Nice work there by Thomas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zacancer pulls Thomas in to control the position.
Zacancer's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Zacancer is trying to keep Thomas in close.
Thomas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Thomas throwing strikes but missing.
Zacancer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thomas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Zacancer bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Thomas's guard.
Thomas keeping moving, preventing Zacancer from controlling successfully.
Zacancer content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zacancer pushes down on Thomas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Zacancer wants to pass to mount but Thomas is defending the position.
Thomas is trying to control but can't.
Zacancer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Thomas keeps working.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Pablo Zacancer.
Thomas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zacancer pinned against the cage. Zacancer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pablo Zacancer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zacancer shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Zacancer 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.
Thomas wants to sweep here but Zacancer controlling him for the moment.
Zacancer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thomas is keeping the position for now.
Thomas looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zacancer looking to pass the guard.
Zacancer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Thomas manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thomas tries for a takedown but Zacancer circles away easily

and Zacancer counters with a takedown into side control.
Thomas managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Zacancer.
Thomas manages to get back to half guard.
Thomas missing with punches from the bottom.
Zacancer prevents Thomas from standing back up.
Zacancer moves nicely into side control.

Zacancer goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Thomas has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Zacancer but great work by Thomas.
Zacancer sneaks back into half guard.
Thomas takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Zacancer moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pablo Zacancer!