PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Peter Zezel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mathew Lacey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Zezel
vs
Lacey

180 cm
27
192 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

190 cm
26
192 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Peter Zezel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mathew Lacey!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lacey slips a straight right by Zezel.
Lacey swings for the body but Zezel moves out of range.

Lacey throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zezel was covering up waiting for the punch and Lacey finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Zezel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lacey accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lacey is looking to work some ground and pound but Zezel has wrist control.
Lacey pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zezel is keeping the position for now.

Lacey drops back looking for a leg! Zezel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zezel manages to kick Lacey off! Lacey jumps back into Zezel's guard.
Zezel managing to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zezel looking to control.
Lacey throwing strikes from guard but Zezel blocks nicely.
Lacey chips away with some ground and pound.
Zezel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lacey content to stall in guard here.
Zezel trying to control the position.
Lacey trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two 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.
Lacey wants to control from the top but Zezel keeps moving.
Lacey postures up in Zezel's guard and throws a big left but Zezel blocks it.
Lacey content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lacey controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Zezel keeping moving, preventing Lacey from controlling successfully.
Zezel 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lacey throws a looping overhand right but Zezel ducks down to avoid it.
Lacey swings for the body but Zezel moves out of range.
Lacey swats away the attempt to clinch by Zezel.
Zezel scores with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zezel misses with a head kick.
Zezel lands a high kick!
A head kick misses from Zezel.

Lacey is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Zezel's half guard.
Lacey winds up and cracks Zezel with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Zezel wants to get back to full guard.
Lacey not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zezel blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lacey.
Lacey not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lacey trying to control the action but Zezel is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lacey not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lacey throwing shots but Zezel is blocking nicely.
Lacey has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zezel is staying active underneath Lacey, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Lacey thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Zezel to regain full guard.
Lacey postures up in Zezel's guard and throws a big left but Zezel blocks it.
Zezel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lacey.
Lacey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lacey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Lacey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lacey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zezel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mathew Lacey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zezel tries to land a front kick but Lacey steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Zezel doesn't manage to clinch there - Lacey circles away.
Zezel tries to clinch but Lacey moves out of range.
Zezel slips a jab from Lacey.
Lacey throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Zezel stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Zezel takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Zezel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lacey.
Nice sprawl there from Zezel as Lacey shoots in.
Lacey throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Zezel fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Lacey is out of range.
Zezel wants to clinch.
Lacey looks to score with a jab to the body but Zezel is just out of range.
Lacey throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zezel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacey throws a looping overhand right but Zezel ducks down to avoid it.
Lacey with a nice cross.

It looks like Peter Zezel has been cut.
Zezel takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lacey bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Zezel moves out of range as Lacey strikes.
Lacey scores with a hook.
Zezel avoids the body shot from Lacey.
Zezel tries a head kick but it misses.
Zezel gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lacey.
Zezel moves in looking to clinch but Lacey pushes him off.
Zezel tries to land a leg kick but Lacey saw it coming and moves away.
Lacey scores with a jab to the body.

Lacey throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Zezel was covering up waiting for the punch and Lacey finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Lacey drops back looking for a leg! Zezel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zezel manages to kick Lacey off! Lacey jumps back into Zezel's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lacey throwing strikes from guard but Zezel blocks nicely.
Zezel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lacey is one step ahead there.
Zezel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lacey cracks Zezel with a solid left hand.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Zezel is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lacey in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lacey won't allow Zezel to sweep him here.
Zezel keeping moving, preventing Lacey from controlling successfully.
Lacey wants to pass the guard but Zezel is keeping the position.
Zezel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lacey on the ground.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lacey's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Zezel working a defensive guard here.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Zezel keeping moving, preventing Lacey from controlling successfully.

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.
Zezel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lacey with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lacey is looking to work some ground and pound but Zezel has wrist control.
Lacey throws a big right hand that misses.
Lacey trying to control but Zezel is working from the bottom.
Lacey working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zezel is trying to keep Lacey in close.
Lacey is looking to work some ground and pound but Zezel has wrist control.
Lacey postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mathew Lacey showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Peter Zezel's cut.
That's time! Zezel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Zezel throws a sloppy head kick and Lacey moves out of range easily.
Zezel is looking to slow Lacey down with leg kicks.
Lacey tries for a takedown but Zezel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Lacey pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A thudding body kick lands there by Zezel!
Lacey throws a hook but Zezel avoids it easily.
Zezel slips under a jab from Lacey.

Zezel moves into the clinch.
Zezel is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Zezel stalling in the clinch.
Zezel unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lacey lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zezel looking to stall.
Lacey drops down looking for an ankle pick but Zezel pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lacey jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice straight punches there by Lacey. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Lacey.
Lacey thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lacey just misses with a punch to the body.
Lacey stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Zezel.
Lacey throws out a loose jab but Zezel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zezel plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A punch combination from Lacey misses.
Lacey takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lacey takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zezel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lacey throws a lazy right hand but Zezel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zezel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lacey throws a hook but Zezel avoids it easily.
A good leg kick by Zezel.
Lacey looks to land a left hand but Zezel moved out of range nicely.
Zezel slips a jab from Lacey.
Lacey throws a right hand that Zezel ducks under and follows up with a left that Zezel also avoids with ease.
Zezel misses with a head kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Zezel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zezel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lacey throws out the jab.
Zezel lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lacey's sensitive parts.
Zezel throws a nice inside leg kick.
Zezel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lacey shoots for a double leg takedown but Zezel sprawls well. He's pushed Lacey's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Peter Zezel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mathew Lacey.
Zezel lands with a cross.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lacey lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zezel circles away quickly and effectively.
Zezel plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Lacey stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Zezel.

Zezel clinches up against the cage.
Zezel lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Lacey is rocked!

It looks like Mathew Lacey has been cut.
Zezel lands a big knee! That's hurt Lacey! Oh, he's all over the place! Zezel lands another knee that sends Lacey to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Peter Zezel!