PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Randal Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sancho Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zola has chosen Black Crow On A Tombstone by Satyricon as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Stevens
vs
Zola

175 cm
25
185 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

185 cm
28
197 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

FULL METAL GEAR
FULL METAL GEAR

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Randal Stevens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sancho Zola!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola digs a good hook to Stevens's body.
Zola throws a poor cross that misses
and Stevens counters with a stiff right hand.
Zola gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Stevens counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stevens. Zola does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zola misses with a takedown attempt

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Zola has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Stevens has passed into side control.
Zola taking a bit of punishment here - Stevens scoring with strikes.
Zola sneaks back into half guard.
Zola tries to roll over but Stevens keeps him under control.

Zola looking for submissions off his back.
Zola tries to get to full guard but Stevens has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Stevens is looking to advance position but Zola won't allow it.
Zola regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Zola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Stevens gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zola has control of Stevens's left arm, preventing Stevens from doing any damage.

That's two 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.
Zola looking for a sweep. Not yet Zola, not yet.
Zola manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Stevens manages to get himself to full guard.
Zola showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Stevens working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zola trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Stevens bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zola's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zola working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Stevens doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Stevens manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Zola is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Stevens is controlling him.
Stevens stays in close to Zola's body and controls the position.
Stevens connects with a couple of short punches.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zola is on top in guard.
Zola wants to control from the top but Stevens keeps moving.
Stevens is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevens looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Stevens tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zola knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Stevens working Zola over with strikes.
Zola moves into full guard.
Zola looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Zola has his foot on Stevens's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Stevens works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sancho Zola will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Zola throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Stevens counter with a right hand.
Zola fails with the takedown
and Stevens counters with a straight right hand.
Stevens moves out of range of the body kick.
Zola misses with a lunging right hand

and Stevens counters by clinching up.
Zola blocking some punches.
Zola prevents a body shot from Stevens.
Stevens wants a takedown but no success here.
Stevens stalling the fight.
Stevens can't find room to land a body shot as Zola controls the action.
Stevens prevents a takedown attempt there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice body punch from Stevens - that landed with a thud.
Stevens swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stevens swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stevens tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Zola drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Stevens gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Randal Stevens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sancho Zola.
Stevens is working Zola over against the cage.
Stevens misses with a hook to the ribs.
Stevens lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Zola backwards.
Stevens misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Stevens lands a body shot in the clinch.
Zola is breathing heavily.
Stevens misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Stevens.
Stevens lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Zola backwards.

Stevens gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Stevens is pressing down on Zola's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zola is holding on for now.
Stevens winds up and cracks Zola with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens wants to pass to mount but Zola is defending the position.
Stevens drops an elbow to the side of Zola's head.
Stevens trying to mount his opponent but Zola defends it.
Zola moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zola not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Zola working for submissions but it's allowed Stevens to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is trying to control the action in half guard but Zola is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Zola is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stevens is trying to control the action in half guard but Zola is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zola is trying to maintain the position but Stevens is very close to passing his half guard.
Stevens moves nicely into side control.
Zola wants to control but Stevens postures up.

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.
Stevens lands a nice forearm strike.
Zola is trying to control Stevens's posture but Stevens avoids it.
Stevens in side control lands a decent elbow.
Zola is not content to let Stevens control the position.
Zola on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Zola taking a bit of punishment here - Stevens scoring with strikes.
Zola tries to improve position but can't.
Zola sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randal Stevens dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zola uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stevens.
Stevens misses with a hook.
Zola has his takedown stuffed

and Stevens counters by clinching up.
Zola blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Zola escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zola throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Zola doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Stevens counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Zola!
Zola is trying desperately to improve position.
Randal Stevens overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zola is trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens looking to control but Zola is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zola is trying to escape the mount.
Stevens fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stevens trying to control but Zola is having none of it.
Zola is looking to get to half guard.

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.
Stevens wants to control the pace but Zola is squirming around nicely.
Zola is in all sorts of trouble here.
Stevens working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Zola tries to hold on but Stevens pushes him away.
Zola is trying desperately to improve position.
Zola sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Zola is staying active underneath Stevens, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Zola wants to get back to his feet.
Stevens is looking to take a break and control but Zola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola wants to get back to his feet.
Nice strikes from Stevens there.
Zola is looking for a sweep. Stevens is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stevens seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zola does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Stevens prevents Zola from standing back up.
Stevens is nestled in close to Zola, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Stevens is keen to just control but Zola is a slippery customer.
Zola is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zola trying to control but Stevens postures up.

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.
Zola has hold of Stevens's hands but Stevens slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zola wants to control but Stevens is keeping busy.
Stevens prevents Zola from standing back up.
Stevens looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Stevens is keen to just control but Zola is a slippery customer.
Zola manages to get to full guard.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Stevens from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randal Stevens showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stevens has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randal Stevens!