PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mordion Zeraka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Palmer Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Palmer Ward looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Zeraka
vs
Ward

180 cm
19
265 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

215 cm
24
309 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mordion Zeraka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Palmer Ward!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ward moves into the clinch.
Zeraka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zeraka wants to clinch but Ward slips to the side
and Ward counters with a nice leg kick.

Ward has managed to clinch.
Zeraka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Palmer Ward has been cut.
Ward lands a nice knee to the body.
Zeraka is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ward scores a nice knee to the body.
Ward creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zeraka's defenses.

It looks like Mordion Zeraka has been cut.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Zeraka gets tackled into the cage by Ward. Ward maintains the clinch.
Ward landing knees to the body.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ward darts in and clinches Zeraka up against the cage.

Ward breaks from the clinch.

Ward gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ward scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Ward gets a clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward moves into range and clinches up with Zeraka.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ward as Zeraka tries to tie him up.
Ward creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zeraka's defenses.

Ward breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ward clinches up with Zeraka and pushes him back against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch.

Ward moves into range and clinches up with Zeraka.
Ward utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zeraka, pushing him back against the cage.

Ward manages to break the clinch.

Ward clinches up with Zeraka and pushes him back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Ward.
Zeraka tries a knee to the head but Ward blocks it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ward obliges.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zeraka lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zeraka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Zeraka takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zeraka looking to throw knees to the head but Ward is blocking nicely.

Ward breaks the clinch.

Ward instigates a clinch.
Ward misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zeraka.
Ward tries to land knees in the clinch but Zeraka avoids the damage to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Zeraka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ward's brow.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Zeraka tries to clinch but Ward moves away

and Ward moves into the clinch.
Zeraka pushes off an throws an elbow but Ward leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zeraka throws an elbow but misses.
Ward avoiding damage as Zeraka throws knees to the body.
Ward blocks the elbow strike.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ward goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Ward drives through and clinches with Zeraka against the cage.
Ward landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Mordion Zeraka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zeraka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ward counters with a nice kick to the body.
Zeraka moves to clinch but Ward breaks away

and Ward counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ward.
Ward landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Ward breaks the clinch.

Ward fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zeraka, pushing him back against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zeraka throws an elbow but misses.
Ward utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward moves into the clinch successfully.
Zeraka misses with a knee strike.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward darts in and clinches Zeraka up against the cage.
Zeraka takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zeraka avoiding damage as Ward throws knees to the body.
Zeraka blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Ward misses with a head kick.
Zeraka tries to clinch but Ward moves away
and Ward counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zeraka tries to clinch

and Ward counters by clinching up.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ward.
Ward avoiding damage as Zeraka throws knees to the body.
Ward trying to land knees to the body.
Zeraka avoiding damage as Ward throws knees to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Zeraka just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ward's brow.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ward drives through and clinches with Zeraka against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch.

Ward gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zeraka looks to clinch
and Ward counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zeraka thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side

and Ward holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zeraka tries to clinch up

and Ward counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ward.
Ward takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ward putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Zeraka in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Ward avoiding damage as Zeraka throws knees to the body.
Zeraka throws a knee to the head but misses.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward closes the distance and clinches.
Ward tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zeraka avoids it.
Ward working Zeraka over with knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zeraka throws an elbow but misses.
Zeraka utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zeraka looks to clinch
and Ward counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side
and Ward counters with a head kick.
Zeraka tries to clinch up

and Ward counters by moving into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Palmer Ward dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Zeraka darts in trying to clinch
and Ward counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Ward has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ward avoids a wild elbow strike from Zeraka.
Ward is trying to push Zeraka away but Zeraka has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zeraka moves to clinch but Ward breaks away
and Ward counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ward fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Zeraka has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Zeraka closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ward counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ward lands a nice knee to the body.
Zeraka creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Zeraka trying to land knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ward is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Zeraka rather than just go for the knockout.

Ward moves into the clinch.
Ward avoiding damage as Zeraka throws knees to the body.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward darts in and clinches Zeraka up against the cage.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zeraka lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ward blocks an elbow strike from Zeraka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward lands a nice knee to the body.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zeraka darts in trying to clinch

and Ward counters by clinching up.
Ward missing with knees to the body.
Ward is trying to break free.
Zeraka throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ward utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Zeraka trying to stall but Ward improves his position.
Ward has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zeraka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ward counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Palmer Ward is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zeraka closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ward counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Zeraka looking to throw knees to the head but Ward is blocking nicely.

Ward breaks the clinch.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Ward. Zeraka shrugs it off though.

Zeraka tries to keep at a distance but Ward has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Zeraka's defenses.
Zeraka is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ward is defending well for now.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Zeraka darts in trying to clinch

and Ward counters by clinching up.
Zeraka tries to land knees in the clinch but Ward avoids the damage to the body.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ward rushes Zeraka and presses him up against the cage.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zeraka wants to clinch but Ward slips to the side

and Ward holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ward tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward lands a knee to the body.
Palmer Ward seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ward is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Zeraka is defending well for now.
Ward landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zeraka tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ward counters with a big head kick but Zeraka shrugs it off.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side
and Ward counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zeraka has closed the distance and engaged Ward in a clinch.
Ward scores a nice knee to the body.
Ward tries to land knees in the clinch but Zeraka avoids the damage to the body.
Zeraka managing to block the knees to the body from Ward.
Ward connects with a nasty looking knee right to Zeraka's face.
Ward avoiding damage as Zeraka throws knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zeraka throws a knee to the head but misses.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side
and Ward counters with a three punch combo that has Zeraka backing up. Zeraka nods at Ward to acknowledge the strikes.
Ward punishes Zeraka's body with a nice straight punch.
Palmer Ward seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Zeraka moves to clinch but Ward breaks away

and Ward counters by moving into the clinch.
Ward blocks an elbow strike.
Zeraka looking to throw knees to the head but Ward is blocking nicely.

Ward breaks the clinch.

Ward clinches up with Zeraka and pushes him back against the cage.

Ward breaks from the clinch.

Ward has closed the distance and engaged Zeraka in a clinch.
Zeraka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ward has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zeraka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zeraka moves into the clinch.
Zeraka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ward has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ward working Zeraka over with knees to the body.
Ward landing knees to the head.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ward misses with a low kick.
Zeraka wants to clinch

and Ward counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Zeraka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ward lands a knee to the body.
Zeraka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side

and Ward counters by clinching up.
Ward misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zeraka.
Zeraka throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Zeraka tries to clinch but Ward moves away
and Ward counters with an outside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Ward moves into the clinch successfully.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zeraka missing with knees to the body.
Zeraka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ward avoids it.
Zeraka takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zeraka with an attempt at a knee that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Palmer Ward showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ward drives through and clinches with Zeraka against the cage.
Ward can't break the clinch.
Zeraka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zeraka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ward.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Zeraka moves into the clinch.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward rushes Zeraka and presses him up against the cage.
Zeraka comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Zeraka throws an elbow that misses.
Zeraka with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zeraka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ward.
Ward on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ward pushes Zeraka up against the cage in a clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward rushes Zeraka and presses him up against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ward pushes Zeraka up against the cage in a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ward.
Ward landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ward unloads a knee to the mid-section. Zeraka lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zeraka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ward lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeraka closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ward counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ward.
Ward misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zeraka.
Zeraka pushes off an throws an elbow but Ward leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ward avoids a wild elbow strike from Zeraka.
Ward lands a nice knee to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zeraka throws an elbow but misses.
Ward misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zeraka.
Zeraka avoiding damage as Ward throws knees to the body.
Zeraka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Ward blocks the elbow strike.
Ward tries to land knees in the clinch but Zeraka avoids the damage to the body.
Zeraka misses with a knee strike.
Zeraka managing to block the knees to the body from Ward.
Zeraka lands a good knee to the midsection. Ward won't want to take too many of those.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Zeraka tries to clinch

and Ward moves into the clinch.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ward dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Zeraka. That did some damage!

Ward gets a clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward drives through and clinches with Zeraka against the cage.
Mordion Zeraka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zeraka misses with an elbow over the top.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Zeraka closes the distance but Ward moves to the side

and Ward counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Zeraka tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zeraka trying to land knees to the body.

Ward pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ward rushes Zeraka and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ward avoids a wild elbow strike from Zeraka.
Zeraka misses with an elbow over the top.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ward misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zeraka tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ward counters with a one-two to the body.

Mordion Zeraka's cut is getting worse.

Ward has managed to clinch.
Zeraka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ward as Zeraka tries to tie him up.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ward obliges.
Ward blocks the elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward darts in and clinches Zeraka up against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward has closed the distance and engaged Zeraka in a clinch.
Ward blocks the elbow strike.

Ward's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zeraka moves to clinch but Ward breaks away
and Ward counters with a nice body shot.

Ward drives through and clinches with Zeraka against the cage.
Zeraka missing with knees to the body.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Ward clinches with his opponent.
Ward blocks an elbow strike from Zeraka.
Ward blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ward blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Ward escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ward throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ward has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ward managing to block the knees to the body from Zeraka.

Ward breaks the clinch.
Ward throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ward forces Zeraka back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeraka tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ward avoids it.
Knees in the clinch landing for Ward.

Ward breaks from the clinch.
Zeraka wants to clinch

and Ward moves into the clinch.
Zeraka blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zeraka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ward missing with knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zeraka tries to clinch up

and Ward moves into the clinch.
Zeraka avoiding damage as Ward throws knees to the body.
Zeraka looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Zeraka looking to throw knees to the head but Ward is blocking nicely.
Zeraka misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ward.
Zeraka throws a knee to the head but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zeraka misses with a knee strike.
Ward blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zeraka throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Ward lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Zeraka missing with knees to the body.

Ward breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ward chopping away at his opponent's legs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Palmer Ward comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ward has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 25:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 25:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Palmer Ward!