PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aku Zoku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nacho Bel Grande (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aku Zoku has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zoku
vs
Bel Grande

175 cm
23
220 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Experienced

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aku Zoku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nacho Bel Grande!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bel Grande has his takedown stuffed

so Zoku counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Zoku wants to pass the guard but Bel Grande is keeping the position.

Bel Grande looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Zoku controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bel Grande looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zoku is one step ahead there.
Bel Grande working a defensive guard here.
Zoku slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Zoku trying to control the position from guard on top but Bel Grande is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Zoku scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bel Grande looking to control.
Bel Grande looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zoku is one step ahead there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bel Grande can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zoku is stalling in the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Zoku gets caught napping as Bel Grande dives in and scores a takedown. Zoku manages to retain guard.
Bel Grande wants to control from the top but Zoku keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Zoku holds on and takes a little breather.
Zoku bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bel Grande's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zoku thows a big elbow that misses.
Zoku wants to control from the top but Bel Grande keeps moving.
Zoku stays in close to Bel Grande's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Zoku loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Bel Grande is trying to control the position but Zoku postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zoku misses with a straight left.
Bel Grande shoots and misses

and Zoku counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bel Grande won't be happy with that.
Zoku misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
A lull in the action here as Zoku stalls from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bel Grande tries to bench press Zoku off him but Zoku keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zoku is trying to ground and pound but Bel Grande uses the momentary lack of control by Zoku to regain half guard.
Ground and pound from Zoku.
Bel Grande manages to get to full guard.
Zoku won't allow Bel Grande to sweep him here.
Bel Grande is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zoku throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bel Grande works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zoku landing some decent shots from guard.
Zoku postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zoku throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bel Grande wants to stand and escape but Zoku is having none of it.
Zoku stopping the sweep attempt from Bel Grande.
Zoku passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zoku is putting a hurting on Bel Grande here, landing some big shots from side control.
Zoku controlling from side mount.
Bel Grande tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zoku misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Zoku controlling the position.
Bel Grande manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aku Zoku dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bel Grande with a lazy takedown attempt

and Zoku counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zoku wants to control but Bel Grande is keeping him busy.
Aku Zoku overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zoku sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bel Grande defending well though.
Zoku wants to take a breather but Bel Grande is having none of it.
Bel Grande manages to get to full guard.
Zoku trying to control but Bel Grande is working from the bottom.
Zoku is working Bel Grande over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Zoku postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zoku wants to control from the top but Bel Grande keeps moving.
Bel Grande is trying to keep Zoku in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zoku accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zoku is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bel Grande bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zoku's guard.
Bel Grande won't allow Zoku to sweep him here.
Zoku seems keen to control Bel Grande's posture.
Bel Grande wants to pass the guard but Zoku is keeping the position.
Zoku wants to sweep here but Bel Grande controlling him for the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bel Grande with a poor takedown

and Zoku counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bel Grande is trying to maintain the position but Zoku is very close to passing his half guard.
Bel Grande tries to roll over but Zoku keeps him under control.
Bel Grande keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bel Grande avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Zoku.
Zoku missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Zoku is trying to control. Bel Grande wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Zoku is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Zoku is landing with some decent strikes but Bel Grande is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Bel Grande gets back to half guard.
Bel Grande is not content to let Zoku control the position.
Zoku perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Bel Grande looks like he's trying to stand up.
Bel Grande is breathing heavily.
Zoku passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Bel Grande!
Bel Grande is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zoku landing strikes from the mount and Bel Grande is in trouble!
Bel Grande tries to hold on but Zoku pushes him away.
Zoku cracks Bel Grande with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Zoku breaks from Bel Grande's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Zoku with good strikes from the mount here!
Zoku looking to control and managing it successfully.
Zoku connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Zoku content just to control the position here.
Zoku landing strikes from the mount.

Bel Grande is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zoku controlling from the full mount.
Bel Grande is still in real trouble! Can Zoku finish him?
Zoku looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Bel Grande covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aku Zoku!