PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tyson Zelman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonah Takalua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zelman comes to the cage accompanied by My Own Summer - Deftones. Tyson Zelman has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zelman
vs
Takalua

170 cm
23
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

173 cm
21
152 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tyson Zelman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jonah Takalua!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Takalua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Takalua tries to close the distance and clinch but Zelman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Takalua fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zelman, pushing him back against the cage.
Takalua lands a hook that snaps the head of Zelman backwards.
Zelman lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Takalua doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Takalua has a couple of punches blocked by Zelman.
Zelman using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zelman blocking some punches.
Takalua misses with a short punch on the inside.
A knee to the head by Zelman.
Zelman tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Takalua managing to block the knees to the body from Zelman.
Zelman throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zelman.
Zelman looking to slow down the pace here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takalua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takalua creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Takalua has a couple of punches blocked by Zelman.
Zelman lands a good knee to the midsection. Takalua won't want to take too many of those.
Zelman blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Takalua swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Takalua throws an elbow that misses.
Takalua wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zelman has him pressed against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Takalua.
Takalua lands a right hand.
Takalua with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Takalua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zelman backwards.
Zelman lands an uppercut.
Takalua is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Takalua is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Takalua tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Takalua missing with knees to the body.
Takalua avoiding damage as Zelman throws knees to the body.
Takalua lands an elbow just above Zelman 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takalua tries to throw a body punch but Zelman avoids it by throwing Takalua back against the cage.
A knee to the head by Zelman.
Zelman prevents a body shot from Takalua.
Zelman trying to land knees to the body.
Takalua lands an elbow that stopped Zelman in his tracks for a moment.
Zelman throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Zelman lands a shot to the body.
Takalua's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Takalua working aggressively here.
Takalua misses with a knee to the head.
Takalua misses with an elbow over the top.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Takalua.
Takalua wants to get back to striking at distance but Zelman won't allow it.
Takalua misses with a knee strike.
A short right from Zelman on the inside.
Takalua with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Takalua looks gassed!
Zelman works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Takalua wants to break free but Zelman has control.
Zelman putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Takalua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelman missing with knees to the body.
Takalua managing to block the knees to the body from Zelman.
Takalua avoiding damage as Zelman throws knees to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zelman.
Zelman blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Takalua scores with a shoulder strike.
Takalua swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zelman scores a nice knee to the body.
Zelman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Takalua has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zelman is leaning against Takalua and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Zelman.
Zelman landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zelman works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Zelman gets through Takalua's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Zelman scores a nice knee to the body.
Zelman displaying some good clinch control by pressing Takalua up against the cage.
Takalua misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelman looking to throw knees to the head but Takalua is blocking nicely.
Zelman is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Zelman lands a left hand.
Takalua misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zelman scores with a hook to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zelman as Takalua tries to tie him up.
Zelman scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Zelman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Takalua.
Knees to the body from Zelman.
Zelman looking to stall.
Zelman lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zelman throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Zelman misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right hook to the body lands for Zelman.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zelman connects with a looping right hand.

Takalua closes the distance and clinches.
Takalua wants to break free but Zelman has control.
Takalua takes a knee to the side of the body.
Takalua blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Takalua throws an elbow that misses.
Knees to the body from Zelman.
Takalua lands a shoulder strike.
Takalua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zelman backwards.
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!
Takalua swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zelman lands a knee to the body.
Zelman lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Takalua or not.
Zelman with a knee to the head.

It looks like Jonah Takalua has been cut.
Zelman tries to stall but Takalua uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Zelman landing knees to the head.
Takalua is breathing heavily.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Takalua as Zelman tries to tie him up.
Takalua is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zelman trying to land knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zelman.
Zelman struggles to land a body shot inside as Takalua controls his hands.
Zelman tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zelman crunches a lovely knee into Takalua's ribcage.
Takalua misses with the head strike.
Takalua tries to land a knee to the head but Zelman blocks with his arms.
Zelman unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Zelman struggles to land a body shot inside as Takalua controls his hands.
Takalua doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Takalua tries to land a knee to the head but Zelman blocks with his arms.
Zelman lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Takalua misses with a body punch.
Zelman lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Zelman lands a body shot.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zelman works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Zelman looking to throw knees to the head but Takalua is blocking nicely.
Zelman lands a right hand.
Zelman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Takalua lands a hook that snaps the head of Zelman backwards.
Zelman pushes Takalua back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zelman creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Zelman tries to land knees in the clinch but Takalua avoids the damage to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zelman.
Takalua avoiding damage as Zelman throws knees to the body.
Tyson Zelman has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Zelman landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Zelman with a knee to the head.
Takalua letting Zelman take a breather here.
Zelman lands with a right to the head.
Zelman putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Takalua in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Zelman lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Takalua backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zelman misses with a hook to the ribs.
Takalua misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zelman digs a right hand into Takalua's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Takalua's gas tank.
Zelman is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Zelman lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Takalua tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zelman landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Zelman throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zelman connects with a knee to the head.
Zelman lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zelman scores with a shot to the side of Takalua's head.

Takalua is rocked!
Zelman misses with a punch to the body.
A hook to the body from Zelman.
Zelman with a knee to the head.
Takalua is still on wobbly legs! Can Zelman finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zelman jerks Takalua's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Takalua drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Zelman goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Zelman because Takalua was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Tyson Zelman!