PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Zues Xavior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Wilbon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zues Xavior has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Xavior
vs
Wilbon

169 cm
21
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

166 cm
25
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Zues Xavior!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tony Wilbon!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilbon shoots in but Xavior avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wilbon slips under a jab.
Wilbon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wilbon instigates a clinch.
Xavior scores a nice knee to the body.
Xavior lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Tony Wilbon has been cut.
Wilbon wants a takedown.
Wilbon has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Xavior avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Zues Xavior has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Wilbon.
Xavior is trying to push Wilbon away but Wilbon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Wilbon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Xavior misses with a head kick.
Xavior looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Xavior.

Wilbon clinches with his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Wilbon works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Xavior is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilbon trying to control but Xavior is working from the bottom.
Xavior wants to stand up but Wilbon is controlling him.
Wilbon controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wilbon postures up in Xavior's guard and throws a big left but Xavior blocks it.
Wilbon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Xavior works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wilbon thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Xavior is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wilbon is controlling him.

Wilbon drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Wilbon jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Wilbon trying to control but Xavior is working from the bottom.
Xavior being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilbon trying to control but Xavior is working from the bottom.
Wilbon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tony Wilbon.
Xavior displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Wilbon.

Wilbon has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xavior tries to land a knee to the head but Wilbon blocks with his arms.
Xavior missing with knees to the body.
Xavior throws a knee to the head but misses.
Wilbon using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Xavior has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Wilbon manages to break the clinch.

Wilbon rushes Xavior and presses him up against the cage.
Xavior with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Wilbon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Xavior avoids it.
Wilbon on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Xavior is breathing heavily.

Wilbon pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Wilbon with that takedown attempt.
Xavior stuffs the takedown attempt from Wilbon. Wilbon gets slowly back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wilbon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Wilbon dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tony Wilbon's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Wilbon misses with a takedown attempt - Xavior sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Wilbon moves into range and clinches up with Xavior.
Wilbon tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Xavior connects with a knee to the head.
Wilbon avoids a wild elbow strike from Xavior.
Wilbon blocks the elbow strike.
Xavior tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Xavior working hard to break the clinch.
Xavior is trying to break the clinch but Wilbon has him pressed against the cage.

Wilbon drags the fight down to the ground.
Wilbon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Xavior is one step ahead there.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Wilbon holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Zues Xavior has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Xavior looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Wilbon looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Xavior throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Wilbon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zues Xavior is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Wilbon takes the fight into the clinch.
Xavior has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xavior lands a nice knee to the body.
Xavior is looking to break free of the clinch but Wilbon has double underhooks.

Wilbon pulls guard.
Wilbon lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Xavior!
Wilbon putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wilbon misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Wilbon is landing with some decent strikes but Xavior is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Xavior holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Wilbon tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilbon throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Xavior because Wilbon loaded up on that one.
Wilbon takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Wilbon landing strikes from the mount.
Wilbon with shots to the head and body - Xavior looks very uncomfortable down there.
Tony Wilbon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wilbon controlling from the full mount.
Wilbon working Xavior over with strikes here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilbon working Xavior over with strikes here.
Wilbon lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Xavior hang on?
Wilbon cracks Xavior with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
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!
Wilbon throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Wilbon with the ground and pound from mount.
Wilbon thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wilbon content just to control the position here.
Wilbon has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Wilbon looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Wilbon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tony Wilbon's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Wilbon shoots in looking for a takedown but Xavior manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wilbon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Xavior walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Wilbon checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Tony Wilbon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Xavior misses

and Wilbon counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wilbon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Wilbon trying to control the position from guard on top but Xavior is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wilbon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Wilbon drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Wilbon jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilbon missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Xavior keeping moving, preventing Wilbon from controlling successfully.
Wilbon loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wilbon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Wilbon is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Wilbon stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xavior stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Xavior wants it to stay on the feet.
Wilbon fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Zues Xavior has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Wilbon.
Xavior stuffs the takedown attempt from Wilbon. Wilbon gets slowly back to his feet.
Xavior wants to clinch.
Xavior slaps away a takedown attempt from Wilbon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Wilbon shoots in but no luck this time.
Xavior displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Wilbon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilbon keeps the fight on the outside.
Tony Wilbon is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Wilbon shoots in for a double leg but Xavior sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Wilbon has taken the fight to the clinch.
Xavior missing with knees to the body.
Wilbon tries to pull guard but Xavior won't allow it.

Wilbon has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Xavior uses from the top position.
Xavior wants to stand and escape but instead Wilbon has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Zues Xavior has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Xavior is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wilbon is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilbon not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Wilbon decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Xavior, up you get!
Wilbon shoots in looking for a takedown but Xavior manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wilbon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Xavior tries to clinch but Wilbon moves out of range.
Wilbon shoots in but Xavior avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wilbon shoots in looking for a takedown but Xavior manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Wilbon's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Wilbon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Wilbon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wilbon winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Wilbon!