PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Craig Pollard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zaknafein DoUrden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Pollard
vs
DoUrden

193 cm
18
224 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Pollard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zaknafein DoUrden!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
DoUrden closes the distance and clinches up with Pollard, looking for a takedown. DoUrden pushes Pollard against the cage but Pollard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
DoUrden keeps the fight on the outside.
Pollard lands a head kick. DoUrden smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
DoUrden tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Pollard counters with a straight right hand.
Pollard tries to clinch but fails miserably

and DoUrden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Pollard is looking to stand up but DoUrden isn't so interested in that idea.
DoUrden trying to control the position from guard on top but Pollard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pollard wants to stand but DoUrden is controlling the position.
Pollard trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
DoUrden scoring with some ground and pound.
Pollard is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
DoUrden closes the distance but Pollard moves to the side

and Pollard counters by moving into the clinch.

DoUrden pulls Pollard into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DoUrden is trying to control the position from the bottom.
DoUrden wants to sweep here but Pollard controlling him for the moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as DoUrden holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pollard is looking to stand up but DoUrden won't let him.
DoUrden is trying to control the position but Pollard postures up.

DoUrden escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pollard gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pollard won't allow DoUrden to sweep him here.
DoUrden has a closed guard, preventing Pollard from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pollard clinches but DoUrden breaks the clinch

and DoUrden counters by clinching up.
DoUrden pushes Pollard back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Pollard scores with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pollard.
Pollard is breathing heavily.
DoUrden lands a right hand that snaps the head of Pollard backwards.
DoUrden pushes Pollard back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Pollard connects with a knee to the head.
DoUrden tries to throw a body punch but Pollard avoids it by throwing DoUrden back against the cage.
DoUrden has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pollard avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Pollard is fighting off a takedown attempt but DoUrden is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pollard to the mat. Pollard regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Pollard is looking to stand up but DoUrden isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DoUrden advances position into side control!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
DoUrden is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Pollard's shoulder. That is not cool.
Pollard is looking to work his way out of this bad position but DoUrden is controlling him well.
DoUrden in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pollard wants to get back to his feet.
DoUrden trying to control the action but Pollard is working from the bottom.
DoUrden working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Pollard wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
DoUrden is looking to take a break and control but Pollard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pollard throws a quick head kick that skims the top of DoUrden's head.

Pollard drives through and clinches with DoUrden against the cage.
Pollard unloads a knee to the mid-section. DoUrden lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pollard scores with a knee to the head.
A right hand to the body from Pollard.
Pollard unloads a knee to the mid-section. DoUrden lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
DoUrden misses with the head strike.

Pollard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
DoUrden wants to clinch but Pollard slips to the side

and Pollard counters by moving into the clinch.
Pollard tries to work over DoUrden's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
DoUrden tries to score a body lock takedown but Pollard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Craig Pollard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaknafein DoUrden.

DoUrden jumps into guard, dragging Pollard to the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
DoUrden has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
DoUrden looking for a sweep. Not yet DoUrden, not yet.
Pollard wants to stand and escape but instead DoUrden has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
DoUrden should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
DoUrden stops Pollard from standing up.
DoUrden trying to control the position from guard on top but Pollard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
DoUrden controlling from the top position.
DoUrden stops Pollard from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
DoUrden passes easily into side control. Nice work.
DoUrden controls the position.
Pollard is pushing DoUrden's head away, looking to escape. DoUrden manages to hold on to the position though.
DoUrden working the head with strikes.
DoUrden scoring with punches and elbows.
Pollard wants to get back to his feet.

DoUrden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
DoUrden happy to just control the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Let's hope that DoUrden has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
DoUrden scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Pollard to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Zaknafein DoUrden will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pollard throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

DoUrden closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
DoUrden is keen to just control but Pollard is a slippery customer.
DoUrden trying to pass the guard but Pollard defending well.
Pollard wants to get back to his feet.
DoUrden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pollard keeps working.
Pollard tries to kick DoUrden off but DoUrden keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
DoUrden slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

DoUrden changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Pollard looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
DoUrden lands a decent elbow from side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
DoUrden cracks Pollard with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Pollard wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
DoUrden taking a breather here.
Pollard is pushing DoUrden's head away, looking to escape. DoUrden manages to hold on to the position though.
DoUrden wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pollard keeps working.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pollard wants to clinch up but DoUrden keeps it at a distance.
DoUrden wants to clinch

and Pollard counters by clinching up.
DoUrden misses with the head strike.
A short right from Pollard.
Pollard scores with a knee to the head.
Pollard lands an elbow just above DoUrden 's eye.
Pollard missing with knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Pollard.
The referee calls for Pollard to work.
Pollard is pressed up against the cage. DoUrden has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pollard down to the mat. Pollard avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pollard throws a series of strikes that have DoUrden backpedaling.
Pollard tries to clinch up but DoUrden circles away and keeps his distance.

DoUrden closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pollard wants to stall.
Pollard missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DoUrden tries to pull guard but Pollard won't allow it.
Pollard misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from DoUrden.
DoUrden lands a shot to the body.

DoUrden manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
DoUrden wants to sweep here but Pollard controlling him for the moment.
Pollard wants to get up but he can't break DoUrden's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

DoUrden looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pollard wants to stand but DoUrden has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now DoUrden is on top in guard.
DoUrden showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
DoUrden postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
DoUrden 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DoUrden advances to half guard.
DoUrden trying to control the action but Pollard is working from the bottom.
DoUrden controlling the action here.
DoUrden stops Pollard from getting back to his feet.

Pollard kicks off DoUrden and gets to his feet.
Craig Pollard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
DoUrden closes the distance but Pollard moves to the side

and Pollard counters by clinching up.
Pollard landing some nice looking knees to the body.
DoUrden dodges an elbow strike from Pollard.
Good body shot from Pollard.
A short right from Pollard.
Pollard swings wildly with an uppercut but DoUrden uses good head movement to avoid it.
DoUrden lands a right hand.
Pollard lands a body punch.
DoUrden lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Pollard trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
DoUrden has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pollard avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Craig Pollard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zaknafein DoUrden.
Pollard tries to land a knee to the head but DoUrden blocks with his arms.
DoUrden drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Pollard just misses with a elbow thrown towards DoUrden's brow.
DoUrden fails to pull guard.
Pollard blocks an uppercut.

Pollard breaks the clinch.
Pollard misses with a leg kick

and DoUrden counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
DoUrden pushing down on Pollard's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pollard is staying active underneath DoUrden, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Pollard kicks DoUrden off and gets back to his feet.
Pollard closes the distance looking to clinch

and DoUrden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Pollard's guard now.
DoUrden trying to control the position from guard on top but Pollard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pollard kicks DoUrden off and gets to his feet.

Pollard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pollard tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pollard tries to land knees in the clinch but DoUrden avoids the damage to the body.
Pollard scores with a hook to the body.
Pollard prevents a body shot from DoUrden.
Pollard scores a nice knee to the body.
DoUrden takes an elbow to the temple.
Pollard with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zaknafein DoUrden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pollard circles away from the clinch attempt

and Pollard counters by moving into the clinch.
DoUrden goes for a takedown attempt but Pollard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Pollard has closed the distance and engaged DoUrden in a clinch.
DoUrden digs a right hand into Pollard's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Pollard's gas tank.
Pollard swings away with an uppercut that misses.

DoUrden decides to pull guard.

Pollard is sitting in close to DoUrden's body. DoUrden has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Pollard is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Pollard is tapping! That was a very nice submission by DoUrden.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Zaknafein DoUrden!