PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zerba Berza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raymond Saulnier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Berza
vs
Saulnier

200 cm
19
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
22
215 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Zerba Berza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymond Saulnier!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Chris Edwards and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Saulnier breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zerba Berza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Berza closes the distance and clinches up with Saulnier, looking for a takedown. Berza pushes Saulnier against the cage but Saulnier circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Berza, as that shot connected.
Saulnier misses with a jab, cross combination.
Saulnier looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Berza tries for a takedown but Saulnier sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Saulnier misses with a wild combination.
Berza scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Berza has closed the distance and engaged Saulnier in a clinch.
Saulnier is trying to stall.

Saulnier tightens his grip and picks Berza up, before dumping him to the ground. Berza manages to land in guard.
Berza tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Saulnier is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Saulnier won't allow Berza to get back to his feet.

Berza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Saulnier looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Saulnier drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Saulnier jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saulnier looks gassed!
Berza is pulling down on Saulnier's head. It's preventing any offense from Saulnier, at least for the moment.
Berza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Saulnier manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saulnier looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Berza drops back looking for a leg! Saulnier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saulnier manages to kick Berza off! Berza jumps back into Saulnier's guard.
Berza is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Berza wants to stand but Saulnier has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Berza slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Saulnier working for a triangle but Berza defends it easily.
Berza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Saulnier working for a triangle but Berza defends it easily.

Saulnier throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Saulnier is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Saulnier tries to stand and escape but Berza is controlling the position.
Saulnier tries to pass the half guard into mount. Berza knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Berza wants to get back to his feet.
Berza is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saulnier 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.

Saulnier is looking for a kimura but Berza is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Saulnier to get the leverage.
Saulnier working over Berza with some ground and pound. Berza looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Berza works his way to full guard. Good work.
Saulnier stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Berza swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Berza lands with a kick to the temple. Saulnier shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
A decent looking body kick lands there for Berza.

Saulnier gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Saulnier manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Berza manages to get himself to full guard.

Berza is working an open guard so Saulnier takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saulnier throws a series of punches but Berza avoids them all with ease.
Berza lands a nice looking kick to the body. Saulnier takes a step back to recover.
Saulnier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Berza connects with a solid leg kick.

Berza moves into the clinch successfully.
Berza is trying to maintain a safe position but Saulnier gets an underhook and turns Berza into the cage.
Saulnier prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zerba Berza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saulnier changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Berza fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Saulnier keeps the fight on the outside.
Saulnier tries to bum rush Berza with a series of wild strikes but Berza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saulnier misses with a jab, cross combination.
Berza connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Saulnier misses with a series of wild punches.

Berza clinches up with Saulnier and pushes him back against the cage.
Berza has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Saulnier avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saulnier keeps control of Berza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

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

Berza gets a clinch.

Berza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Berza fails with the takedown.
Saulnier ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Berza moves away.
Saulnier misses with the combination.
Berza dodges the punch combination from Saulnier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Berza closes the distance and clinches.
Come on Berza - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Berza wants a takedown but no success here.

Berza ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Berza no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Saulnier gets to his feet - Berza follows without any prompting.
Saulnier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Berza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Berza looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Berza trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Saulnier has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Berza can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Saulnier has eaten all the pies!
Saulnier keeping moving, preventing Berza from controlling successfully.
Berza is pushing down on Saulnier's leg trying to pass to half guard. Saulnier is fighting to maintain full guard but Berza has managed to sneak the leg through.

Berza decides to return to a standing position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Berza looks to score with a jab to the body but Saulnier is just out of range.
Berza scores with a one two! Saulnier had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Berza darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Saulnier is rocked!
Berza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zerba Berza dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Berza fails with a takedown attempt.
Saulnier throws a right and a left that Berza avoids nicely.
Berza shoots for a double leg takedown but Saulnier sprawls well. He's pushed Berza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Berza dodges the punch combination from Saulnier.
Zerba Berza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Berza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zerba Berza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saulnier throws a head kick that misses.
Saulnier swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Berza closes the distance and clinches.
Saulnier goes for a takedown in the clinch but Berza prevents it.
Saulnier tries to pull guard but Berza won't allow it.

Berza breaks the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Saulnier throws a right hand that Berza ducks under and follows up with a left that Berza also avoids with ease.
Berza looks for a takedown but Saulnier sprawls well.
Saulnier tries to bum rush Berza with a series of wild strikes but Berza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saulnier throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Saulnier tries to bum rush Berza with a series of wild strikes but Berza uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Saulnier throws a nice looking combination but Berza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Berza takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Saulnier closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Berza is trying to trip Saulnier. He has hold of a leg but Saulnier is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Berza persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Berza pushing down on Saulnier's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Saulnier is breathing heavily.

Berza decides to stand up.
Berza takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Berza gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saulnier tries to score a body lock takedown but Berza shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Berza takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Berza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Saulnier will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Berza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Saulnier.
Saulnier looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Saulnier pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Berza moves in looking to clinch but Saulnier pushes him off.

Berza shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Berza was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Saulnier is trying to stand up.
Saulnier keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Berza trying to control but Saulnier is having none of it.
Berza tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Berza is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Saulnier has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Saulnier is trying to escape the mount.
Berza looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berza postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Saulnier looks a forlorn figure.
Saulnier is still in real trouble! Can Berza finish him?
Berza lands a nice shot to the head.
Berza postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Saulnier bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Berza and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Zerba Berza!