PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Ze Spario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amzi Azzan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Ze Spario
vs
Azzan

189 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

189 cm
28
217 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 St Petersburg, Mario Ze Spario!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Amzi Azzan!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ze Spario moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Azzan gets a takedown into half guard.
Ze Spario gets back to full guard.
Ze Spario lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Azzan!
Azzan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Azzan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ze Spario. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Ze Spario looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Azzan is trying to escape the mount.
Azzan wants to hold on but Ze Spario pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azzan might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ze Spario kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Azzan manages to regain half guard whilst avoiding the strikes.

Ze Spario is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Ze Spario is working for a submission of some sort.
Azzan wants to improve his position but Ze Spario is controlling well.
Azzan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azzan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ze Spario.
Ze Spario throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Azzan tries to get to full guard but Ze Spario has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ze Spario is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Azzan is just riding it out for now. Ze Spario eventually gives up the hold.
Ze Spario trying to control the action but Azzan is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ze Spario is trying to work for a kimura but Azzan is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ze Spario wants to work for an arm triangle but Azzan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Azzan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Azzan trying to keep a closed guard but Ze Spario is proving a slippery customer.
Azzan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ze Spario postures up in Azzan's guard and throws a big left but Azzan blocks it.
Azzan is adopting a defensive guard.
Azzan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Amzi Azzan has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Nice jab there from Azzan.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ze Spario.
Azzan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ze Spario moves away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ze Spario staying out of range there.
Ze Spario with a lazy takedown attempt
and Azzan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ze Spario misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amzi Azzan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A big left from Ze Spario misses.
Ze Spario with a poor takedown
and Azzan counters with a straight right hand.
Mario Ze Spario is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Azzan closes the distance and pushes Ze Spario back into the cage.
Azzan digs a right hand underneath Ze Spario's ribcage. Ze Spario let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Ze Spario drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ze Spario wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Azzan breaks the clinch.
Azzan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ze Spario moves away.

Azzan closes the distance and clinches.
Azzan prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Ze Spario. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Azzan lands a right hand.

Azzan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ze Spario shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Azzan pinned against the cage. Azzan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azzan scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ze Spario doesn't seem bothered though.
Nice straight punches there by Azzan. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Azzan.
Azzan throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ze Spario fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Azzan closes the distance and pushes Ze Spario back into the cage.
Ze Spario tries to break free but Azzan pushes him back against the cage.

Azzan has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Ze Spario clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
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!

Azzan has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Azzan is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Ze Spario has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Azzan is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Ze Spario has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Azzan has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Azzan missing with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azzan looking to hold on to the position here but Ze Spario rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Azzan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ze Spario's guard.
Amzi Azzan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Azzan not doing much here.
Let's hope that Azzan 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.
Ze Spario trying to hold on to Azzan's head to control him but Azzan postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ze Spario is refusing to be controlled, as Azzan sits in half guard.
Ground and pound from Azzan.
Azzan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ze Spario makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ze Spario.
Azzan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ze Spario is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Azzan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amzi Azzan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Azzan looks to land a right hand but Ze Spario moved out of range.
Ze Spario with a poor takedown

and Azzan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Azzan lands strikes from half guard.
Ze Spario won't allow Azzan to pass to mount.
Azzan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ze Spario blocking the ground and pound attempt from Azzan.
Azzan is looking to take a break and control but Ze Spario is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Azzan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ze Spario with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
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!
Azzan moves into full mount! Ze Spario won't be happy about that!
Azzan content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azzan lands a nice shot to the head.
Azzan scoring with strikes but Ze Spario is staying in there.
Ze Spario regains half guard.

Ze Spario is defending against the submission attempts here by Azzan.
Ze Spario gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ze Spario wants to sweep here but Azzan controlling him for the moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Azzan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ze Spario swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ze Spario working a defensive guard but Azzan manages to pass into side control anyway.
Ze Spario takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Azzan working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azzan is putting a hurting on Ze Spario here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ze Spario sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ze Spario is trying to get back to full guard.
Ze Spario is staying active underneath Azzan, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Azzan tries to pass to full mount but Ze Spario defends it.
Azzan is trying to control the action in half guard but Ze Spario is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Amzi Azzan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ze Spario on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Azzan wants to free his trapped foot but Ze Spario is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Azzan controlling the action here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ze Spario moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mario Ze Spario has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ze Spario avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ze Spario keeping moving, preventing Azzan from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Amzi Azzan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Azzan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Amzi Azzan!