PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tim Zeenie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valerii Balanko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zeenie
vs
Balanko

193 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
239 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tim Zeenie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Valerii Balanko!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Russell Pearce and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zeenie tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Balanko manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Balanko throws a right and a left that Zeenie avoids nicely.
Zeenie with a poor takedown
and Balanko counters with a straight right hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balanko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Zeenie pushes Balanko up against the cage in a clinch.
Balanko lands a left hand.
Balanko gets underhooks to prevent Zeenie's takedown attempt.
Zeenie misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Balanko.

Balanko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Balanko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Zeenie is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balanko is putting a hurting on Zeenie here, landing some big shots from side control.
Balanko landing a few strikes.
Zeenie is trying to get back to half guard.
Balanko cracks Zeenie with a big right hand but Zeenie just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Balanko is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Zeenie has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balanko tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Balanko decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Zeenie gets caught flat footed, as Balanko shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zeenie wants to stand but Balanko is controlling the position.
Balanko wants to control from the top but Zeenie keeps moving.

Balanko gets to his feet. Zeenie looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Balanko stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Balanko wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tim Zeenie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balanko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Balanko looks gassed!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balanko lands a nice forearm strike.
Zeenie wants to control but Balanko postures up.
Balanko fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Zeenie on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zeenie tries to get out of the position.
Zeenie tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Balanko easily slips into full mount!
Zeenie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Balanko lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Balanko looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zeenie is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balanko with good strikes from the mount here!
Balanko looking to control but Zeenie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zeenie is looking to improve his position but Balanko isn't that keen on the idea.
Zeenie is squirming around, avoiding Balanko's attempts to control the action.
Zeenie wants to control but Balanko is having none of it.
Zeenie is in a horrible position here. Balanko smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balanko is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Zeenie can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Balanko working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Balanko content just to control the position here.

Balanko is working for a guillotine from mount but Zeenie frees his head quite easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Balanko with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Balanko wants to finish this one by submission but Zeenie is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Balanko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Horrible takedown by Balanko or perhaps it was just good defense by Zeenie which made him look bad.
Zeenie doesn't manage to clinch there - Balanko circles away.

Zeenie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Zeenie cracks Balanko with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Balanko throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Balanko cracks Zeenie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Balanko explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
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!
Balanko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zeenie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balanko is breathing heavily.
Zeenie shoots for a double leg takedown but Balanko sprawls well. He's pushed Zeenie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Balanko fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Zeenie avoids it really well and circles away.

Zeenie drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balanko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zeenie manages to get himself to full guard.
Balanko has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Zeenie is proving hard to escape from.

Zeenie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balanko trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeenie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zeenie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Balanko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Balanko throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balanko trying to control but Zeenie is working from the bottom.
Valerii Balanko has got the better of the ground game so far.
Balanko wants to get up but he can't break Zeenie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Zeenie is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Balanko tries to pull guard but Zeenie won't allow it.
Tim Zeenie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valerii Balanko.
Balanko is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zeenie is trying to drag Balanko to the mat but Balanko just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Zeenie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Balanko has him pressed against the cage.

Balanko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zeenie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zeenie showed some decent athleticism there.
Zeenie prevents Balanko from standing back up.
Zeenie trying to mount his opponent but Balanko defends it.
Balanko makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Balanko.
Balanko controls Zeenie momentarily but Zeenie frees himself.
Zeenie tries to free his leg and advance position but Balanko is retaining full guard.
Balanko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zeenie is staying active underneath Balanko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balanko is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Zeenie is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Balanko lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balanko landing shots from mount.
Balanko landing shots from mount.
Balanko misses with a head shot.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Balanko. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Balanko unloads with some shots from mount but Zeenie bucks and avoids them well.
Zeenie knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Balanko on the ground.
Balanko unloading with bombs!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Balanko has hold of Zeenie's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Zeenie manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Balanko goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Zeenie turns into him and now he's in Balanko's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Valerii Balanko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Zeenie gets a takedown into half guard.
Balanko punching from the bottom.
Zeenie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balanko keeps working.

Balanko actively working from the bottom here.
Zeenie prevents Balanko from improving his position.
Zeenie wants to free his trapped foot but Balanko is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Balanko tries to get to full guard but Zeenie has control of the leg.
Balanko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeenie scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Balanko tries to kick Zeenie off but Zeenie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Zeenie lands with a punch from half guard.
Zeenie trying to mount his opponent but Balanko defends it.
Zeenie is nestled in close to Balanko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Zeenie wants to control but Balanko is keeping him busy.
Zeenie working over Balanko with some ground and pound. Balanko looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Balanko tries to get to full guard but Zeenie has control of the leg.
Zeenie wants to free his trapped foot but Balanko is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Balanko has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zeenie is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Zeenie is going to stand back up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balanko taking some punishment here, with Zeenie in his half guard.
Zeenie trying to pass the guard but Balanko defending well.
Zeenie is stalling here. Balanko is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Zeenie seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Balanko has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Balanko in side control lands a decent elbow.
Zeenie is looking for a sweep.

Balanko stands up and beckons Zeenie to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeenie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Balanko avoids it really well and circles away.
Balanko keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Zeenie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Balanko counters with a thumping low kick.

Balanko scores a takedown into full mount!
Zeenie is looking to get to half guard.
Zeenie is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Balanko tries to control but Zeenie wriggling away.
Tim Zeenie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balanko with shots to the head and body - Zeenie looks very uncomfortable down there.
Balanko thowing shots but they're missing.
Balanko controlling the pace for now.
Balanko unloads with some shots from mount but Zeenie bucks and avoids them well.
Valerii Balanko is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Balanko looking to control but Zeenie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Balanko looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Zeenie flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tim Zeenie.
Well Balanko 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valerii Balanko!
A relieved looking Valerii Balanko thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.