PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mr Eko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Ze Spario (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Eko
vs
Ze Spario

190 cm
22
218 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

189 cm
24
215 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mr Eko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mario Ze Spario!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Eko shoots in and gets a takedown into Ze Spario's guard.

Eko drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ze Spario dives on top into guard.
Eko wants to get back to his feet but Ze Spario is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ze Spario stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Eko swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ze Spario stops Eko from standing up.

Ze Spario 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.
Ze Spario won't allow Eko to get back to his feet.

Ze Spario drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ze Spario jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ze Spario pushing down on Eko's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eko wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ze Spario is trying to control the action in half guard but Eko is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Eko pushes Ze Spario off looking to stand but Ze Spario dives back in and keeps control.
Ze Spario frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ze Spario landing strikes from the mount and Eko is in trouble!
Ze Spario with good strikes from the mount here!
Eko's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Ze Spario sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Eko is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Ze Spario cracks Eko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ze Spario has hold of Eko's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Eko manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Eko is bucking up trying to escape but Ze Spario cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ze Spario trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ze Spario postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Eko looks a forlorn figure.
Ze Spario lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Ze Spario lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eko is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Ze Spario takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ze Spario scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Eko is rocked!
Ze Spario moves to back control.

Eko is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Ze Spario patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ze Spario working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Eko is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Ze Spario gets his way!
Eko holding both Ze Spario 's hands and preventing any damage.
Well, with Ze Spario on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Eko is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

Ze Spario is looking for the choke from the back position but Eko is controlling his hands well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ze Spario is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Eko has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ze Spario looking for the choke but no joy.
Eko wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Eko is taking damage to the body and head.
Ze Spario is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Ze Spario dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Eko stuffs the takedown.
Ze Spario misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Eko.
Eko leaves Ze Spario with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Eko manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Ze Spario on his heels. He'll look to pass Ze Spario's guard now, I'm sure.

Eko drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ze Spario dives on top into guard.
Ze Spario in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ze Spario throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Eko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ze Spario wants to pass the guard but Eko is keeping the position.
Ze Spario stands and throws Eko's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Ze Spario is trying to get an arm triangle but Eko is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eko gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Eko wants to try and get back to his feet.
Eko is in a horrible position here. Ze Spario smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Ze Spario connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ze Spario scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Eko?
Ze Spario scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Eko?

Ze Spario goes for an armbar but Eko turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Eko.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ze Spario manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ze Spario swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Eko is now in Ze Spario's guard. A big mistake from Ze Spario there, giving up the dominant position!
Ze Spario is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mario Ze Spario has got the better of the ground game so far.

Eko drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ze Spario manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Eko has Ze Spario in his guard.

Eko pushes Ze Spario off and gets back to his feet.

Eko shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ze Spario napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eko tries for a kimura but Ze Spario is defending well.

Eko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ze Spario has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ze Spario can't do much from the bottom here.

Eko swings around for an armbar but Ze Spario sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Eko's guard.
Ze Spario stops Eko from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ze Spario trying to control but Eko is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ze Spario postures up and lands a big shot to Eko's brow.
Ze Spario distracts Eko with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ze Spario passes Eko's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ground and pound from Ze Spario.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Ze Spario is trying to work for a kimura but Eko is defending well.

Ze Spario is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Eko has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Eko is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Ze Spario showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ze Spario shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Eko trying desperately to get to his feet.
Ze Spario looking to finish Eko with some ground and pound. This is bad for Eko!
Ze Spario breaks from Eko's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ze Spario trying to control but Eko is having none of it.
Eko is trying to stand but he's just given Ze Spario his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Eko is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Ze Spario trying to control.

Ze Spario is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Eko is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Ze Spario is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Eko. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

Ze Spario patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Ze Spario punishes Eko with strikes from the back mount.
Oh Eko is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ze Spario has managed to slip his arm under Eko's chin. This could be all over... yep, Eko is tapping out! Submission win for Ze Spario.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mario Ze Spario!