PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ivan IV (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juga Zmaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zmaj has chosen zgazi jajare as his entrance music. Juga Zmaj is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

IV
vs
Zmaj

177 cm
20
180 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

177 cm
27
185 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan IV!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Juga Zmaj!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zmaj cracks the inside of IV's front leg.

Zmaj gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Zmaj is pushing IV up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Zmaj misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Zmaj unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Zmaj gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Zmaj working IV over with knees to the body.
IV struggles to land a body shot inside as Zmaj controls his hands.
IV takes a knee to the side of the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zmaj lands an elbow inside.
Zmaj tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and IV avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zmaj gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Zmaj with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zmaj crunches a lovely knee into IV's ribcage.
Zmaj lands a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Zmaj.
IV misses with a punch to the body.
Zmaj managing to block the knees to the body from IV.
Zmaj with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Zmaj pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Zmaj missing with knees to the body.
Zmaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

IV breaks the clinch.
IV tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zmaj swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zmaj keeps the fight on the outside.
Zmaj throws a right hand that IV ducks under and follows up with a left that IV also avoids with ease.
Zmaj attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
IV punishes Zmaj's body with a nice straight punch.
Zmaj throws a leg kick but IV sees it coming and checks it nicely.
IV throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zmaj dodges the punch combination from IV.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zmaj. IV does a little dance to reset his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Zmaj moves into range and clinches up with IV.
Zmaj with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
IV working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
IV throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
IV throws a head punch that misses.
Zmaj blocks an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zmaj has IV pressed against the cage.
Zmaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zmaj blocks an uppercut.
Zmaj landing knees to the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zmaj.
Zmaj has IV pressed against the cage, preventing IV from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zmaj blocks an uppercut.
Zmaj misses with a knee to the head.
IV trying to control the position but instead, Zmaj has worked for underhooks and has pushed IV into the cage.

Zmaj lands a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
IV manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zmaj manages to get himself to full guard.
IV controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Zmaj keeping full guard, as IV tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juga Zmaj dominated that round.
That's time! IV's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zmaj clinches up against the cage.
Zmaj lands a knee to the head.

Zmaj has picked IV up - he's going for a ride! Zmaj dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
IV manages to get to full guard.

IV looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Zmaj stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. IV swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zmaj's corner is telling him to maintain position.
IV looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
IV bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zmaj's guard.
IV trying to control the position from guard on top but Zmaj is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Juga Zmaj.
Zmaj throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zmaj misses with a double jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by IV!
Zmaj stuffs the takedown attempt from IV. IV gets slowly back to his feet.
Zmaj throws a low kick but IV avoids it.
IV fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zmaj fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but IV is out of range.
IV lands a nice hook to Zmaj's body. Zmaj takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
IV misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan IV. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body punch from Zmaj.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zmaj moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A leg kick checked by IV.
Zmaj with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Zmaj slaps away a takedown attempt from IV, before circling back to the center of the mat.
IV keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zmaj will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A decent looking cross lands there for IV.
Zmaj swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling IV to counter with a crisp jab.
Zmaj moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
IV avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zmaj.
IV chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zmaj can pounce on him.
Zmaj blocks a head kick by IV.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
IV swinging wildly here.

Zmaj forces IV back against the cage and clinches.
Knees to the body from Zmaj.
Zmaj with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Zmaj obliges.
Zmaj has IV pressed against the cage.
Zmaj continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
IV misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zmaj scores with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Zmaj.
Zmaj avoids the elbow strike from IV, against the cage.
IV digs a right hand underneath Zmaj's ribcage. Zmaj let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Zmaj misses with an elbow strike.
Zmaj using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
IV on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zmaj has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but IV regains guard immediately.
IV wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juga Zmaj 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. This is the final round!

IV fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
IV throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
IV avoids a punch combination nicely.
IV blocks a leg kick.
IV throws a head kick but Zmaj moves out of range.

Zmaj clinches with his opponent.
Zmaj manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

IV has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Zmaj regains guard immediately.
IV pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zmaj is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
IV trying to control but Zmaj is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
IV slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
IV wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zmaj keeps working.
Juga Zmaj is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
IV tries to move to mount but Zmaj blocks the move with his legs.
Ivan IV overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
IV wants to control but Zmaj is keeping him busy.
Zmaj wants to control but IV postures up.
Zmaj pushes IV away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, IV gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
IV lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Zmaj down.
IV prevents Zmaj from escaping the position.
Zmaj takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
IV trying to control the position but Zmaj is working away.
Ivan IV has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

IV working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

IV is trying to get an arm triangle but Zmaj is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
IV trying to control the action but Zmaj is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan IV showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zmaj has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juga Zmaj!