PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zachary Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Black has chosen The Metal as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Hicks
vs
Black

160 cm
25
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Zachary Hicks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Black!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hicks moves into the clinch.
Hicks connects with a nasty looking knee right to Black's face.

It looks like John Black has been cut.
Hicks trying to land knees to the body.
Hicks tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Hicks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hicks closes the distance and clinches.
Hicks dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Hicks breaks from the clinch.

Hicks gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Hicks manages to break the clinch.

Hicks rushes Black and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hicks keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Black's efforts to push away.
Hicks misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Black avoiding damage as Hicks throws knees to the body.

Black breaks the clinch.

Black tries to keep at a distance but Hicks has taken the fight into the clinch.

Hicks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hicks has closed the distance and engaged Black in a clinch.
Hicks lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Black avoids a wild elbow strike from Hicks.
Hicks throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Black blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hicks blocks an elbow strike.
Hicks with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Black avoids a wild elbow strike from Hicks.
Hicks throws a knee to the head but misses.
Black avoiding damage as Hicks throws knees to the body.
Hicks leaning against his opponent.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Hicks has him pressed against the cage.
Hicks tries to land knees in the clinch but Black avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Black fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hicks misses with the body kick
and Black counters with a stiff right hand.
Zachary Hicks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Black feints a jab promting Hicks to slip. Black then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hicks slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Black lands a high kick!
Hicks misses with a body kick.

Black moves into the clinch.
Hicks wants to stall.

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

Hicks moves into the clinch.
Black blocks an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hicks obliges.
Hicks dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hicks is trying to maintain a safe position but Black gets an underhook and turns Hicks into the cage.
Hicks scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hicks just leaning against Black, taking a breather.
Hicks misses with a knee to the head.
Hicks misses with a knee strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hicks stalling the fight.
Black wants a takedown.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zachary Hicks dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Black's cut.
That's time! Hicks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hicks takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Black rushes Hicks and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Black avoiding damage as Hicks throws knees to the body.
Black blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Hicks throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hicks tries to land a knee to the head but Black blocks with his arms.
A right hook to the body lands for Hicks.

Black breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Black shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hicks eats them both and turns towards Black to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Hicks clinches.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Hicks has him pressed against the cage.
Hicks lands a left hand that snaps the head of Black backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control the position but instead, Black has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hicks into the cage.
Black tries to break the clinch but Hicks is controlling the position.
Hicks has Black pushed against the cage.
Hicks tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Black avoids it.
A frustrated look appears on Hicks's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hicks's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Black wants to get back to striking at distance but Hicks won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks tries to stall but Black uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Zachary Hicks.

Black darts in and clinches Hicks up against the cage.
Hicks has Black pushed against the cage.

Hicks breaks from the clinch.

Black gets tackled into the cage by Hicks. Hicks maintains the clinch.

Black breaks from the clinch.
Black looks to score with a jab to the body but Hicks is just out of range.
Some wild striking there from Black.

Hicks takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hicks using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Black has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Black manages to break the clinch.

Hicks instigates a clinch.
Hicks looking to throw knees to the head but Black is blocking nicely.

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

Hicks rushes Black and presses him up against the cage.

Black's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Hicks drives through and clinches with Black against the cage.
Hicks throws an elbow that misses.
Black is looking to break free of the clinch but Hicks has double underhooks.
Zachary Hicks has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black lands an elbow that stopped Hicks in his tracks for a moment.
Hicks has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hicks can't find room to land a body shot as Black controls the action.
Black tries to pull guard but Hicks forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Hicks is trying to break the clinch but Black is controlling him.
Hicks with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Hicks breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hicks fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Black, pushing him back against the cage.
Black wants to get back to striking at distance but Hicks won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Black on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hicks has Black pressed against the cage, preventing Black from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Black avoiding damage as Hicks throws knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zachary Hicks dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Black's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Black scores with a one two! Hicks had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Hicks misses with a double jab.

Hicks moves into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Black stalling in the clinch.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Some wild striking there from Hicks.
Hicks throws a sloppy head kick
and Black counters with a nice kick to the body.

Hicks moves into range and clinches up with Black.
Black managing to block the knees to the body from Hicks.
Hicks trying to land knees to the body.
Hicks tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Black avoids it.

Black breaks the clinch.
Zachary Hicks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black gets tackled into the cage by Hicks. Hicks maintains the clinch.
Black struggles to land a body shot inside as Hicks controls his hands.
Black has Hicks pressed against the cage, preventing Hicks from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Black breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hicks gets a clinch.
Hicks throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Black blocks it with crossed arms.
Black tries a knee to the head but Hicks blocks it.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hicks closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Hicks.
Black avoiding damage as Hicks throws knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hicks looking to stall.
Hicks pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Hicks stalling in the clinch but Black improves position.
Hicks missing with knees to the body.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Hicks.

Black has Hicks up against the cage in a clinch.
Black comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hicks stalling in the clinch but Black improves position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black working hard to break the clinch.
Black looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hicks looking to throw knees to the head but Black is blocking nicely.

Black's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Hicks closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Hicks utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hicks lands a knee to the body.
Hicks throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Black blocks it with crossed arms.
Hicks looking to slow down the pace here.
Black tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hicks avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control the position but instead, Black has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hicks into the cage.
Hicks is trying to push Black away but Black has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hicks trying to land knees to the body.

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

Black moves into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hicks misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Black.
John Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hicks with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zachary Hicks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hicks misses with an elbow over the top.
Hicks creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zachary Hicks showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hicks, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zachary Hicks!