PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Niko Bellic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and haki zavos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Bellic
vs
zavos

175 cm
22
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

166 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Nutrition King

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Niko Bellic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, haki zavos!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Chris Edwards and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bellic throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around zavos's waist but zavos gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bellic off to one side.
zavos stuffs the takedown.
Bellic shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Bellic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bellic fails with the takedown.

zavos closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - zavos lands in his opponent's guard.
Bellic being controlled here, momentarily.
Bellic looking for a sweep. Not yet Bellic, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
zavos looking to pass the guard.

Bellic looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
zavos pushes down on Bellic's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bellic has a hand on zavos's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. zavos takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
zavos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bellic tries to reverse the position but zavos maintains control.
Bellic is breathing heavily.

zavos is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
zavos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bellic fails with the takedown

and zavos counters with a shoot takedown. Bellic fights it but they end up in guard.
zavos is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
zavos is standing up over Bellic. Bellic looks to escape but zavos dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

zavos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bellic knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

zavos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bellic knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Bellic is trying to work for a sweep but zavos has mounted him!
Bellic is looking to get to half guard.
Bellic prevents zavos from taking his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellic is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bellic regains half guard.
Bellic missing with punches from the bottom.
Bellic knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for zavos on the ground.
zavos moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Bellic.
Bellic tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but zavos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
zavos tries to move into full mount but can't pass Bellic's legs.
Bellic is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Bellic is pushing zavos's head away, looking to escape. zavos manages to hold on to the position though.

zavos looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Bellic prevents zavos from improving position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bellic fails with the takedown

and zavos counters with a shoot takedown. Bellic fights it but they end up in guard.
zavos stopping the sweep attempt from Bellic.
Bellic keeping busy, throwing shots from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
zavos stopping the sweep attempt from Bellic.
Bellic looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but zavos puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

haki zavos dominated that round.
That's time! Bellic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

zavos doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bellic cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Bellic closes the distance and clinches.
Bellic can't get the takedown.

Bellic ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bellic no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Bellic wants to sweep here but zavos controlling him for the moment.

zavos decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Bellic shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says zavos as he avoids it easily.

zavos drives through with a takedown into guard.
zavos slips nicely into half guard.
Bellic is looking for a sweep. zavos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

zavos stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Bellic to get to his feet.
zavos is breathing heavily.
Bellic with a poor takedown

so zavos counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Bellic. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellic bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in zavos's guard.
Bellic scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bellic postures up in zavos's guard and throws a big left but zavos blocks it.
Bellic has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bellic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Bellic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. zavos is keeping the position for now.

zavos is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bellic throwing strikes but missing.
zavos trying to keep a closed guard but Bellic is proving a slippery customer.
zavos keeping full guard, as Bellic tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

zavos has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bellic can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
zavos is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
zavos manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bellic is in all sorts of trouble here.
zavos thowing shots but they're missing.
Bellic keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

zavos looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

zavos stands up from mount. Strange move.
No luck for Bellic with that takedown attempt.
zavos darts in trying to clinch

and Bellic counters with a takedown into side control.
zavos manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. zavos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bellic is in close to zavos's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Bellic 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.
zavos is trying to keep Bellic in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
zavos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bellic manages to get himself to full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Bellic had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. zavos is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bellic Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take zavos's back instead.
zavos finds himself mounted whilst avoiding strikes.
zavos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
zavos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bellic scoring with strikes but zavos is staying in there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

haki zavos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

zavos shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Bellic throws a strike but has given up his back in the process.

zavos working for the choke.

zavos patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Will zavos go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Bellic can't escape the position.

Bellic is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Bellic feints and as zavos raises his hands in defense, Bellic changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
haki zavos has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
zavos trying to strike off his back.
zavos wants to sweep here but Bellic controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

zavos has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Bellic is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for zavos.
Bellic working the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on zavos's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
zavos sneaks back into half guard.
zavos trying to control but Bellic postures up.
Bellic not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bellic working over zavos with some ground and pound. zavos looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bellic lands strikes from half guard.

Bellic is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, zavos has managed to free his arm - good work.
zavos trying to control here.
zavos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Bellic.
Bellic looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Bellic wants to free his trapped foot but zavos is holding on for dear life with his legs.
zavos throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The fighters are battling for position here. zavos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

zavos has his foot on Bellic's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bellic works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
zavos looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now zavos is on top in guard.
Bellic keeping full guard, as zavos tries to pass.
zavos prevents Bellic from getting back to his feet.
zavos trying to control but Bellic is working from the bottom.
zavos looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
zavos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
zavos sitting in guard, not really doing much.
zavos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Niko Bellic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

zavos shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bellic's guard.
zavos seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
zavos passes Bellic's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
haki zavos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got zavos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... haki zavos!