PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Milo Gabane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Imad Zatara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zatara comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Middle Class Rut - New Low kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gabane
vs
Zatara

186 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Milo Gabane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Imad Zatara!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zatara feints and as Gabane raises his hands in defense, Zatara changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gabane is trying to keep Zatara in close.
Zatara working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zatara wants to control from the top but Gabane keeps moving.
Zatara with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zatara working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zatara trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zatara advances to half guard.
Zatara is stalling here. Gabane is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Zatara seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Gabane has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Zatara tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabane takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Zatara is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Zatara really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gabane avoids the attempt from Zatara to control.
Zatara regains half guard.
Zatara trying to control here.
Zatara tries to get to full guard but Gabane has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zatara can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zatara is trying to maintain the position but Gabane is very close to passing his half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gabane in particular looking to stall.

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

Gabane closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zatara is trying to control Gabane's posture but Gabane avoids it.
Zatara tries to control but Gabane manages to take his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zatara looking very determined here, making life difficult for Gabane.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gabane is trying to stick to Zatara's back but Zatara is turning into Gabane. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Gabane's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Zatara.
Zatara wants to stand but Gabane has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Zatara wants to control from the top but Gabane keeps moving.
Zatara must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zatara's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Zatara tries to free his leg and advance position but Gabane is retaining full guard.
Zatara advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gabane is looking to reverse the position.
Gabane is breathing heavily.
Gabane wants to control but Zatara postures up.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Zatara scores with a couple of short elbows.
Gabane takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Zatara scores with punches from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zatara in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Zatara is looking to take a break and control but Gabane is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zatara landing a few strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Imad Zatara dominated that round.
That's time! Gabane's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gabane bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Zatara tries to bench press Gabane off him but Gabane keeps the position.
Zatara is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Gabane is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Zatara is in all sorts of trouble here.
Zatara is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Zatara is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Gabane is staying active.
Zatara really wants to buck Gabane off and get back to his feet.
Zatara can't escape the position.
Gabane punching from mount but Zatara doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Zatara keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabane avoids the attempt from Zatara to control.
Gabane prevents Zatara from getting the reversal.
Zatara gets back to half guard.
Gabane is thwarting Zatara's attempts to control the position.
Zatara is refusing to be controlled, as Gabane sits in half guard.

Gabane is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gabane wants to stand but Zatara has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Zatara tries to get to full guard but Gabane has control of the leg.
Zatara has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gabane is working away from the top position though.
Zatara is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gabane not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gabane wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zatara keeps working.

We're going to have a standup here because Milo Gabane wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gabane tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gabane defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zatara.

Zatara takes the fight into the clinch.

Zatara has hold of one of Gabane's legs. Gabane is fighting the takedown attempt but Zatara gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Zatara throws an elbow that misses. Gabane uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Zatara's guard. Nice move by Gabane!
Gabane tries to free his leg and advance position but Zatara is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zatara looking for a sweep. Not yet Zatara, not yet.
Zatara looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Zatara is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zatara wants to stand but Gabane is controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zatara is on top in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zatara is working Gabane over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Imad Zatara showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zatara shoots in for a takedown but Gabane shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Gabane changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Zatara looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Zatara bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Zatara shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gabane as he avoids it easily.
Milo Gabane is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gabane throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Gabane closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Zatara's guard.
Zatara looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gabane trying to control but Zatara is working from the bottom.

Zatara is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zatara keeping moving, preventing Gabane from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gabane slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Milo Gabane wasn't doing enough on the ground.
No luck for Zatara with that takedown attempt.
Milo Gabane has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Imad Zatara.

Gabane shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Zatara tries to roll over but Gabane keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zatara is looking to control Gabane's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zatara avoid being mounted?
Zatara manages to get to full guard.
Zatara looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gabane puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Zatara gets back to full guard.
Imad Zatara has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zatara keeping moving, preventing Gabane from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zatara is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gabane stopping the sweep attempt from Zatara.
Gabane trying to control but Zatara is working from the bottom.
Zatara 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Milo Gabane wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Gabane is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Zatara's half guard.
Zatara trying to hold on to Gabane's head to control him but Gabane postures up.
Zatara misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Gabane prevents Zatara from improving his position.
Zatara flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Milo Gabane has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Imad Zatara is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zatara moves into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Milo Gabane showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zatara 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Imad Zatara!