PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Al Zuhelke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Adams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Al Zuhelke had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 172.8lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zuhelke
vs
Adams

181 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Al Zuhelke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Adams!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Adams as Zuhelke shoots in.
Zuhelke shoots in for a takedown but Adams shows good takedown defense.
Zuhelke sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Zuhelke is breathing heavily.
Adams shoots in looking for a takedown. Zuhelke tries to sprawl out of it but Adams keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zuhelke manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Zuhelke gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Adams trying to control the position from guard on top but Zuhelke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zuhelke is looking to stand up but Adams isn't so interested in that idea.
Adams forces his way into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Adams trying to control from half guard but Zuhelke is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Adams is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Zuhelke looks like he's trying to stand up.
Adams is trying to control the action in half guard but Zuhelke is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Zuhelke won't allow Adams to pass to mount.
Zuhelke is not content to let Adams control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adams tries to stand but can't do so whilst Zuhelke controls his leg.
Adams is trying to control the action in half guard but Zuhelke is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nick Adams was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Zuhelke tries to bum rush Adams with a series of wild strikes but Adams uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Adams clinches.

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

Adams scores a takedown into full mount!
Adams sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Adams throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adams landing strikes from the mount and Zuhelke is in trouble!
Adams trying to control but Zuhelke is having none of it.

Adams looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Zuhelke is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Adams can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zuhelke is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuhelke is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Zuhelke is squirming around, avoiding Adams's attempts to control the action.
Zuhelke wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Adams gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Adams closes this distance looking for a takedown but Zuhelke circles away.
Adams throws a right hand that Zuhelke ducks under and follows up with a left that Zuhelke also avoids with ease.
Zuhelke slips under a jab from Adams.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Adams dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Zuhelke tries for a takedown but Adams sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Horrible takedown by Adams or perhaps it was just good defense by Zuhelke which made him look bad.
Adams tries to clinch there but Zuhelke circles away.
Zuhelke shoots in and drives through. Adams sprawls well.
Adams closes the distance and clinches up with Zuhelke, looking for a takedown. Adams pushes Zuhelke against the cage but Zuhelke circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Adams tries to clinch there but Zuhelke circles away.

Adams has Zuhelke up against the cage in a clinch.

Adams pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Adams wants to clinch up but Zuhelke keeps it at a distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Adams tries to clinch but Zuhelke moves out of range.
Zuhelke keeps the fight on the outside.

Adams has closed the distance and engaged Zuhelke in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuhelke working hard to break the clinch.
Zuhelke can't break the clinch.
Adams goes for a takedown in the clinch but Zuhelke prevents it.
Al Zuhelke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Adams.
Adams fails to pull guard.
Zuhelke wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Adams has him pressed against the cage.
Adams unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Adams breaks from the clinch.
Al Zuhelke is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Adams lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Zuhelke has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Zuhelke and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Zuhelke shoots in for a takedown but Adams shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Adams tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zuhelke sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Adams somewhat.
Zuhelke stuffs the takedown attempt from Adams. Adams gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Adams as Zuhelke shoots in.
Adams is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Adams fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Zuhelke or perhaps it was just good defense by Adams which made him look bad.

Adams scores a takedown into full mount!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Adams looking to control but Zuhelke is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuhelke is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Adams has taken his back!
Adams tries to keep control of the position but Zuhelke is staying busy.
Zuhelke holding both Adams 's hands and preventing any damage.

Adams is persistently looking for the submission but Zuhelke is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
What can Zuhelke do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Adams is trying to control but Zuhelke is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Adams can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zuhelke is looking to escape.

Adams goes for an armbar but Zuhelke turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Zuhelke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zuhelke throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Adams 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! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Adams feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Adams prevents Zuhelke from getting back to his feet.
Adams trying to control but Zuhelke is working from the bottom.

Zuhelke has his feet on Adams's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Adams lands a head kick!
Adams tries to clinch there but Zuhelke circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zuhelke.
Zuhelke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Zuhelke wants it to stay on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Adams takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Adams is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zuhelke to keep the fight standing.

Adams manages to break the clinch.
Adams shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Zuhelke sprawls well. Zuhelke wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Adams gets slowly back to his feet.
Al Zuhelke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Adams.
Zuhelke shoots in looking for a takedown. Adams tries to sprawl out of it but Zuhelke keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Adams manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Al Zuhelke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Adams closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuhelke tries to break the clinch but Adams is controlling the position.
Adams is trying to pull guard but Zuhelke has him pressed against the cage.
Zuhelke tries to circle away but Adams has him pinned against the cage.
Knees to the body from Adams.

Adams manages to break the clinch.
Adams tries to clinch
and Zuhelke counters with a series of strikes. Adams will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zuhelke changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Adams tries to avoid it but Zuhelke manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Adams to the ground. Adams escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Adams gets a double leg takedown into Zuhelke's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zuhelke wants to stand up but Adams is controlling him.
Adams wants to control from the top but Zuhelke keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adams landing with the ground and pound.
Adams wants to control from the top but Zuhelke keeps moving.
Zuhelke wants to stand up but Adams is controlling him.
Al Zuhelke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Adams postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Adams looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuhelke keeping moving, preventing Adams from controlling successfully.

Zuhelke is working an open guard so Adams takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Adams stuffs the takedown attempt from Zuhelke. Zuhelke gets slowly back to his feet.
Zuhelke leaves Adams with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zuhelke will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Adams comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Adams has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Nick Adams!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight for Nick Adams!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Nick Adams!

Nick Adams wins by unanimous decision!