PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gray Potter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Zalinski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Potter's entrance music is Biggie Smalls - Victory. A fine choice. Zalinski comes into a darkened arena with his song building. We Don't Need Another Hero kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Ray Zalinski has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Potter
vs
Zalinski

196 cm
30
260 lbs
21 - 9 - 0

192 cm
27
245 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Charlie Wang's Nutrition and 95 % Laundry
Charlie Wang's Tattered Rags & 95% Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gray Potter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Zalinski!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zalinski getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

It looks like Gray Potter has been cut.

Zalinski moves into the clinch.
Zalinski gets underhooks to prevent Potter's takedown attempt.
Zalinski working hard to break the clinch.
Zalinski looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Zalinski breaks from the clinch.
Potter misses with a straight right.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Potter.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Zalinski is not content to let Potter control the position.
Zalinski manages to work his way to half guard, despite Potter's best efforts.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zalinski keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zalinski looking for submissions off his back.
Zalinski trying to control here.
Zalinski is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Zalinski keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zalinski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Potter's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Potter's back!
Zalinski tries to get the hooks in deep but Potter pushed the leg off.
Zalinski is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
What can Potter do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Zalinski is punishing Potter with strikes - can he finish him?!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zalinski somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Zalinski missing with strikes from the back.
Zalinski slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Zalinski punches the canvas rather than the man.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Potter covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Zalinski keeps control of the position easily here as Potter tries to buck him off.
Zalinski looking to hold on to the position here but Potter rolls and ends up regaining guard.

Potter pushes Zalinski off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Zalinski throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zalinski throws a leg kick but Potter checks it.
Zalinski lands an overhand right.

Potter scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Zalinski is working to avoid the ground and pound but Potter connects with a decent elbow.
Zalinski has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Potter working the strikes but Zalinski uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Potter seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Zalinski wants to improve his position but Potter is controlling well.
Zalinski trying to control from the bottom.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Potter passes into side control, despite Zalinski's attempt to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zalinski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Potter cracks Zalinski with a big elbow.
Zalinski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Potter throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zalinski gets back to half guard.
Zalinski regains full guard. Nicely done.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Potter wants to control from the top but Zalinski keeps moving.
Potter distracts Zalinski with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Zalinski is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Zalinski dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gray Potter's cut.
That's time! Potter's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sloppy strikes from Potter. Those never looked like landing.

Potter gets tackled into the cage by Zalinski. Zalinski maintains the clinch.
Potter wants to break free but Zalinski has control.

Zalinski pulls guard successfully.
Zalinski wants to get back to his feet but Potter is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Zalinski 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.

Zalinski looking for a guillotine here but Potter defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zalinski looking to control.
Potter looking to pass the guard.
Zalinski is trying to control the position but Potter postures up.

Zalinski isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Potter stacks Zalinski on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Potter!
Potter scores with a couple of short elbows.
Zalinski tries to buck Potter off but Potter is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Zalinski's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Zalinski striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zalinski parries the strikes from Potter easily there. Potter is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Zalinski to escape.
Zalinski gets back to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Potter thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zalinski's head.
Zalinski is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Potter's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Potter's back!
Zalinski somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Potter looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Zalinski patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Potter is trying to stand back up.
Zalinski lands shots from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter holding both Zalinski 's hands and preventing any damage.
Potter rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zalinski performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Zalinski tries to pass the half guard into mount. Potter knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Zalinski is trying to control. Potter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zalinski seems to be working for a kimura but Potter defends the submission attempt.
Zalinski is looking to take a break and control but Potter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Potter is trying to stand up here but Zalinski is controlling him well.
Zalinski moves nicely into side control.
Zalinski wants to control but Potter is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zalinski happy to just control the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Zalinski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gray Potter's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zalinski misses with a low kick.
Zalinski throws an off balance right hand
and Potter counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Potter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zalinski circles away quickly and effectively.

Zalinski knocks Potter to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Potter sneaks back into half guard.
Potter is trying to maintain the position but Zalinski is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zalinski controlling the action here.
Zalinski thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Potter's head.
Potter pushes Zalinski off looking to stand but Zalinski dives back in and keeps control.
Potter is refusing to be controlled, as Zalinski sits in half guard.
Zalinski stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ray Zalinski.
Potter misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zalinski tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gray Potter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Potter changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Zalinski tries to avoid it but Potter manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Zalinski to the ground. Zalinski escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Zalinski darts in and clinches Potter up against the cage.
Potter wants to take the fight to the mat but Zalinski manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Potter tries for a takedown but Zalinski manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gray Potter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zalinski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Potter checks a low kick from Zalinski.
Zalinski fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zalinski pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter blocks a head kick by Zalinski.
Potter shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zalinski pinned against the cage. Zalinski gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ray Zalinski is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Potter leaves Zalinski with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Zalinski misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Zalinski throws a lazy head kick

and Potter counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Zalinski!
Zalinski working to try and regain half guard.
Potter can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zalinski is looking to escape.
Zalinski tries to hold on but Potter postures up.
Gray Potter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zalinski is trying to escape the mount.
Zalinski is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Zalinski comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zalinski 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Zalinski!
Ray Zalinski took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.