PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zen Zelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Murray Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jackson has chosen here comes the BOOOOOOM as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Zelli
vs
Jackson

189 cm
28
198 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

182 cm
25
198 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zen Zelli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Murray Jackson!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zelli moves out of range as Jackson strikes.
Jackson misses with an uppercut.
Zelli tries to clinch up.
Jackson looks to score with a jab to the body but Zelli is just out of range.
Zelli checks a low kick from Jackson.
Zelli misses with a wild combination.
Jackson connects with a crisp jab.
Murray Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson misses with a wild body shot.
Jackson throws a lazy uppercut
letting Zelli counter with a right hand.
Nice defenses there by Zelli.
Jackson misses with a body shot.
Jackson misses with a right hand
and Zelli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson slips a jab and a cross from Zelli.
Zelli tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jackson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zelli throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Jackson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Jackson looks to land a combination but Zelli avoids it well.
Jackson looks to score with a jab to the body but Zelli is just out of range.
Jackson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zelli rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Jackson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Jackson is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Jackson throws a jab when Zelli was well out of range.
Zelli throws a series of punches but Jackson moves out of range.
Jackson misses the shot to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Zelli darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zelli closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Jackson is pushing Zelli up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Jackson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Zellis head.
Jackson blocking some punches.
Jackson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nice body punch from Jackson - that landed with a thud.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zelli.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jackson struggles to land a body shot inside as Zelli controls his hands.

Jackson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jackson misses the shot to the body.
Jackson misses with a left hand
and Zelli counters with a two punch combo.
Jackson misses with the combination.
Jackson misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelli blocks a head kick by Jackson.
Zelli is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Jackson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jackson throws a lazy uppercut
and Zelli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jackson throws a jab but it's blocked by Zelli.
Zelli throws a right hand that Jackson ducks under and follows up with a left that Jackson also avoids with ease.
Jackson misses with a hook
and Jackson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jackson throws a big shot that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelli checks a leg kick nicely.
Jackson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zelli.
Jackson misses with a body shot.
Jackson throws a right hand that misses
letting Zelli counter with a right hand.
Jackson throws a nice looking combination but Zelli bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from Zelli.
Jackson throws a combination that misses

and Zelli moves into the clinch.
Zelli throws a head punch that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zelli scores with a hook to the body.
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!
Jackson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zelli misses with a punch on the inside.
Jackson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Jackson is trying to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Murray Jackson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jackson misses with a lunging right hand
and Zelli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jackson misses with an uppercut.
Zelli displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Jackson throws out the jab.
Jackson throws an overhand right that lands on Zelli's shoulder, as Zelli tries to avoid the shot.
Jackson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Zelli throws a series of punches but Jackson avoids them all with ease.
Murray Jackson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A leg kick checked by Zelli.
Jackson slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Jackson thows a body shot but no joy.
Zelli has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zelli there as he acknowledges the shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Zelli checks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zelli throws a series of strikes that have Jackson backpedaling.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Jackson in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Jackson swats away the attempt to clinch by Zelli.
Zelli tests Jackson's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Zen Zelli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zelli looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zelli slips a straight right by Jackson.

Zelli moves into the clinch.
Zelli tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zelli misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zelli misses with a punch on the inside.
Zelli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Zelli.
Jackson misses with some punches.
Jackson blocks an uppercut.
Zelli lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Jackson or not.
Zelli scores with a shot to the side of Jackson's head.
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!
Zelli tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Jackson's elbow.
Zelli throws a punch but it's blocked by Jackson.
Jackson misses with some punches.
Zelli tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zelli.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jackson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Zelli.
Zelli closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Zelli slips a jab from Jackson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jackson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zelli scores with a jab. Jackson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Jackson misses with a hook. Zelli ducked under it nicely.
Jackson lands a jab to Zelli's midsection.
Zelli throws a series of punches but Jackson avoids them all with ease.
Jackson throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Zelli to counter with a crisp jab.

Zelli rushes Jackson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Zelli misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Jackson.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Jackson.
Jackson is struggling to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelli lands with a left to the head.
Zelli lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Jackson blocks a body shot from Zelli.
Zelli lands a left hand that snaps the head of Jackson backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Jackson working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Jackson lands with a right to the head.
Jackson is trying to stall.
Jackson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Jackson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Zelli misses with some punches.
Zelli lands a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zen Zelli dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Jackson misses the shot to the body.
Zelli keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jackson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Jackson throws an overhand right that lands on Zelli's shoulder, as Zelli tries to avoid the shot.
Jackson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A bone on bone clash there as Zelli blocks the leg kick.
Zelli misses with a few strikes there.

Zelli rushes Jackson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jackson throws a punch but it's blocked by Zelli.
Zelli fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zelli lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zelli prevents a body shot from Jackson.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson blocks an uppercut.
Zelli blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zelli has a couple of punches blocked by Jackson.
Zelli swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Jackson is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Jackson misses with a punch on the inside.
Jackson has a couple of punches blocked by Zelli.
Zelli presses Jackson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Zelli swings wildly with an uppercut but Jackson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zelli lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zelli throws a head punch that misses.
Zelli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A head punch on the inside from Zelli fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zelli working aggressively here.
Jackson prevents a body shot from Zelli.
Zelli swings wildly with an uppercut but Jackson uses good head movement to avoid it.

Zelli escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zelli throws a right and a left that Jackson avoids nicely.
Zelli stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Jackson swings for the body but Zelli moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A left and a right from Zelli both land. Nice combination.
Zelli tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jackson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zelli moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Jackson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson throws out a loose jab but Zelli uses good head movement to avoid it.

Zelli moves into range and clinches up with Jackson.
A short left from Zelli.
Jackson throws a head punch that misses.
Jackson tries to stall but Zelli uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Zelli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Jackson prevents a body shot from Zelli.
Zelli misses with a hook to the ribs.
Jackson misses with some punches.
Jackson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A short uppercut from Zelli.
Zelli swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelli misses with a punch on the inside.
Jackson tries to throw a body punch but Zelli avoids it by throwing Jackson back against the cage.
Zen Zelli has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Jackson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jackson throws a leg kick but Zelli sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Zelli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jackson throws a right and a left that Zelli avoids nicely.
Jackson misses the shot to the body.
Jackson is looking to land body kicks.
Jackson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zelli wants to clinch up but Jackson keeps it at a distance.

Zelli rushes Jackson and presses him up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zelli lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zen Zelli showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zelli has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zen Zelli!
A victorious Zen Zelli thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.