PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zak Zak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Williams
vs
Zak

198 cm
21
297 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mario Williams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zak Zak!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zak dives in and grabs Williams's left leg, looking for a takedown. Williams pushes down on Zak's head and hops out.
Zak scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Mario Williams has been cut.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Zak shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Zak shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zak tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Williams swivels and escapes.
Zak stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Williams. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zak fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Williams is out of range.
Williams tries to move into range but Zak moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Williams fails to land the takedown.
Zak shoots in looking for a takedown. Williams tries to sprawl out of it but Zak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Williams manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Williams is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Zak's half guard.
Williams wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zak keeps working.

Zak pushes Williams off and gets back to his feet.
Zak lands a jab-cross combination.
An inside leg kick lands from Williams.
Zak looks gassed!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zak fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Williams keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zak but Zak pushes him off and we're back to square one.
No luck for Zak with that takedown attempt.

Williams changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Zak looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Zak stops Williams from passing to mount.

Williams swings around for an armbar but Zak sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Williams's guard.
Zak looking to sit in guard and control but Williams gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zak's head.
Williams prevents Zak from getting back to his feet.

Williams is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Zak is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Zak has escaped and now he's on top!
Zak loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Williams has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Zak off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Williams stuffs the takedown.
Zak fails to land the takedown.
Zak fails to land with a series of punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zak looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zak misses with a takedown attempt - Williams sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Zak Zak will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mario Williams's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Williams shoots in for a takedown but Zak shows good takedown defense.

Williams fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Zak sprawls well initially but Williams persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Zak is staying active underneath Williams, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Williams is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Williams is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Williams is trying to work for a kimura but Zak is defending well.

Williams is working for a kimura but Zak is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Williams is looking for submissions but instead, Zak has regained full guard.
Williams knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zak on the ground.
Williams prevents Zak from getting back to his feet.
Williams sitting in guard here, content to control.
Zak not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Williams might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Zak pushes Williams off and gets back to his feet.

Williams shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Williams was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams working Zak over with strikes here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Williams trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Williams goes for an armbar but Zak turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Zak.
Zak pushing down on Williams's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Zak is looking to stall here but Williams recovers full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak looking to pass the guard.
Zak wanted to stand there but Williams had control of the position.

Williams looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zak trying to control the position from guard on top but Williams is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Mario Williams overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zak has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Williams is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Williams dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mario Williams'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!

Zak tries to clinch up.
Zak shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Williams shoots for a double leg takedown but Zak sprawls well. He's pushed Williams's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Zak Zak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zak throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Williams tries for a takedown but Zak sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Williams takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Williams shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Zak as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mario Williams. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zak doesn't manage to clinch there - Williams circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Williams paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Zak with that takedown attempt.
Zak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zak tries to clinch up.
Williams looks for a takedown but Zak sprawls well.
Zak scores with a sloppy right hand. Williams should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Williams keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Zak shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zak misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice sprawl there from Zak as Williams shoots in.
Zak is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak works over Williams's head and body with a nice combination.
Williams defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zak.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Zak shows good takedown defense.
Williams blocks a low kick nicely.
Williams blocks the body kick.
Zak fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Williams tries to avoid it but Zak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Williams to the ground. Williams escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zak misses with a head kick.
Williams shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Zak sprawls well. Zak wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Williams gets slowly back to his feet.
Williams shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zak pinned against the cage. Zak gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Zak fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Zak fails with the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zak Zak comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zak 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!