PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zak Zak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Lai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Zak Zak has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Zak
vs
Lai

225 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 3 - 1

225 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zak Zak!
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, Nicholas Lai!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Illya Tyunina and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lai closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Zak did well to prevent Lai getting side control.
Lai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zak keeps working.
Lai keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
It looks like Lai might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Zak trying to control from the bottom.
Lai is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Nicholas Lai was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Lai closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Zak's guard.
Lai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zak swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lai chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak has control of Lai's left arm, preventing Lai from doing any damage.
Zak keeping full guard, as Lai tries to pass.
Lai controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Zak tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zak bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lai's guard.
Zak preventing the sweep.

Zak avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lai tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zak postures up.
Zak has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lai has his hands on Zak's head, controlling the position.
Lai looking to control.
Zak won't allow Lai to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lai shoots in for a takedown but Zak shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lai looks gassed!
Zak scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lai doesn't seem bothered though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zak looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lai stuffs the takedown.
Zak shoots in for a double leg but Lai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lai is looking to clinch but Zak is avoiding it.
Lai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lai throws a poor cross that misses
and Zak counters with a left and a right that stings Lai.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zak fails with the takedown

and Lai counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zak's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zak Zak. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zak controls Lai momentarily but Lai frees himself.
Lai trying to control the position from guard on top but Zak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zak is keeping the position for now.
Lai wants to stand but Zak has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Zak lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lai!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lai keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicholas Lai dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zak closes the distance and clinches up with Lai, looking for a takedown. Zak pushes Lai against the cage but Lai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Lai tries to clinch up but Zak circles away and keeps his distance.
Zak throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Lai fails to land with a series of punches.

Lai 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.
Lai trying to control but Zak is working from the bottom.
Lai wants to stand and escape but instead Zak has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Lai wants to sweep but no luck.
Lai is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zak tries to free his leg and advance position but Lai is retaining full guard.
Zak pushes down on Lai's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lai makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Lai.
Zak throws a big elbow that misses.
Zak trying to control but Lai is working from the bottom.

Lai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lai tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zak wants to control from the top but Lai keeps moving.

Lai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zak is looking to work some ground and pound but Lai has wrist control.
Lai wants to stand up but Zak is controlling him.

Lai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zak gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak trying to control the position from guard on top but Lai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lai keeping full guard, as Zak tries to pass.

Zak gets to his feet. Lai looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Zak Zak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zak changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lai tries to avoid it but Zak manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lai to the ground. Lai escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Zak drives through and clinches with Lai against the cage.

Lai has hold of one of Zak's legs. Zak is fighting the takedown attempt but Lai gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Lai in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zak is keeping the position for now.
Zak looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lai passes into half guard.
Zak regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Lai.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Zak working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lai doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lai manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nicholas Lai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Zak leaves Lai with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lai shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Zak sprawls well. Zak wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lai gets slowly back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lai is defended easily by Zak.
Zak Zak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicholas Lai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zak circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zak looks to land a body kick but Lai moved away.
Zak moves to clinch but Lai breaks away

and Lai counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Lai is controlling him well.
Zak manages to get back to half guard.
Lai stalling.
Zak tries to get to full guard but Lai has control of the leg.
Lai controlling the action here.
Lai looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lai with the ground and pound but Zak uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Lai forces his way into half guard.
It looks like Lai is going to stand back up.
Lai trying to control from half guard but Zak is working away.
Lai controlling the action here.
Zak gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zak is keeping the position for now.
Lai controls from within his opponent's guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nicholas Lai.
Zak throws a chopping leg kick but Lai manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Zak tries to clinch there but Lai circles away.
Zak shoots in for a takedown but Lai shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lai drives through with a takedown into Zak's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Lai preventing the sweep.
Zak keeping full guard, as Lai tries to pass.
Lai trying to stand up but can't free himself from Zak's guard.
Zak is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Lai dives into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lai remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Zak Zak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nicholas Lai is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lai trying to control the action but Zak is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicholas Lai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lai winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicholas Lai!