PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Samuraimo Rassi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Zenin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zenin has chosen Helloween - Power as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rassi
vs
Zenin

183 cm
28
184 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

172 cm
33
186 lbs
22 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Hardcore Nutrition
Untouchable Fight Nutrition

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Samuraimo Rassi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Vladimir Zenin!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zenin stalks Rassi and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rassi's face. Rassi staggers backwards, shaken.
Zenin slips under a jab.
Rassi swats away the attempt to clinch by Zenin.
Zenin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rassi wants to clinch up but Zenin keeps it at a distance.
Zenin swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Zenin throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rassi was covering up waiting for the punch and Zenin finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Zenin prevents Rassi from getting back to his feet.
Zenin postures up in Rassi's guard and throws a big left but Rassi blocks it.
Zenin throws a big elbow that misses.
Zenin postures up in Rassi's guard and throws a big left but Rassi blocks it.
Zenin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zenin looking to pass the guard.
Zenin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zenin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zenin looking to pass the guard.
Rassi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zenin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rassi is pulling down on Zenin's head to control his posture.
Zenin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zenin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rassi wants to stand up but Zenin is controlling him.
Rassi will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Zenin throws a big right hand that misses.
Zenin throws a big right hand that misses.
Zenin cracks Rassi with a solid left hand.
Zenin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zenin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zenin working some strikes from top position.
Rassi has control of Zenin's left arm, preventing Zenin from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zenin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Zenin drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rassi dives on top into guard.
Rassi wants to control from the top but Zenin keeps moving.

Zenin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rassi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Zenin wants to sweep but no luck.
Rassi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Zenin's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rassi preventing the sweep.
Rassi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Zenin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rassi wants to get up but he can't break Zenin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

The ref stands the fighters back up because Samuraimo Rassi just wasn't active enough.
Zenin misses with an uppercut. Rassi saw that one coming.
Rassi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zenin checks a low kick from Rassi.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zenin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rassi moves away.
Rassi tries to clinch up.

Zenin closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rassi did well to prevent Zenin getting side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Zenin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zenin misses with an uppercut.
Zenin works the jab nicely.
Zenin shoots in for a takedown but Rassi shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zenin throws a hook to the side of Rassi's head but Rassi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Zenin uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rassi has time to react.
Zenin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zenin throws a hook but Rassi avoids it easily.
Rassi throws a head kick that Zenin semi-blocks.

It looks like Vladimir Zenin has been cut.
Zenin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rassi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A shot to the liver by Zenin. Beautiful body shot.
Rassi swats away the attempt to clinch by Zenin.
Zenin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Samuraimo Rassi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Zenin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenin throws a right hand that misses
enabling Rassi to counter with a crisp jab.
Zenin misses with a hook to the body
and Rassi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Samuraimo Rassi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rassi throws a nice head kick!
Zenin misses with a body shot.
Zenin throws a series of strikes that have Rassi backpedaling.
Zenin misses with a body shot.
Zenin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Rassi's head backwards.
Zenin misses with the combination.

Rassi rushes Zenin and presses him up against the cage.
Rassi tries to throw a body punch but Zenin avoids it by throwing Rassi back against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Rassi.

Zenin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rassi thows a body shot but no joy.
Zenin shoots in but no luck this time.
Rassi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rassi closes the distance but Zenin moves to the side
and Zenin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rassi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Zenin at a distance.
Zenin closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Samuraimo Rassi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rassi dodges the punch combination from Zenin.
Vladimir Zenin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rassi misses with a wild combination.
Rassi chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zenin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rassi was well out of range. Poor timing from Zenin.
Zenin misses with a shot to the body
and Rassi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zenin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zenin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zenin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rassi pinned against the cage. Rassi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rassi throws a series of punches but Zenin moves out of range.
Rassi delivers a nice body kick.
Zenin shoots in looking for a takedown. Rassi tries to sprawl out of it but Zenin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rassi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rassi lands a jab to Zenin's midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zenin misses with a body shot
and Rassi counters with a solid body kick.
Zenin just misses with a punch to the body.
Zenin misses with a left hand

and Rassi holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rassi lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Zenin backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Zenin fails to land.
Zenin changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rassi fights it off and pushes away nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rassi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Zenin.
Zenin is breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zenin is looking to clinch.
Rassi avoids the body shot from Zenin.
A left lands for Rassi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Samuraimo Rassi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vladimir Zenin's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Zenin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zenin avoids a kick to the body.
Zenin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rassi was well out of range. Poor timing from Zenin.
Zenin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rassi.
Zenin doesn't manage to clinch there - Rassi circles away.
The fighters circling - Zenin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Zenin throws a looping overhand right but Rassi ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rassi darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Zenin throws out a loose jab but Rassi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rassi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rassi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zenin.
Rassi ducks under a wild hook from Zenin.
Rassi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Rassi moves in looking to clinch but Zenin pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zenin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rassi misses with a two punch combination.

Zenin closes the distance and clinches.
Rassi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rassi scores with a shoulder strike.
Zenin prevents Rassi from breaking the clinch.
Rassi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rassi has Zenin pressed against the cage, preventing Zenin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rassi swings wildly with an uppercut but Zenin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rassi tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zenin avoids it.
Rassi tries a knee to the head but Zenin blocks it.
Rassi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Zenin breaks the clinch.
Zenin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rassi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rassi is looking to clinch but Zenin is avoiding it.

Zenin forces Rassi back against the cage and clinches.

Rassi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rassi doesn't manage to clinch there - Zenin circles away.
The crowd cheers as Zenin lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rassi doesn't seem phased though.
Zenin loads up on a big right hand but Rassi slips the punch.
Zenin ducks under a wild hook from Rassi.
Zenin throws a series of punches but Rassi avoids them all with ease.
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!
The fight stays on the outside here - Zenin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rassi tries to keep at a distance but Zenin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Zenin misses with an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zenin can't get the takedown.
Zenin misses with an elbow strike.
Zenin has Rassi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rassi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rassi misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zenin.
A right handed body shot lands from Zenin.
Zenin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rassi wants to stall.
Zenin is pushing Rassi up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Rassi tries to break the clinch but Zenin is controlling the position.
Zenin keeps control of Rassi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rassi is pressed up against the cage. Zenin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rassi down to the mat. Rassi avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Samuraimo Rassi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Zenin.
Zenin swings for the body but Rassi moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zenin misses with a looping left.
Nice sprawl there from Rassi as Zenin shoots in.
Zenin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zenin looks to throw the jab but Rassi is out of range.
A head kick from Rassi lands but Zenin takes it in his stride.
Zenin throws a hook but Rassi blocks it.
Zenin scores with a nice strike.
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!
Zenin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zenin shoots in looking for a takedown but Rassi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zenin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Zenin misses with an uppercut. Rassi saw that one coming.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rassi with a jab.
Zenin rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Rassi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Samuraimo Rassi.
I think Rassi 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 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!