PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roman Vondracek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zen Zelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roman Vondracek has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Vondracek
vs
Zelli

194 cm
23
198 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

189 cm
33
198 lbs
18 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roman Vondracek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zen Zelli!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zelli lands a jab-cross combination.
Zelli tests Vondracek's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A big left from Zelli misses.
Vondracek misses with a few strikes there.
Vondracek misses with a few strikes there.
Zelli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vondracek.
Zelli moves out of range as Vondracek strikes.
Vondracek throws a series of punches but Zelli moves out of range.
Zelli checks a leg kick.
Vondracek clobbers Zelli with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Roman Vondracek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Vondracek misses
and Vondracek takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Zelli moves away from the strike by Vondracek.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zelli takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Vondracek lands a right hook to the body.
Vondracek misses with a lunging right hand
and Zelli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Vondracek is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Zelli.
Zelli checks a low kick from Vondracek.
Vondracek throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zelli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No joy there for Vondracek, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Vondracek throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Zelli stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Vondracek loads up on a big right hand but Zelli slips the punch.
Vondracek misses with a hook. Zelli ducked under it nicely.
Vondracek takes a swing at Zelli's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek misses with a lunging right hand
and Zelli counters with a two punch combo.
Vondracek waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zelli.
Zelli misses with a straight left.
A slow jab from Vondracek misses its intended target.
Vondracek lands a glancing blow to the side of Zelli's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vondracek misses with a jab, cross combination.
Vondracek throws the left hand but Zelli avoids the punch easily.
Vondracek misses with a right hand
and Zelli counters with a nice uppercut.
Vondracek tries to work over Zelli's front leg with a kick but Zelli checks it.
Zelli tries to move into range but Vondracek moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Zelli takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek throws a right and a left that Zelli avoids nicely.
Vondracek tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zelli was well out of range. Poor timing from Vondracek.
Vondracek lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Vondracek rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Zelli counters with a stiff right hand.
Vondracek throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zelli throws a jab when Vondracek was well out of range.
Vondracek misses with a combination
enabling Zelli to counter with a crisp jab.
Zelli throws a nice looking combination but Vondracek bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A head kick misses from Vondracek.
Vondracek ducks under a wild hook from Zelli.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelli with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Vondracek to score with a decent uppercut.
Zelli fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Vondracek on the side of the head.
Zelli takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Zelli rushes Vondracek and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vondracek has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zelli scores with an uppercut up the middle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zelli digs a right hand underneath Vondracek's ribcage. Vondracek let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Zelli lands a left hand.
Zelli lands an elbow inside that Vondracek shrugs off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vondracek wants to break free but Zelli has control.
Zelli doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zelli lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Vondracek dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Vondracek misses with an uppercut.
A jab from Vondracek misses.
Vondracek pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zelli displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vondracek throws out the jab.
Zelli throws a hook but Vondracek blocks it.
Vondracek misses with a shot to the body
letting Zelli counter with a right hand.
Vondracek throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zelli counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Roman Vondracek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vondracek looks to score with a jab to the body but Zelli is just out of range.
Vondracek throws a leg kick that is checked
and Zelli counters with a series of strikes. Vondracek will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zelli throws a looping overhand right but Vondracek ducks down to avoid it.
Vondracek lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Zelli is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vondracek throws the left hand but Zelli avoids the punch easily.
Zelli is still on wobbly legs! Can Vondracek finish him?
Vondracek misses with a wild combination.
Vondracek misses with a two punch combination.
Vondracek bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vondracek misses with a wild combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Vondracek misses the target.
Vondracek waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zelli.
Vondracek swinging wildly here.
Zelli seems to have recovered his senses.
A punch combination from Vondracek misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vondracek rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Vondracek takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Roman Vondracek is winning the standup battle so far.
Vondracek throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Zelli counters with a two punch combo.
Vondracek throws a combination that misses
and Zelli counters with a left to the body.
Vondracek misses with a leg kick
and Zelli counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Vondracek walks into a left hand.
Vondracek throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Zelli counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Vondracek swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zelli counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zelli throws a series of punches but Vondracek avoids them all with ease.
Zelli uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Vondracek.
Vondracek tries to bum rush Zelli with a series of wild strikes but Zelli uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Vondracek misses with an uppercut. Zelli saw that one coming.
Zelli lands with a good body shot.
Vondracek loads up on a big right hand but Zelli slips the punch.
Vondracek falls off balance throwing a combination
and Zelli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vondracek throws a sloppy head kick
and Zelli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vondracek throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Zelli sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Vondracek takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vondracek throws a body kick that misses
and Zelli counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Zelli connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Vondracek momentarily.
Vondracek swings widly with a right hand
and Zelli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A low kick from Vondracek is predictable there
letting Zelli counter with a right hand.
An inside leg kick from Vondracek misses.
Vondracek misses with a double jab
and Zelli counters with a three punch combo that has Vondracek backing up. Vondracek nods at Zelli to acknowledge the strikes.
Vondracek misses with a few strikes there.
Vondracek misses with a double jab
and Zelli counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek misses with a two punch combination.
Vondracek jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vondracek swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Zelli holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vondracek wants to break free but Zelli has control.
Zelli throws a head punch that misses.
Vondracek is trying to break the clinch but Zelli is controlling him.
Zelli lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Vondracek or not.
Zelli lands a left hand.
Zelli has a couple of punches blocked by Vondracek.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zelli lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Vondracek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vondracek throws out a loose jab but Zelli uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zen Zelli will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Vondracek throws a right hand that misses
and Zelli counters with a series of strikes. Vondracek will be more careful next time no doubt.
Vondracek looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zelli blocks a jab.
Vondracek swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Zelli.
Vondracek throws a front kick aimed at Zelli's knee but Zelli avoids it well.
Vondracek swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zelli cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vondracek misses with a lunging right hand

and Zelli counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Zelli.
Zelli cracks Vondracek with a nice body shot.
Zelli prevents Vondracek from breaking the clinch.
Zelli goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vondracek looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Zelli lands a right hand.
Zelli can't find room to land a body shot as Vondracek controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vondracek blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Vondracek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A swing and a miss from Vondracek.
Zelli steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vondracek.
Vondracek misses with a straight left.
Zelli throws a good cross that connects.
Vondracek listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Vondracek misses with an uppercut
letting Zelli counter with a right hand.
Vondracek takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Vondracek throws a leg kick
and Zelli connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zelli takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek misses with a body shot.
Vondracek misses with a shot to the body
and Zelli counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zelli steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vondracek.
Zelli avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Vondracek misses with a straight left.
Zelli throws a jab but it's blocked by Vondracek.
Zelli misses with a straight left.
Vondracek misses with a right hand
and Zelli counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zelli swings widly with a right hand
enabling Vondracek to counter with a crisp jab.
Vondracek looks to score with a jab to the body but Zelli is just out of range.
Vondracek lands a nice hook to Zelli's body. Zelli takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelli moves out of range as Vondracek throws a body kick.
Vondracek misses the shot to the body.
Vondracek connects with a nice looking jab.
Zelli fails with an attempt to clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Vondracek.
Vondracek looks to land a combination but Zelli avoids it well.
Vondracek misses with a low kick.
Vondracek waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Zelli.
Zelli keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vondracek misses the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vondracek tries to land a leg kick but Zelli saw it coming and moves away.
Zelli ducks under a wild hook from Vondracek.

Zelli has managed to clinch.
Zelli lands with a light punch inside.
Vondracek is trying to push Zelli away but Zelli has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Zelli lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Vondracek backwards.
Zelli misses with an elbow over the top.
Zelli lands a shoulder strike.
Zelli misses with a hook to the ribs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head punch on the inside from Zelli fails to land.
Zelli digs a right hand into Vondracek's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Vondracek's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zelli lands a left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zen Zelli.
I think Zelli 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zen Zelli!
In his post fight interview, Zen Zelli started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.