PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Witt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jones Zica (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Witt comes to the cage accompanied by Animal by Disturbed. Zica has chosen Master of Puppets by Metallica as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Witt
vs
Zica

165 cm
30
157 lbs
26 - 6 - 2

180 cm
36
162 lbs
21 - 15 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Backyard Fighting
Zombie Nutrition - LOD

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Aaron Witt!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jones Zica!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Witt swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zica bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zica swings widly with a right hand

and Witt counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zica's guard now.
Zica wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zica escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Witt gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zica looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Zica utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zica looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zica keeping full guard, as Witt tries to pass.
Witt trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Witt throws an elbow that misses. Zica uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Witt's guard. Nice move by Zica!
Zica is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Witt looking for a sweep. Not yet Witt, not yet.
Witt keeping moving, preventing Zica from controlling successfully.

Zica got a little sloppy there for a moment and Witt has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zica has managed to get both his arms back between Witt's legs - danger averted.

Witt is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Witt trying to control the position.
Witt wants to sweep here but Zica controlling him for the moment.
Zica looking to sit in guard and control but Witt gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Zica working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Witt doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Witt manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Zica controls Witt momentarily but Witt frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Witt in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zica wants to sweep here but Witt controlling him for the moment.
Witt throwing strikes from guard but Zica blocks nicely.
Witt is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Zica looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Zica can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Witt controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Witt content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Zica told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Witt throwing strikes but missing.
Zica bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Witt's guard.
Witt is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Witt is on top in guard.
Witt scoring with some ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Witt wants to control from the top but Zica keeps moving.
Witt looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Witt dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Zica connects with a looping right hand.
Zica looks to score with a jab to the body but Witt is just out of range.
Witt takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Witt throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Zica catches Witt with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Witt looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Zica swinging wildly here.

Witt throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Zica tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Witt is in Zica's guard.
Zica not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zica tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Witt with a nice head shot there.
Zica wants to control but Witt passes easily into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Witt seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Witt wants to pass the guard but Zica is defending well.
Zica tries to roll over but Witt keeps him under control.
Zica has hold of Witt's hands but Witt slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zica wants to improve his position but Witt is controlling well.
Witt is trying to control the action in half guard but Zica is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zica keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zica is refusing to be controlled, as Witt sits in half guard.
Nice strikes from Witt there.
Zica is trying to maintain the position but Witt is very close to passing his half guard.
Witt not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Zica looking for submissions off his back.
Witt working the head and body with strikes.
Witt thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zica's head.
Witt is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Witt trying to mount his opponent but Zica defends it.
Witt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Zica wants to control but Witt is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Zica is looking to improve his position.
Witt has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Witt drops an elbow to the side of Zica's head.
Zica is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zica makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zica.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Witt trying to control the position from guard on top but Zica is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zica wants to sweep here but Witt controlling him for the moment.
Witt controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Zica looking for a sweep. Not yet Zica, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Witt connects with a couple of short punches.
Witt in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Witt distracts Zica with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Witt dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zica lands a jab to the nose.
Zica thows a body shot but no joy.
Zica connects with a single shot there.
Zica uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Witt.
Sloppy strikes from Zica. Those never looked like landing.

Witt changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Zica looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Zica is looking to reverse the position.
Witt working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Zica tries to improve position but can't.
Witt looks up at the clock and then as Zica takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Witt smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Zica is trying to control Witt's posture but Witt avoids it.
Witt working the strikes but Zica uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Witt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Witt seems to be working for a kimura but Zica defends the submission attempt.
Witt thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zica won't allow Witt to pass to mount.
Zica is refusing to be controlled, as Witt sits in half guard.
Witt is nestled in close to Zica, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Witt is looking to advance position but Zica won't allow it.
Zica has hold of Witt's hands but Witt slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Zica is trying to maintain the position but Witt is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Witt throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Zica is trying to control but can't.
Zica is trying to get back to full guard.
Zica is in trouble now - Witt has advanced to mount!
Witt landing punches.
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!
Witt working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Zica is desperately trying to improve his position but Witt has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zica is in a horrible position here. Witt smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Aaron Witt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Witt lands with some strikes.
Witt looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Witt wants to finish this one by submission but Zica is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Witt.
Witt landing strikes from the mount.
Zica wants to hold on but Witt pushes him away.
Witt lands a big elbow.
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!
Witt breaks from Zica's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Witt scoring with strikes but Zica is staying in there.

Zica is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zica takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Witt's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Aaron Witt!
Aaron Witt retains his lightweight title!
Aaron Witt gave a mention to Backyard Fighting in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).