PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ali Ghazzi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xyxer Zahard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Ghazzi
vs
Zahard

192 cm
25
250 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
235 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Solid chin

Backyard Fighting
Knox Energy

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ali Ghazzi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xyxer Zahard!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zahard shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ghazzi as he jumps to the side.
Zahard tries to clinch there but Ghazzi circles away.
Zahard tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zahard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zahard is looking to clinch but Ghazzi is avoiding it.
Zahard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zahard misses with a wild combination.
Zahard fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ghazzi scores with a shot to the body.
Zahard tries to clinch
and Ghazzi counters with a left to the body.
Zahard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ghazzi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ghazzi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zahard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ghazzi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zahard wants to clinch
and Ghazzi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zahard thinking.
Zahard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ghazzi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zahard is looking to clinch.
Ghazzi connects with a looping right hand.
Ghazzi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ali Ghazzi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xyxer Zahard.
Nice body punch from Ghazzi.
Zahard looks winded!
The crowd cheers as Ghazzi lands an impressive looking overhand right. Zahard doesn't seem phased though.
Zahard goes for a double leg but Ghazzi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ghazzi continues to drive forward.
Ghazzi controlling the action here for a moment.
Zahard tries to pull guard but Ghazzi holds him up against the cage and eventually Zahard drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ghazzi is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
I was talking to Ghazzi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ghazzi tries to circle away but Zahard has him pinned against the cage.
Zahard tries to pull guard but Ghazzi holds him up against the cage and eventually Zahard drops back down to his feet.
Zahard creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ghazzi is struggling to control the position.
Zahard lands a nice elbow.
Ghazzi is pushing Zahard up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zahard pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Zahard pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ghazzi slowing the pace effectively.
Zahard throws an elbow that misses.
Zahard pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Zahard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zahard tries to clinch but Ghazzi moves out of range.
Xyxer Zahard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ghazzi keeps the fight on the outside.
Ghazzi lands a nice shot that snaps Zahard's head back.
We've been informed that Zahard has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Ghazzi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Zahard.
Ghazzi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zahard shoots in but Ghazzi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zahard throws a head kick that half lands.
Ghazzi goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Xyxer Zahard has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ghazzi cracks Zahard with a good jab.
Ghazzi moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Zahard wants to clinch.
Zahard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Ghazzi counter with a right hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ghazzi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ghazzi connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Zahard momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali Ghazzi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Xyxer Zahard'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.

Ghazzi lands with a nice combination. Zahard backs away looking to recover.
Ghazzi scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ghazzi comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ghazzi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ghazzi lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Zahard backs up against the cage.

That has opened up Xyxer Zahard's cut even more.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ghazzi circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Ghazzi counter with a right hand.
Ghazzi lunges at Zahard with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Zahard's hand.
Zahard gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Zahard closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Ghazzi to counter with a crisp jab.

Zahard is rocked!

The cut above Xyxer Zahard's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghazzi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zahard.
Zahard tries to clinch up
and Ghazzi counters with a straight right hand.
Zahard is still on wobbly legs! Can Ghazzi finish him?
Zahard is breathing heavily.
Zahard tries to clinch
and Ghazzi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Zahard seems to have recovered his senses.
Zahard shoots in but no luck this time.
Ali Ghazzi is winning the standup battle so far.
Zahard is looking to clinch.
Ghazzi scores with a jab to the head.
Zahard tries to clinch there but Ghazzi circles away.
Ghazzi scores with a jab. Zahard acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Xyxer Zahard's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zahard moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Zahard takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ghazzi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zahard can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Zahard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zahard tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Ghazzi to counter with a crisp jab.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Xyxer Zahard's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Ali Ghazzi!
In his post fight interview, Ali Ghazzi started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.