PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mark Marx (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zoe Zhang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zoe Zhang told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Marx
vs
Zhang

182 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mark Marx!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zoe Zhang!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marx tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Zhang wants to clinch up but Marx keeps it at a distance.

Marx gets tackled into the cage by Zhang. Zhang maintains the clinch.
Zhang is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Zhang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marx avoids it.
Zhang lands a nice knee to the body.
Zhang lands a knee to the head.
Marx looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zhang lands a knee to the head.
Marx with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zhang scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zhang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marx avoids it.
Zhang lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Marx tries to break the clinch but Zhang is controlling the position.
Zhang's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Zhang prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhang landing knees to the head.

Zhang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zhang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zhang tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marx paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zhang doesn't manage to clinch there - Marx circles away.

Zhang has taken the fight to the clinch.
Zhang unloads a knee to the mid-section. Marx lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Marx takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Mark Marx has been cut.
Zhang landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Zhang is pressed up against the cage. Marx has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zhang down to the mat. Zhang avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zhang missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zhang.
Marx is trying to drag Zhang to the mat but Zhang just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Marx. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bit of stalling here from Zhang.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhang scores with a knee to the head.
Zhang tries to land a knee to the head but Marx blocks with his arms.
Marx is looking to take this one to the mat.
Zhang misses with a knee to the head.
Marx tries to score a body lock takedown but Zhang shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Marx is breathing heavily.
Marx is looking to take this one to the mat.
Zhang lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Marx or not.
Zhang slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marx jumps guard but Zhang stands there with Marx around his waist. Marx gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zhang.
Zhang lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Zhang putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Marx in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Zhang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zhang moves into the clinch.
Marx takes a knee to the side of the body.
Zhang is pressed up against the cage. Marx has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zhang down to the mat. Zhang avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zhang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zhang wants to clinch but Marx slips to the side
and Marx counters with a series of strikes. Zhang will be more careful next time no doubt.
Zoe Zhang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zhang has taken the fight to the clinch.
Zhang working Marx over with knees to the body.
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!
Zhang lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zhang taking a breather.
Zhang lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zhang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Marx.

Zhang breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marx throws a sloppy head kick and Zhang moves out of range easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zhang tries to clinch but Marx is having none of it.
Zhang tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marx swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marx looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zhang is fending him off so far but Marx persists. Nope, Zhang circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoe Zhang dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Marx's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zhang thumps Marx with a low kick.
Zhang is looking to clinch but Marx is avoiding it.
Zhang throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Zhang tries to clinch but Marx is having none of it.
Zhang keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A nice leg kick lands there from Zhang.
Marx throws a leg kick but Zhang sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Zhang throws a head kick that half lands.

Zhang moves into the clinch.
Marx wants a takedown.
Zhang tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Marx is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zhang to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Marx. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhang tries to land a knee to the head but Marx blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhang lands a left hand.
Marx tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Marx tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Zhang smiles and moves away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zhang tries to clinch but Marx moves away
and Marx counters with an inside leg kick.

Zhang gets a clinch.
Zhang throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Marx blocks it with crossed arms.
Zhang misses with a knee strike.
Marx changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zhang fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Zhang fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zhang throws a nice head kick!

Zhang closes the distance and clinches.
Marx has Zhang pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zhang manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marx pulls guard successfully.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Zhang stands up and waves to Marx to follow him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zhang tries to clinch there but Marx circles away.
Zhang throws a head kick that misses.
Zhang tries to clinch up.

Zhang gets a clinch.

Marx turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Zhang is looking for a sweep.

Marx looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Marx is trying to get an arm triangle but Zhang is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhang is trying to control Marx's posture but Marx avoids it.
Zhang misses with a strike from the bottom.
Marx working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Marx looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Marx wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Zhang, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marx wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Zhang, who protects the arm well.
Zhang is trying to improve his position.
Zhang struggling a bit here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Marx swings around for an armbar but Zhang sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Marx's guard.
Marx has a closed guard, preventing Zhang from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoe Zhang showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Marx's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Zhang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zhang lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Marx avoids the head kick by Zhang.
Mark Marx is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zhang is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zhang fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zhang misses with a low kick.
Zhang tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Marx holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Marx wants to take the fight to the mat but Zhang manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Knees to the body from Zhang.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Zhang breaks the clinch.
Zhang slips a jab and a cross from Marx.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhang tries to clinch up but Marx circles away and keeps his distance.
Zhang throws a nice outside leg kick.
Zhang stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Zhang wants it to stay on the feet.
Zhang tries to close the distance and clinch but Marx swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Zhang darts in and clinches Marx up against the cage.
Zhang lands an elbow just above Marx 's eye.
Marx takes a knee right on the jaw!
Zhang using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zhang looking to throw knees to the head but Marx is blocking nicely.

Zhang breaks the clinch.
Zhang feints and then cracks Marx's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Marx down.
Zhang dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Marx. That did some damage!
Zhang tries to clinch up

and Marx counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Marx.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhang keeping full guard, as Marx tries to pass.
Zhang has control of Marx's left arm, preventing Marx from doing any damage.
Zhang keeping full guard, as Marx tries to pass.

Zhang is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zhang has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mark Marx overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marx is pushing down on Zhang's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zhang is fighting to maintain full guard but Marx has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zhang is refusing to be controlled, as Marx sits in half guard.
Marx is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Marx wants to control but Zhang is keeping him busy.
Zhang wants to control but Marx is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Marx trying to mount his opponent but Zhang defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhang is not content to let Marx control the position.
Marx working the head and body with strikes.
Zhang is not content to let Marx control the position.
Marx looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mark Marx has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zhang is trying to stand up here but Marx is controlling him well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zhang is defending against the submission attempts here by Marx.
Zhang won't allow Marx to pass to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zoe Zhang.
I've got Zhang 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zoe Zhang!