PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mikolaj Zgola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Corellis Mandolin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikolaj Zgola has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zgola
vs
Mandolin

180 cm
19
153 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mikolaj Zgola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Corellis Mandolin!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mandolin throws a head kick that half lands.
Mandolin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mandolin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Mandolin throws a leg kick but Zgola moved away.
Zgola fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mandolin looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Mandolin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Mandolin.
Mandolin throws a sloppy head kick and Zgola moves out of range easily.

Zgola shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zgola showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Zgola controlling the pace.

Zgola is working for a kimura but Mandolin is defending it quite comfortably.
Zgola is breathing heavily.
Zgola stops Mandolin from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zgola working Mandolin over with strikes.
Zgola not doing much here.

Zgola is looking for a kimura but Mandolin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zgola to get the leverage.
Zgola controlling the action here.

Zgola is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mandolin defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandolin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Zgola's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Zgola's back!
Mandolin is trying to stick to Zgola's back but Zgola is turning into Mandolin. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Mandolin's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Zgola.
Zgola prevents Mandolin from getting back to his feet.
Zgola controls from within his opponent's guard.
Zgola throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mandolin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zgola slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zgola looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Zgola keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mikolaj Zgola just wasn't active enough.
Zgola shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zgola blocks a head kick by Mandolin.
Mandolin throws out a leg kick but Zgola moves out of range and Mandolin only half commits.
Mandolin tries a head kick but it misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zgola is defended easily by Mandolin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikolaj Zgola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zgola closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mandolin circles away.
Zgola shoots in but Mandolin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mandolin thumps Zgola with a low kick.
Mandolin keeps Zgola at a distance using the push kick.
A head kick misses from Mandolin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikolaj Zgola dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Zgola looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Mandolin is controlling Zgola's posture.
Mandolin keeping moving, preventing Zgola from controlling successfully.
Mandolin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zgola.
Zgola looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mandolin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zgola wants to control from the top but Mandolin keeps moving.
Mandolin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mikolaj Zgola.
Mandolin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mikolaj Zgola is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mandolin throws a head kick that misses.
Zgola shoots for a takedown but Mandolin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mandolin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Zgola manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Mandolin on his heels. He'll look to pass Mandolin's guard now, I'm sure.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mandolin holds on and takes a little breather.
Zgola controls from within his opponent's guard.
Mandolin looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zgola passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Zgola lands some shots froms side control.
Zgola works to advance to full mount. Mandolin defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Mandolin tries to lock up and control but Zgola gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zgola putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zgola scoring with strikes but Mandolin is staying in there.
Zgola controlling the position easily from mount.
Mandolin can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zgola scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Mandolin?
Zgola controlling the pace for now.
Zgola is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zgola pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Zgola jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Mandolin is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Mandolin and Zgola has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
You can see the frustration on Mandolin's face as Zgola controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mandolin taking a bit of punishment here - Zgola scoring with strikes.
Zgola tries to advance to mount but can't.
Zgola scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Mandolin to see if he's OK.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zgola is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mandolin has escaped the position, nice work there.
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!
Mandolin is not content to let Zgola control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikolaj Zgola dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zgola shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mandolin as he avoids it easily.
Mandolin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Mandolin, right into the meat.
Zgola shoots in but Mandolin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A head kick misses from Mandolin.
Zgola takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mandolin misses with a head kick.
Zgola has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Mandolin.
No luck for Zgola with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikolaj Zgola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mandolin chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Zgola blocks a head kick by Mandolin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mandolin throws a sloppy head kick and Zgola moves out of range easily.
Mandolin cracks the inside of Zgola's front leg.
Mandolin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Zgola looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mandolin is fending him off so far but Zgola persists. Nope, Mandolin circles away and we're back to standing.

Zgola closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mandolin defending against the ground and pound.
Zgola throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Zgola creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Zgola in side control lands a decent elbow.
Zgola trying to control the action but Mandolin is working from the bottom.
Mandolin wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mandolin is letting Zgola control him for a moment.
Zgola trying to control the action but Mandolin is working from the bottom.
Zgola tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mandolin's legs.
Zgola 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.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mandolin is not content to let Zgola control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
An elbow from Zgola crashes against the mat.
Zgola trying to control the action but Mandolin is working from the bottom.
Mandolin seems a little lost for a moment, as Zgola dominates the positioning.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mikolaj Zgola.
Zgola on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zgola blocks a head kick by Mandolin.
Mandolin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zgola shoots for a takedown but Mandolin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mandolin tries a head kick but it misses.
Mandolin throws out a leg kick but Zgola moves out of range and Mandolin only half commits.
Mandolin lands with a kick to the temple. Zgola shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Mandolin throws a sloppy head kick and Zgola moves out of range easily.
Zgola fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zgola.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mandolin throws a sloppy head kick and Zgola moves out of range easily.
Corellis Mandolin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikolaj Zgola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Zgola shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

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 Mikolaj Zgola.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Zgola, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikolaj Zgola!