PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sassou ZuZu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

James
vs
ZuZu

190 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

188 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

CROWN

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sassou ZuZu!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from ZuZu as James shoots in.
James looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
James misses with a takedown attempt - ZuZu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
ZuZu tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
ZuZu fails with an attempt to clinch.

ZuZu moves into range and clinches up with James.
ZuZu throws an elbow but it misses.
ZuZu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
ZuZu gets underhooks to prevent James's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
ZuZu landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Nice elbow from ZuZu.
James on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
ZuZu pushes off an throws an elbow but James leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
ZuZu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but James blocks it with crossed arms.
James blocks the elbow strike.
ZuZu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from James.
ZuZu connects with a nasty looking knee right to James's face.
James avoids a wild elbow strike from ZuZu.
James changes levels and goes for a takedown here. ZuZu fights it off and pushes away nicely.
ZuZu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ZuZu doesn't manage to clinch there - James circles away.
ZuZu is looking to clinch but James is avoiding it.
ZuZu tries to clinch but James moves out of range.
ZuZu wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
James looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? ZuZu is fending him off so far but James persists. Nope, ZuZu circles away and we're back to standing.
James circles away from the clinch attempt.
James circles away from the clinch attempt.
ZuZu connects with a high kick.
ZuZu tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
ZuZu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James circles away from the clinch attempt.

ZuZu closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by ZuZu.
James avoids the elbow strike from ZuZu, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, ZuZu throws an elbow but misses.
ZuZu stalling in the clinch but James improves position.
ZuZu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but James blocks it with crossed arms.
ZuZu prevents James from breaking the clinch.
James jumps guard but ZuZu stands there with James around his waist. James gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
James dodges an elbow strike from ZuZu.
ZuZu pushes off an throws an elbow but James leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
ZuZu tries a knee to the head but James blocks it.

ZuZu breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
ZuZu is looking to clinch but James is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - ZuZu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James blocks a head kick by ZuZu.

ZuZu looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for James!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James is in all sorts of trouble here.

ZuZu get's back to his feet.
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but James paws at him with a jab and circles away.
ZuZu throws a head kick that misses.
ZuZu wants to clinch.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
James shoots for a takedown but ZuZu saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
ZuZu tries a head kick but it misses.

James bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

James is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. ZuZu knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
ZuZu is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

James is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but ZuZu is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

James tries for a kimura but ZuZu is defending well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
ZuZu tries to bench press James off him but James keeps the position.

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

James wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by ZuZu, who protects the arm well.
ZuZu is looking to work his way out of this bad position but James is controlling him well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sassou ZuZu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

ZuZu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James tries for a takedown but ZuZu circles away easily

and ZuZu counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by ZuZu.
ZuZu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
ZuZu pushes off an throws an elbow but James leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
ZuZu missing with knees to the body.
James drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by ZuZu.
ZuZu lands a nice elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ZuZu with a knee to the head.
James jumps guard but ZuZu stands there with James around his waist. James gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
James takes an elbow to the temple.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ZuZu trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, ZuZu throws an elbow but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ZuZu tries a knee to the head but James blocks it.
ZuZu gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
ZuZu with an attempt at a knee that misses.

James jumps guard and drags ZuZu to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

James working for a triangle but ZuZu defends it easily.

James is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
James wants to sweep here but ZuZu controlling him for the moment.

James escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. ZuZu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

ZuZu gets to his feet - James follows without any prompting.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ZuZu fails in his attempt to clinch.

James shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
James stops ZuZu from getting back to his feet.

James wants to work for an arm triangle but ZuZu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

ZuZu manages to escape and get back to his feet!
James swats away the attempt to clinch by ZuZu.
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up but James swats him away and circles back towards the center.

James shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than James was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
ZuZu prevents James from taking his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But ZuZu has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from ZuZu!
ZuZu tries to stand but James is controlling from the bottom.
ZuZu is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

James escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. ZuZu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

ZuZu drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and ZuZu jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
ZuZu wants to get up but he can't break James's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. ZuZu manages to get himself to full guard.
ZuZu is looking to stand up but James isn't so interested in that idea.

James thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
James passes easily into side control. Nice work.
ZuZu is pushing James's head away, looking to escape. James manages to hold on to the position though.

James tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
ZuZu wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael James dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

ZuZu throws a sloppy head kick and James moves out of range easily.

James bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

James thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
ZuZu prevents James from moving into mount.
ZuZu is pushing James's head away, looking to escape. James manages to hold on to the position though.
Michael James overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
ZuZu is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

ZuZu kicks James off and gets back to his feet.
James avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
ZuZu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James shoots in and drives through. ZuZu sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
ZuZu tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - ZuZu looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
ZuZu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

James closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming ZuZu to the mat! ZuZu manages to get full guard.

James drops back looking for a submission - "I'm sorry sir, but I'm gunna break your leg" says James as he cranks on the unfortunate limb! ZuZu screams and taps out before any major damage is done! Don't mess with James! Nice submission victory there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Michael James!