PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Egor Sumovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pablo Zanetti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Egor Sumovan has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Sumovan
vs
Zanetti

180 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Egor Sumovan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Pablo Zanetti !
The judges for this bout are Winston Alpacca, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sumovan darts in looking for a takedown but Zanetti gets double underhooks and turns Sumovan into the cage.
Sumovan prevents a takedown attempt there.

Sumovan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sumovan throws a left and a right that both miss

and Zanetti counters with a nice double leg into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Sumovan holds on and takes a little breather.
Zanetti slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sumovan wants to stand and escape but Zanetti is having none of it.
My spies in Clean and Green inform me that Zanetti has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Zanetti engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Pablo Zanetti has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sumovan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zanetti paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sumovan stuffs the takedown attempt from Zanetti . Zanetti gets slowly back to his feet.

Sumovan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Sumovan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sumovan tries to score with some ground and pound. Zanetti controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Zanetti is looking to reverse the position.
Sumovan wants to take a breather but Zanetti manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Sumovan.
Zanetti has a closed guard, preventing Sumovan from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zanetti seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zanetti is working an open guard so Sumovan takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Sumovan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sumovan seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Sumovan lands a body shot.
Sumovan lands with a cross.

Zanetti shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Zanetti was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zanetti working the body and head with strikes.
Zanetti trying to control the position but Sumovan is working away.
Sumovan being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Zanetti has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Sumovan is trying to improve his position.
Sumovan manages to get back to half guard.
Sumovan wants to control but Zanetti is keeping busy.
Zanetti throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Zanetti trying to control the pace.
Zanetti is looking to advance position but Sumovan won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zanetti wants to stand but Sumovan has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Pablo Zanetti was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sumovan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zanetti is fending him off so far but Sumovan persists. Nope, Zanetti circles away and we're back to standing.

Sumovan scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sumovan tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Zanetti sneaks back into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zanetti pushes Sumovan off looking to stand but Sumovan dives back in and keeps control.
Zanetti is looking for a sweep. Sumovan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pablo Zanetti will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Sumovan darts in looking for a takedown but Zanetti gets double underhooks and turns Sumovan into the cage.
Sumovan is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zanetti pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Zanetti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sumovan misses with a leg kick
and Zanetti counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zanetti should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Zanetti tries to keep at a distance but Sumovan has taken the fight into the clinch.

Zanetti has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sumovan is trying to keep an underhook but Zanetti manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sumovan is staying active underneath Zanetti , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sumovan is trying to maintain the position but Zanetti is very close to passing his half guard.
Sumovan is looking for a sweep. Zanetti is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sumovan is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Zanetti scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sumovan is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sumovan is refusing to be controlled, as Zanetti sits in half guard.
Sumovan is trying to get back to full guard.
Zanetti performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Zanetti lands a nice short elbow.
Zanetti trying to control the pace.
Sumovan is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sumovan misses with a takedown
and Zanetti counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sumovan thinking.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Egor Sumovan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zanetti avoids the head kick by Sumovan.
Sumovan wants to clinch up but Zanetti keeps it at a distance.
Egor Sumovan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sumovan fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Zanetti is out of range.
Egor Sumovan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sumovan lands with a slapping head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sumovan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zanetti shoots in and drives through. Sumovan sprawls well.

Sumovan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Zanetti jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sumovan walks away with a smile on his face. Zanetti gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Zanetti with that takedown attempt.
Sumovan throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sumovan shoots for a takedown but Zanetti saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zanetti will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sumovan misses with a double jab.
Sumovan wants to clinch.
Sumovan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zanetti .
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zanetti shoots for a double leg takedown but Sumovan sprawls well. He's pushed Zanetti 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Zanetti misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sumovan throws a right and a left that both miss.

Sumovan closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Zanetti is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zanetti wants to get back to his feet.
Zanetti preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sumovan is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Egor Sumovan will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A jab from Zanetti does it's job there.
Sumovan tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Zanetti counters with a left and a right that stings Sumovan.
Sumovan fails to land the takedown.
Sumovan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zanetti swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Sumovan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Zanetti !
Sumovan trying to control the position but Zanetti is working away.

Sumovan stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Sumovan wants to clinch
and Zanetti counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zanetti stuffs the takedown attempt from Sumovan. Sumovan gets slowly back to his feet.
Zanetti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Sumovan darts in and clinches Zanetti up against the cage.

Sumovan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zanetti shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sumovan makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sumovan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zanetti 's waist but Zanetti gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sumovan off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Egor Sumovan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zanetti .
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sumovan is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zanetti 's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zanetti sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Zanetti is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sumovan defends it well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Zanetti in particular looking to stall.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sumovan is trying to stand back up but Zanetti is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zanetti stalling away here and it's allowed Sumovan to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Sumovan looking to control.
Sumovan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zanetti manages to get himself to full guard.
Sumovan trying to control but Zanetti is working from the bottom.
Sumovan wants to pass the guard but Zanetti is keeping the position.
Pablo Zanetti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sumovan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zanetti is looking for a triangle but Sumovan pushes his legs off easily.
Sumovan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sumovan tries to stand but Zanetti is controlling from the bottom.

Sumovan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Zanetti , up you get!
Zanetti shoots in looking for a takedown but Sumovan manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zanetti 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nice takedown defense from Zanetti . No joy for Sumovan on that attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Sumovan as Zanetti shoots in.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zanetti shoots in looking for a takedown but Sumovan manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zanetti 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Sumovan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sumovan closes the distance and clinches up with Zanetti , looking for a takedown. Sumovan pushes Zanetti against the cage but Zanetti circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Egor Sumovan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sumovan has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Egor Sumovan!
After winning the bout, Egor Sumovan thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.