PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paul Buchanan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tam Zeus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zeus has chosen Open Road as his entrance music. Tam Zeus acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Buchanan
vs
Zeus

183 cm
28
201 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

178 cm
34
199 lbs
23 - 12 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Buchanan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tam Zeus!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zeus misses with a looping left.
Zeus misses with a right hand
and Buchanan counters with a stiff right hand.
Buchanan throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Zeus.
Buchanan tries to clinch up but Zeus circles away and keeps his distance.
Buchanan cracks a nice hook into Zeus's ribs.
Buchanan delivers a nice body kick.
Zeus connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A big left from Zeus misses.
Buchanan walks into a stiff left hand from Zeus.
Zeus uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Buchanan.

Zeus gets caught flat footed, as Buchanan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Buchanan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zeus swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zeus is trying to control the position but Buchanan postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus wants to sweep here but Buchanan controlling him for the moment.
Zeus not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zeus keeping full guard, as Buchanan tries to pass.
Buchanan wants to control from the top but Zeus keeps moving.
Buchanan preventing the sweep.
Buchanan throwing strikes but missing.
Zeus looking for a sweep. Not yet Zeus, not yet.
Buchanan postures up and lands a big shot to Zeus's brow.

Zeus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Buchanan drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Zeus dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zeus trying to control but Buchanan is working from the bottom.
Buchanan working a defensive guard here.
Zeus looking to pass the guard.
Zeus is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zeus wants to control from the top but Buchanan keeps moving.
Zeus in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan wants to sweep here but Zeus controlling him for the moment.
Buchanan is working hard here to advance position.
Buchanan has Zeus pulled in close to control his posture.
Buchanan wants to sweep but no luck.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Buchanan holds on and takes a little breather.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zeus throws a hook but Buchanan avoids it easily.
Zeus misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Zeus looks to land a left hand but Buchanan moved out of range nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Buchanan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zeus.
Zeus lands with a good body shot.
Buchanan throws a half hearted mid kick.
Zeus waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Buchanan.
Zeus keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Buchanan wants to clinch.
Buchanan with a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buchanan defending well as Zeus loads up on a big left hand.
Buchanan thuds a left hand into Zeus's body.
A good leg kick by Buchanan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Buchanan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zeus fails with a takedown attempt.
Zeus walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Buchanan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zeus can do to turn this around?
Zeus has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zeus there as he acknowledges the shot.
Buchanan misses with a takedown attempt - Zeus sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Zeus throws a body shot but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zeus closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Buchanan's guard.
Zeus trying to control but Buchanan is working from the bottom.
Buchanan working a defensive guard here.
Buchanan seems keen to control Zeus's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zeus wants to control from the top but Buchanan keeps moving.
Buchanan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zeus tries to free his leg and advance position but Buchanan is retaining full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Zeus trying to control the position from guard on top but Buchanan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Buchanan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zeus.
Zeus's corner calls for a 1-2. Zeus obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Buchanan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Zeus scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Zeus.
Buchanan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Zeus chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Buchanan can pounce on him.
Buchanan throws a right hand that Zeus ducks under and follows up with a left that Zeus also avoids with ease.
Zeus shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Buchanan as he jumps to the side.
A nice leg kick lands there from Buchanan.
Zeus fails with the takedown.
Paul Buchanan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tam Zeus.
Buchanan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Buchanan is looking to slow Zeus down with leg kicks.
Zeus will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zeus.
Sloppy strikes from Buchanan. Those never looked like landing.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Buchanan.
Buchanan throws a wild body kick that Zeus sees coming a mile off.
Buchanan throws a shot to the body.
Buchanan fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Zeus looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Paul Buchanan is winning the standup battle so far.
Zeus fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Buchanan throws a half hearted mid kick.
Buchanan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zeus was well out of range. Poor timing from Buchanan.
Buchanan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zeus moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeus works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Zeus misses with a looping right.
Zeus misses the shot to the body.
Zeus closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Buchanan throws a wild body kick that Zeus sees coming a mile off.
Zeus misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Buchanan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zeus connects with a crisp jab.
Buchanan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Zeus sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Zeus pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
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 Paul Buchanan will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Buchanan with a poor takedown

and Zeus counters with a nice double leg into side control. Buchanan won't be happy with that.
Buchanan is not content to let Zeus control the position.
Buchanan wants to control but Zeus postures up.
Zeus wants to lay and pray for a moment but Buchanan keeps working.
Buchanan manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Buchanan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Zeus wants to control but Buchanan is keeping busy.
Zeus wants to get back to full guard.
Buchanan tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zeus knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus tries to get to full guard but Buchanan has control of the leg.
Zeus keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zeus is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zeus regains full guard. Nicely done.

Zeus looking for a guillotine here but Buchanan defends easily.
Tam Zeus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Buchanan working some strikes from top position.
Zeus is controlling Buchanan's posture.
Buchanan slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Tam Zeus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan working away.
Zeus isn't going anywhere.
Buchanan trying to control the action but Zeus is working from the bottom.
Zeus tries to buck Buchanan off but Buchanan is having none of it.
Buchanan works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Buchanan landing a few strikes.
Zeus struggling a bit here.
Zeus takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buchanan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zeus keeps working.
Zeus is looking for a sweep.
Buchanan trying to control the position but Zeus is working away.
Buchanan working the body and head with strikes.
Zeus is trying to improve his position.
Zeus is not content to let Buchanan control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeus takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Zeus is looking for a sweep.
Zeus struggling a bit here.
Buchanan is looking to take a break and control but Zeus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Buchanan cracks Zeus with a big right hand but Zeus just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zeus is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Buchanan off and has taken his back!
Zeus is not going to allow Buchanan to sit and survive in this position.

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 Paul Buchanan.
Well Buchanan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Buchanan!
Paul Buchanan seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.