PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zeburdiah Zappatista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Almeida has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zappatista
vs
Almeida

188 cm
18
198 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Organic Peak Performance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zeburdiah Zappatista!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Almeida looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Zappatista working for a triangle but Almeida defends it easily.

Almeida avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Almeida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zappatista swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Zappatista working for a triangle but Almeida defends it easily.

Zappatista looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Almeida stands up from Zappatista's guard - Almeida perhaps looking for a knockout.
Zappatista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Almeida paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zappatista tries a head kick but it misses.
Almeida swats away the attempt to clinch by Zappatista.

Almeida closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Almeida takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zappatista is staying active underneath Almeida, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Well, if Almeida is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Zappatista is looking for a sweep. Almeida is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zappatista slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zappatista escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Almeida gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Almeida missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Zappatista is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Zappatista is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zappatista is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Almeida trying to hold on to Zappatista's head to control him but Zappatista postures up.
Zappatista trying to mount his opponent but Almeida defends it.
Almeida is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zappatista is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Almeida manages to get to full guard.
Zappatista postures up.
Almeida looks gassed!

Zappatista drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Zappatista jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Zappatista advances to half guard.

Zappatista is trying to work for a kimura but Almeida is defending well.

Almeida is defending against the submission attempts here by Zappatista.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Zappatista is looking for a kimura but Almeida is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zappatista to get the leverage.
Zappatista looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Zappatista sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Almeida defending well though.

Zappatista is working for a kimura but Almeida is defending it quite comfortably.
Zappatista is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Almeida really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Zeburdiah Zappatista 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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zappatista tries to score a body lock takedown but Almeida shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zappatista tries to land knees in the clinch but Almeida avoids the damage to the body.

Zappatista breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zappatista blocks a head kick by Almeida.
Zappatista misses with a takedown

and Almeida counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zappatista tries to get to full guard but Almeida has control of the leg.
Almeida content to control rather than advance.
Zappatista tries to roll over but Almeida keeps him under control.
Zappatista keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zappatista is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Almeida pulls his head out easily.
Almeida prevents Zappatista from improving his position.
Zappatista is working hard here to advance position.
Almeida wants to stand up but Zappatista has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Almeida is breathing heavily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A leg kick checked by Almeida.
Zeburdiah Zappatista is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Almeida darts in trying to clinch

and Zappatista counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Zappatista is looking for a kimura but Almeida is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Zappatista to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Zappatista is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Almeida looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Zappatista passes Almeida's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Zappatista works his foot free and advances to mount.
Almeida is trying to escape the mount.

Zappatista wants to finish this one by submission but Almeida is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Zappatista.

Zappatista looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zappatista working for a submission but Almeida is keeping him at bay.
Zappatista won't let Almeida get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Zappatista is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Almeida can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Almeida 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.

Zappatista looking to secure an arm triangle but Almeida defends it well.

Zappatista looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zappatista wants to finish this one by submission but Almeida is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Zappatista.
Almeida is in all sorts of trouble here.

Zappatista is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Almeida is surviving well by controlling Zappatista's body position as best he can.
Almeida wants to control but Zappatista is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Zappatista is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Almeida can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Zappatista mounts Almeida! Really nice guard pass there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeburdiah Zappatista dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Zappatista misses with a two punch combination.
Zappatista misses with an uppercut.
Zappatista shoots and misses

and Almeida counters by moving into the clinch.

Zappatista breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zappatista avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zappatista tries to clinch there but Almeida circles away.

Almeida closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Zappatista tries to roll over but Almeida keeps him under control.
Almeida thows a huge punch but Zappatista dodges it nicely.
Zappatista moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Zappatista has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Almeida can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida trying to control but Zappatista is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Zappatista has his foot on Almeida's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Almeida works his way back into a safe position though.

Zappatista looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Almeida avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Almeida stands up from Zappatista's guard - Almeida perhaps looking for a knockout.
Zappatista fails with the takedown

and Almeida counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Almeida.
Zappatista misses with an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The is referee keeping an eye on Zappatista - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Zappatista breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zappatista tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Almeida paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Zappatista gets a clinch.
Almeida doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zappatista tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Zappatista manages to break the clinch.
Zappatista doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.
Almeida shoots in but Zappatista avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zappatista is looking to clinch.
Zappatista looks for a takedown but Almeida sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zeburdiah Zappatista. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zappatista shoots and misses

and Almeida holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zappatista gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Zappatista stops Almeida from getting back to his feet.

Zappatista is looking for submissions but instead, Almeida has regained full guard.
Almeida lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Zappatista!
Zappatista is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Almeida is working for a guillotine from mount but Zappatista frees his head quite easily.
Zappatista gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zappatista defending well though.
Zappatista tries to get to full guard but Almeida has control of the leg.
Zeburdiah Zappatista is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Almeida is thwarting Zappatista's attempts to control the position.
Zappatista preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Zappatista works his way to full guard. Good work.
Zappatista is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Zappatista is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Thiago Almeida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Zappatista is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zeburdiah Zappatista showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Zappatista, 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeburdiah Zappatista!