PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Zangief (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leandro Ataides (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zangief
vs
Ataides

187 cm
24
247 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

195 cm
22
265 lbs
8 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Victor Zangief!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leandro Ataides!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, William Peck and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ataides shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ataides shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ataides showed some decent athleticism there.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ataides in particular looking to stall.
Zangief desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Ataides trying to pass the guard but Zangief defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ataides trying to control the action but Zangief is working from the bottom.
Ataides missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Ataides.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ataides lands a nice short elbow.
Zangief pushes Ataides off looking to stand but Ataides dives back in and keeps control.

Zangief is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ataides pulls his head out easily.
Ataides looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Zangief is looking to escape.
Ataides not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ataides thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zangief's head.
Zangief wants to control but Ataides is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ataides closes this distance looking for a takedown but Zangief circles away.
Zangief misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ataides wants to counter with a clinch but Zangief pushes him away.
Zangief lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ataides dodges the punch combination from Zangief.
Zangief throws a nice looking combination but Ataides bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Ataides looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Zangief!
Ataides cracks Zangief with a big right hand but Zangief just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Zangief sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
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!
Ataides thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zangief gets full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ataides's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ataides accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ataides trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Zangief looking to control.
Ataides missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Zangief keeping moving, preventing Ataides from controlling successfully.
Zangief trying to control the position.

Zangief is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ataides is aware though and is defending well.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ataides misses with a few strikes there.
Zangief stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Zangief wants it to stay on the feet.
Victor Zangief has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leandro Ataides.
Zangief shoots for a double leg takedown but Ataides sprawls well. He's pushed Zangief's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Zangief throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zangief fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ataides fails with a takedown attempt.
Ataides goes for a double leg but Zangief avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Zangief continues to drive forward.
Zangief has a takedown stuffed.
Ataides blocks a head kick by Zangief.

Zangief fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ataides sprawls well initially but Zangief persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ataides looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ataides is trying to escape back to his feet but Zangief uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Ataides wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Leandro Ataides will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zangief fails to land the takedown.
Ataides slips a jab and a cross from Zangief.
Zangief defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ataides.
Zangief went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Ataides shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zangief pinned against the cage. Zangief gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ataides displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Zangief.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ataides shoots for a double leg takedown but Zangief sprawls well. He's pushed Ataides's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Victor Zangief has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leandro Ataides.
Zangief swings for the body but Ataides moves out of range.
Zangief scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ataides drops his hands momentarily and Zangief takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zangief darts in and clinches Ataides up against the cage.
Ataides tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zangief avoids it.

Zangief breaks from the clinch.

Zangief moves into the clinch successfully.
Zangief is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ataides to keep the fight standing.

Zangief pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ataides fails with the takedown.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zangief is defended easily by Ataides.

Zangief clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zangief successfully pulls guard.
Ataides trying to control the position from guard on top but Zangief is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zangief has control of Ataides's left arm, preventing Ataides from doing any damage.
Ataides with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zangief is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zangief utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ataides throws a strike but Zangief rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Zangief is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ataides can do to turn this around?
Ataides wants to stand up but Zangief is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zangief sitting in guard here, content to control.

Zangief 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.
Ataides is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zangief is controlling him.
Zangief sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Horrible takedown attempt by Zangief or perhaps it was just good defense by Ataides, which made it look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ataides shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zangief but Zangief pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Ataides darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ataides drops an elbow to the side of Zangief's head.
Zangief wants to control but Ataides is keeping busy and won't allow it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Ataides working his ground and pound in the gym.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ataides working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Victor Zangief dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ataides drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ataides trying to control but Zangief is working from the bottom.
Zangief not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ataides postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ataides loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Zangief working a defensive guard here.
Zangief avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zangief pulls Ataides in close to prevent any damage.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Ataides throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zangief throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ataides.

Ataides looking to score a takedown here. Zangief is defending well but Ataides drives through and ends up in Zangief's guard.
Zangief avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ataides controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Zangief is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ataides trying to control the position from guard on top but Zangief is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ataides postures up in Zangief's guard and throws a big left but Zangief blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ataides trying to control the position from guard on top but Zangief is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ataides throwing strikes but missing.
Ataides postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Victor Zangief is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ataides stuffs the takedown attempt from Zangief. Zangief gets slowly back to his feet.
Ataides is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ataides takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Zangief gets caught flat footed, as Ataides shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zangief avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Ataides postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zangief is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Leandro Ataides has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zangief working a defensive guard here.
Ataides working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zangief wants to sweep but no luck.
Ataides throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zangief throws a front kick aimed at Ataides's knee but Ataides avoids it well.
Ataides throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zangief's waist but Zangief gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ataides off to one side.
Zangief appears to be looking for a big counter.
Ataides lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ataides.

Zangief drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zangief prevents Ataides from getting back to his feet.
Zangief trying to control the position from guard on top but Ataides is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ataides wants to stand but Zangief is controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zangief sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leandro Ataides comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ataides has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

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