PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nick Zal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jax Teller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jax Teller has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zal
vs
Teller

170 cm
24
152 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

171 cm
18
151 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nick Zal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jax Teller!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Jonathan Paton and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Teller ducks right into an uppercut from Zal.
Zal feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Tellers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Nice uppercut lands for Teller. That snapped Zal's head back.
Zal throws a jab but it's blocked by Teller.
Zal misses with a hook.
A little jabbing left from Teller on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Zal misses with a combination
enabling Teller to counter with a crisp jab.
Zal swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zal takes a shot right to the bread basket.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zal shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Teller swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Teller ducks under a wild hook from Zal.
A little jabbing left from Teller on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Teller misses with an uppercut. Zal saw that one coming.
Zal was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Teller just misses with a punch to the body.
Zal half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Zal lands with an overhand left.
Zal misses with a double jab
and Teller counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A slow jab from Teller misses its intended target.
Teller lands a body shot.
Teller lands with a right hand.
Teller looks to land a right hand but Zal moved out of range.
A quick step to the side and Zal tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zal throws a sloppy body shot
and Teller counters with a left to the body.
Zal tries for a takedown but Teller sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Zal fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Zal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Teller connects with a body shot that sends Zal's belly button to the back.
Zal scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Zal defending well as Teller loads up on a big left hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Teller throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Teller misses the jab.
Zal blocks a jab.
A slow jab from Teller misses its intended target.
Zal went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A jab from Teller finds it's way through Zal's defenses.
Zal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Teller looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Zal avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zal blocks a jab.
Teller lands a lovely overhand right.
Zal dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Teller showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zal.
Zal falls off balance throwing a combination

and Teller counters by moving into the clinch.
Zal looking to slow down the pace here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Teller.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Teller working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Teller tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zal blocks an uppercut.
Zal working hard to break the clinch.
Teller misses with some punches.

Zal is trying to trip Teller. He has hold of a leg but Teller is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Zal persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zal content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Zal postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Teller working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zal.
Zal trying to control but Teller is working from the bottom.
Zal is really struggling to control Teller but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jax Teller 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.

Zal is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Teller avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Teller throws the left hand but Zal avoids the punch easily.
Teller takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Teller throws a big shot that misses.
As Teller tries to get set, Zal tries to push him back and clinch up but Teller manages to avoid the attempt.
Teller misses with an uppercut. Zal saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Teller with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Nick Zal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jab by Teller.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zal. Teller does a little dance to reset his feet.
A punch lands to the side of Teller 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Teller moves out of range of the strikes.
Zal misses with a double jab.
Zal misses with a wild combination.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zal.
Teller slips a jab and a cross from Zal.
Teller throws a body shot but no joy.
Zal tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Teller was well out of range. Poor timing from Zal.
Nice cross by Teller.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zal just misses with a punch to the body.
Teller doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Zal bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jax Teller seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Teller uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zal.
Teller takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Teller looks to throw the jab but Zal is out of range.
It looked like Zal was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Zal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zal throws a series of punches but Teller avoids them all with ease.
A little jabbing left from Teller on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Zal looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Teller stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zal throws a right hand that Teller ducks under and follows up with a left that Teller also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Teller. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Teller.
Teller takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Teller ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zal moves away.
A shot to the body from Zal misses
and Teller counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Teller lands a jab.
Teller throws a shot from downtown. Zal moves away and avoids it.
Zal uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Teller.
Teller drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Zal throws a body punch but Teller moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Teller cracks Zal with a right hand to the side of the head.
Teller jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Teller keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Teller scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zal doesn't seem bothered though.
Teller throws a big shot that misses.
Teller tests Zal's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zal misses with an uppercut.
Teller is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Zal doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Teller counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jax Teller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zal misses with a body punch
and Teller counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Teller misses with a hook. Zal ducked under it nicely.
Teller cracks Zal with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Zal works Teller's body with a nice hook.
Zal misses with a body punch
and Teller counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Teller throws an off balance right hand
and Zal counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Zal ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Teller scores with a jab. Zal acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Zal closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Teller quickly recovers to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zal thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Teller's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zal is trying to control. Teller wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Teller wants to sweep but Zal has passed to side control!
Teller tries to improve position but can't.
Teller looks to move to half guard but instead Zal has passed into mount! Damn!
Zal controlling from the full mount.
Zal postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Teller looks a forlorn figure.
Zal working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zal is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Zal with shots to the head and body - Teller looks very uncomfortable down there.
Zal pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Teller can do anything to dispel that myth.
Teller is in all sorts of trouble here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zal looking to control but Teller is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zal has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Zal working Teller over with strikes here.

Teller is rocked!
Teller takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Zal's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nick Zal!