PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rick Vasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zhang Wei (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wei has chosen Warrior - EA as his entrance music. Zhang Wei looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Vasquez
vs
Wei

221 cm
21
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
203 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rick Vasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Zhang Wei!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vasquez is looking to clinch but Wei is avoiding it.
Vasquez shoots in looking for a takedown. Wei tries to sprawl out of it but Vasquez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Wei manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Wei is looking to clinch.

Wei shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Vasquez's guard.
Vasquez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Vasquez keeping moving, preventing Wei from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wei postures up.
Vasquez keeping moving, preventing Wei from controlling successfully.
Vasquez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vasquez is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasquez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wei would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Vasquez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wei doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wei manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vasquez pulls Wei in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Wei drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vasquez is trying to control Wei's posture but Wei avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wei cracks Vasquez with a big right hand but Vasquez just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Wei wants to stand but Vasquez is controlling his arm.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vasquez is trying to control Wei's posture but Wei avoids it.
Wei wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vasquez keeps working.
Wei working away.
Wei is chipping away with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Vasquez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Vasquez throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Wei shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Wei looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez has Wei pulled in close to control his posture.
Wei with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Vasquez is trying to keep Wei in close.
Vasquez wants to get back to his feet but Wei is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Wei is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Vasquez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wei in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Wei stays in close to Vasquez's body and controls the position.
Wei loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Wei seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Vasquez trying to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Vasquez gets a clinch.

Vasquez turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Vasquez manages to end up in side control.
Vasquez taking a breather here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
What's Wei going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhang Wei dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Wei throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Vasquez was covering up waiting for the punch and Wei finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Wei controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Vasquez wants to stand up but Wei is controlling him.

Vasquez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Wei defends well.
Vasquez controls Wei momentarily but Wei frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wei postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wei would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Vasquez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Wei's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rick Vasquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vasquez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Wei.
Vasquez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Wei sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vasquez somewhat.

Wei moves into the clinch.
Vasquez putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Wei in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wei turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Wei manages to end up in side control.
Wei is breathing heavily.
Wei working away.
Vasquez tries to escape but Wei is in control.
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Vasquez dodges the ground and pound from Wei.
Vasquez is holding Wei down, trying to stall.
Vasquez struggling a bit here.

Wei decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Wei moves into the clinch successfully.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Wei.

Wei pulls Vasquez into guard.
Vasquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zhang Wei has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vasquez wants to control from the top but Wei keeps moving.
Vasquez is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Wei is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vasquez stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Vasquez shoots in for a takedown but Wei shows good takedown defense.
Vasquez takes a swing at Wei's ribcage but misses.
Vasquez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vasquez scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Wei feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Vasquez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Vasquez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wei wants to stand but Vasquez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhang Wei 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. This is the final round!

Wei gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Wei manages to break the clinch.
Vasquez throws a big shot that misses.
Wei moves in looking to clinch but Vasquez pushes him off.

Wei shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wei in particular looking to stall.
Vasquez is positioning himself well to prevent Wei advancing to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vasquez is trying to control but can't.
Wei takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vasquez is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasquez tries to get to full guard but Wei has control of the leg.
Wei is controlling the pace.
Vasquez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Wei is working away from the top position though.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Wei is trying to work for a kimura but Vasquez is defending well.
Vasquez trying to control here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Vasquez has closed the distance and engaged Wei in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Wei has picked Vasquez up - he's going for a ride! Wei dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Vasquez trying to control but Wei postures up.
Wei trying to control the pace.

Vasquez pushes Wei off and gets back to his feet.

Wei clinches with his opponent.
A bit of stalling here from Vasquez.
Vasquez unloads a knee to the mid-section. Wei lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Vasquez looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Vasquez is trying to maintain a safe position but Wei gets an underhook and turns Vasquez into the cage.
Vasquez trying to stall but Wei improves his position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Rick Vasquez.

Wei decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wei looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Vasquez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Vasquez is staying active underneath Wei, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vasquez keeping control of the position.
Vasquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez taking some punishment here, with Wei in his half guard.
Wei perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Wei winds up and cracks Vasquez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Wei takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Vasquez wants to control but Wei is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vasquez desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Wei wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Wei takes the fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zhang Wei comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wei winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zhang Wei!
A very excited looking Zhang Wei made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.