PBP Commentary

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

Zagorno
vs
Richard

165 cm
35
140 lbs
22 - 16 - 1

176 cm
40
155 lbs
20 - 23 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

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 22 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gabriel Zagorno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 23 - 0, fighting out of London, Duke Richard!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zagorno looking to score a takedown here. Richard is defending well but Zagorno drives through and ends up in Richard's guard.
Zagorno distracts Richard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Richard keeping moving, preventing Zagorno from controlling successfully.

Richard isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Zagorno stacks Richard on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Zagorno!
Zagorno moves into full mount!
Zagorno can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Richard is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice elbow there by Zagorno.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zagorno looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Richard wants to get back to his feet.
Richard takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Richard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Zagorno. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zagorno lands a couple of good shots and Richard has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Zagorno landing with strikes.
Richard is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Zagorno off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Richard tries to escape the position.
Richard trying to control the hands but Zagorno breaks the grip.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
What can Richard do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Zagorno working for the choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno punches Richard on the ear.
Zagorno softening up his opponent with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Zagorno tightening his grip on Richard, looking for the choke.
Zagorno has Richard flattened out and is raining down punches.
Richard is trying to break free.
Richard trying to control the position but Zagorno manages to sink in the hooks.

Zagorno is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Richard knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Richard for a finish.
Richard is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Richard defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Zagorno's arms.
Zagorno punches Richard on the ear.
Zagorno punishes Richard with strikes from the back mount.
Zagorno tries to keep control of the position but Richard is staying busy.
Zagorno is punishing Richard with some ground and pound.
Richard is taking damage to the body and head.
Richard tries to roll but Zagorno sticks to his back.

Richard is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Zagorno gets his way!
Richard is covering up but some of the strikes from Zagorno are getting through and doing damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zagorno looking for the choke from the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Richard is really stuck here.
Zagorno lands with a hammerfist to the side of Richard's head.
Zagorno is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Richard takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Zagorno punches Richard on the ear.

Richard defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Richard is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Zagorno dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zagorno clobbers Richard with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Duke Richard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Richard takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Zagorno scores with the left hand. Richard knows he should have avoided that one.
Zagorno scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Richard on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Richard connects with a looping right hand.
Zagorno lands a nice shot that snaps Richard's head back.
Richard swings widly with a right hand
and Zagorno counters with a straight right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Richard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Zagorno connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Zagorno.

Zagorno shoots in and bounces Richard off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Zagorno is pushing down on Richard's leg trying to pass to half guard. Richard is fighting to maintain full guard but Zagorno has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zagorno is thwarting Richard's attempts to control the position.
Zagorno wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richard keeps working.
Zagorno moves into full mount! Richard won't be happy about that!
Zagorno 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.
BOOM! Zagorno connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno avoids the attempt from Richard to control.
Zagorno trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Zagorno looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Zagorno trying to control but Richard is having none of it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zagorno scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Richard in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Zagorno controlling the pace for now.

Zagorno is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Richard to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Richard shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Richard is working to get back to half guard.
Zagorno controlling the pace for now.

Zagorno working for a submission but Richard is keeping him at bay.
Zagorno lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Richard hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Zagorno in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Zagorno landing strikes from the mount.
Richard tries to hold on but Zagorno pushes him away.
Zagorno working the ground and pound effectively.

Richard is rocked!
Zagorno postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Richard looks a forlorn figure.
Richard is still in real trouble! Can Zagorno finish him?
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!
Zagorno loads up with a big shot that hurts Richard! He's pulled Zagorno in close but Zagorno has postured up and lands more strikes. Can Richard survive? More strikes from Zagorno and Richard is out! The ref jumps in to save him! Brutal ground and pound!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Gabriel Zagorno!
After winning the bout, Gabriel Zagorno thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.