PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Maxim Zuyev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pascal Oaza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Zuyev
vs
Oaza

220 cm
25
299 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

207 cm
27
277 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

Solid boxing
Good chin

Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Maxim Zuyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pascal Oaza!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Oaza forces Zuyev back against the ropes and clinches.
Oaza misses with a hook to the ribs.
Oaza swings wildly with an uppercut but Zuyev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Oaza is trying to push Zuyev away but Zuyev has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Zuyev scores with a shoulder strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Zuyev.

Oaza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Zuyev rushes Oaza and presses him up against the ropes.
Oaza wants to get back to striking at distance but Zuyev won't allow it.
Oaza tries to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling the position.
Oaza missing with knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Zuyev as the two fighters clinch.
Oaza looks winded!
Zuyev dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Zuyev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Oaza's efforts to push away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuyev leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Oaza misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuyev lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That has opened up Pascal Oaza's cut even more.
Oaza wants to break free but Zuyev has control.
A frustrated look appears on Oaza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Oaza is trying to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling him.
Zuyev taking a breather.
Zuyev managing to block the knees to the body from Oaza.
Oaza swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zuyev tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Oaza avoids it.
Oaza has had enough of the clinch but Zuyev keeps him there for the moment.
Oaza tries to circle away but Zuyev has him pinned against the ropes.
Oaza is trying to force a seperation but Zuyev has the dominant position.
Oaza is trying to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling him.
Oaza is trying to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling him.
Oaza has had enough of the clinch but Zuyev keeps him there for the moment.
Zuyev is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Oaza on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuyev using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Oaza has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Oaza softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Oaza is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Zuyev is defending well for now.

Oaza breaks the clinch.
Oaza lands a nice looking body kick.

Zuyev closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Good body shot from Zuyev.
Zuyev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Oaza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Zuyev lands a body shot.
Zuyev is looking to control Oaza's arms but Oaza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zuyev has his back to the ropes.
Oaza letting Zuyev take a breather here.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Zuyev creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A nice left hand lands by Zuyev.

The cut above Pascal Oaza's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Oaza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zuyev is looking to control Oaza's arms but Oaza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zuyev has his back to the ropes.
Zuyev lands with a short shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxim Zuyev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pascal Oaza's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zuyev moves out of range as Oaza throws a body kick.
Oaza shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Zuyev eats them both and turns towards Oaza to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Zuyev closes the distance and clinches.
Oaza tries to circle away but Zuyev has him pinned against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Oaza cracks Zuyev with a nice body shot.

Oaza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zuyev takes the fight into the clinch.
Oaza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zuyev leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Oaza tries to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oaza tries a knee to the head but Zuyev blocks it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Oaza as Zuyev tries to tie him up.
Zuyev struggles to land a body shot inside as Oaza controls his hands.
Oaza is trying to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oaza wants to get back to striking at distance but Zuyev won't allow it.
Zuyev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zuyev taking a breather.
Zuyev is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Zuyev can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Oaza tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zuyev avoids it.
Zuyev is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Oaza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zuyev taking a breather.
Oaza tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zuyev avoids it.
Oaza tries to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling the position.
Zuyev leaning against his opponent.
Zuyev stalling in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Maxim Zuyev.
Oaza throws a predictable looking body shot

and Zuyev counters with a big 3 punch combo that drops Oaza on his ass! Oaza wobbles back to his feet half way through the count and though looking a bit dazed, the referee is going to allow the fight to continue!

Zuyev takes the fight into the clinch.
Zuyev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oaza tries to break free but Zuyev pushes him back against the ropes.
Oaza working hard to break the clinch.
Oaza with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Oaza is trying to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling him.
Oaza struggles to land a body shot inside as Zuyev controls his hands.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Zuyev blocking some punches.
Zuyev has Oaza pressed against the ropes, preventing Oaza from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zuyev trying to control the position but instead, Oaza has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zuyev into the ropes.
Zuyev keeps control of Oaza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Oaza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Oaza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zuyev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Oaza throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Zuyevs head.
Zuyev lands a body shot.
Oaza is breathing heavily.

Oaza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxim Zuyev will take that round after scoring the only knockdown of the round.
The cut man is working on Pascal Oaza's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Zuyev darts in and clinches Oaza up against the ropes.
Oaza tries to circle away but Zuyev has him pinned against the ropes.
Oaza is trying to push Zuyev away but Zuyev has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Zuyev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Oaza tries to work over Zuyev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zuyev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Oaza's efforts to push away.
Oaza wants to break the clinch but can't.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zuyev.
Oaza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zuyev has him pressed against the ropes.
Oaza wants to get back to striking at distance but Zuyev won't allow it.
Oaza tries to break free but Zuyev pushes him back against the ropes.
Zuyev taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zuyev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Oaza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zuyev.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zuyev is looking to control Oaza's arms but Oaza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zuyev has his back to the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oaza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zuyev is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Zuyev looking to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Maxim Zuyev.
A swing and a miss from Oaza.

Oaza closes the distance and clinches.
Oaza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Oaza throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Maxim Zuyev has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Zuyev is stalling here.
Zuyev on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Zuyev trying to control the position but instead, Oaza has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zuyev into the ropes.
Oaza wants to break free but Zuyev has control.
Oaza on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Oaza's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oaza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zuyev.
Oaza tries to circle away but Zuyev has him pinned against the ropes.
Oaza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zuyev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Oaza wants to break free but Zuyev has control.
Oaza can't break the clinch.
Oaza missing with knees to the body.
Zuyev is looking to control Oaza's arms but Oaza gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zuyev has his back to the ropes.
Oaza tries to break the clinch but Zuyev is controlling the position.
Oaza working hard to break the clinch.
Oaza has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Oaza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Oaza throws a head punch that misses.
Oaza misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zuyev.
Zuyev is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Oaza is defending well for now.
Oaza is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maxim Zuyev showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zuyev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxim Zuyev!