PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gianfranco Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Estacio da Fonseca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zola comes to the cage accompanied by Balls to the Wall. da Fonseca has chosen "Chokechain" - 3oh!3 as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Zola
vs
da Fonseca

163 cm
24
145 lbs
13 - 2 - 0

170 cm
24
140 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Knock Out Artistry
Syndicate Drugs

Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gianfranco Zola!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Estacio da Fonseca!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
da Fonseca fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
da Fonseca stalks Zola and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Zola's face. Zola staggers backwards, shaken.
Zola avoids a punch combination nicely.
da Fonseca tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zola swivels and escapes.
Zola slips a jab and a cross from da Fonseca.
da Fonseca steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zola.
da Fonseca thows a body shot but no joy.
Zola throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
da Fonseca tries for a takedown but Zola sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gianfranco Zola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estacio da Fonseca.
da Fonseca looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zola is fending him off so far but da Fonseca persists. Nope, Zola circles away and we're back to standing.
Zola missing with a left hand there. da Fonseca was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
da Fonseca uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zola.
da Fonseca tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zola was well out of range. Poor timing from da Fonseca.
da Fonseca fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
da Fonseca shoots in for a takedown but Zola shows good takedown defense.
da Fonseca will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola fakes high and swings low for a body shot but da Fonseca manages to avoid it.
da Fonseca throws a nice looking combination but Zola bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

da Fonseca shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. da Fonseca showed some decent athleticism there.
Zola gets back to full guard.
Zola looking to hit a scissor sweep but da Fonseca is one step ahead there.
da Fonseca content to stall in guard here.

Zola is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
da Fonseca slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zola is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
da Fonseca preventing the sweep.
da Fonseca wants to control from the top but Zola keeps moving.
Zola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zola trying to keep a closed guard but da Fonseca is proving a slippery customer.
da Fonseca forces his way into half guard.
Zola controlling the position for now.
Zola moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Fonseca looking to pass the guard.
da Fonseca trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
da Fonseca looking to pass the guard.
Zola throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Zola has his foot on da Fonseca's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. da Fonseca works his way back into a safe position though.
Zola is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
da Fonseca is staying active underneath Zola, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
da Fonseca regains full guard. Nicely done.
da Fonseca is trying to control the position from the bottom.

da Fonseca looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Zola avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
da Fonseca looks gassed!
Zola trying to control but da Fonseca is working from the bottom.
da Fonseca trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gianfranco Zola will probably get the nod.
That's time! Zola's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

da Fonseca has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from da Fonseca there as he acknowledges the shot.
A lazy left from Zola finds it's target.
da Fonseca misses with a double jab.
Zola looks to throw the jab but da Fonseca is out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Zola as da Fonseca shoots in.

da Fonseca fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Zola sprawls well initially but da Fonseca persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Zola won't allow da Fonseca to pass to mount.
Zola moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zola tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zola keeping moving, preventing da Fonseca from controlling successfully.

Zola working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. da Fonseca doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. da Fonseca manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
da Fonseca throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zola escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. da Fonseca gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
da Fonseca trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
da Fonseca wants to pass the guard but Zola is keeping the position.
da Fonseca slips nicely into half guard.
da Fonseca is looking to take a break and control but Zola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zola is trying to get back to full guard.

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.
da Fonseca slows the pace down in half guard.
Zola is trying is best to control the position here.
Zola is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute da Fonseca jumps into side control!
Zola is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
da Fonseca landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
da Fonseca trying to control the action but Zola is working from the bottom.
Zola tries to bench press da Fonseca off him but da Fonseca keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
da Fonseca tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
da Fonseca blocks the strikes from Zola.
da Fonseca is looking to take a break and control but Zola is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
da Fonseca in side control, throwing shots but Zola defends.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zola misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zola throws an overhand right that lands on da Fonseca's shoulder, as da Fonseca tries to avoid the shot.
da Fonseca rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zola moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
da Fonseca shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zola but Zola pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zola stuffs the takedown.
Gianfranco Zola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estacio da Fonseca.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
da Fonseca will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
da Fonseca shoots in for a double leg but Zola sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Zola is on the wrong end of a nice combination from da Fonseca.
da Fonseca ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zola moves away.
Zola swings and misses with a hook to the body.
da Fonseca misses with a wild combination.
Zola stuffs the takedown.
da Fonseca takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Zola scores with a body shot.

Zola shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Zola is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Zola working for a submission but da Fonseca is keeping him at bay.
da Fonseca wants to hold on but Zola pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gianfranco Zola dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Zola shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
da Fonseca gets back to full guard.
da Fonseca is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zola wants to get back to full guard.
da Fonseca trying to control the action but Zola is working from the bottom.
da Fonseca throwing shots but Zola is blocking nicely.
da Fonseca is thwarting Zola's attempts to control the position.
Zola gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Fonseca trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
da Fonseca throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
da Fonseca content to stall in guard here.
da Fonseca tries to free his leg and advance position but Zola is retaining full guard.
da Fonseca in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Zola looking for a guillotine here but da Fonseca defends easily.
da Fonseca connects with a couple of short punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Zola keeping moving, preventing da Fonseca from controlling successfully.
da Fonseca forces his way into half guard.
da Fonseca is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
da Fonseca wants to control but Zola is keeping him busy.
Zola tries to get to full guard but da Fonseca has control of the leg.
da Fonseca working Zola over with strikes.
da Fonseca is trying to control. Zola wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
da Fonseca throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Zola is looking for a sweep. da Fonseca is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
da Fonseca shoots and misses
and Zola counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
da Fonseca keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zola.
da Fonseca looks to land a combination but Zola avoids it well.
da Fonseca fails with a takedown attempt.
da Fonseca shoots in but Zola avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gianfranco Zola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estacio da Fonseca.
Nice defenses there by da Fonseca.
da Fonseca takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Zola swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by da Fonseca.

da Fonseca changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Zola looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

da Fonseca looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
da Fonseca wants to control but Zola is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Fonseca sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Zola is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Zola is looking to regain half guard here but da Fonseca keeps moving and retains side control.

da Fonseca is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Zola looks calm but he's in trouble here. da Fonseca gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Zola is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! da Fonseca lets go of the hold and Zola can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Estacio da Fonseca!
Estacio da Fonseca is the new bantamweight champion!