PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Terrence Bird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Con Ziad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Bird
vs
Ziad

166 cm
18
150 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

182 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Terrence Bird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Con Ziad!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Atkins and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ziad fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bird tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ziad manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bird misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ziad is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Ziad tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bird sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ziad somewhat.
Bird throws a head kick but Ziad moves out of range.
Bird throws a body punch but Ziad moves out of range.

Ziad gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ziad connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bird's face.

It looks like Terrence Bird has been cut.
Bird is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Ziad's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziad shoots in looking for a takedown. Bird tries to sprawl out of it but Ziad keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bird manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Terrence Bird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Con Ziad.
Ziad plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ziad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bird throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ziad's waist but Ziad gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bird off to one side.
Bird shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ziad as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ziad closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ziad wants to take the fight to the mat but Bird manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Bird goes for a takedown attempt but Ziad pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bird closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ziad circles away.
Bird shoots and misses

and Ziad holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ziad is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ziad is trying to pull guard but Bird turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ziad is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bird to keep the fight standing.
Ziad dodges an elbow strike from Bird.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird looking for a takedown.

Ziad decides to pull guard.
Ziad is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bird is controlling him.
Ziad pulls Bird in close to prevent any damage.
Bird wants to control from the top but Ziad keeps moving.
Bird is standing up over Ziad. Ziad looks to escape but Bird dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bird wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ziad keeps working.
Ziad is looking for a sweep.
Ziad is still trying to improve position.
Bird wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ziad keeps working.
Ziad is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Bird off and has taken his back!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
I would not like to be Bird right now.

Ziad looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Con Ziad dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Terrence Bird's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ziad.
Bird shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ziad as he jumps to the side.
Con Ziad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ziad shoots in for a takedown but Bird shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ziad pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ziad tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bird swivels and escapes.
Terrence Bird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Con Ziad.
Ziad takes a shot right to the bread basket.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bird is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bird shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ziad defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziad tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bird swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ziad tries to clinch up.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Ziad. Bird shrugs it off though.
Ziad fails with the takedown.
Bird just misses with a punch to the body.
Ziad throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bird.
Ziad tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bird manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ziad dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bird swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ziad makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Ziad misses with a head kick.
Ziad is breathing heavily.
Bird tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ziad sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Bird somewhat.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.

Bird drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ziad has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Ziad looking for subs off his back but Bird has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bird content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ziad wants to get back to his feet.

Bird is working for a submission of some sort.
Ziad has his hands clasped together around Bird's back. He's all about the action.

That's four 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.
Bird content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ziad moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Terrence Bird will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Terrence Bird's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bird shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ziad sprawls well. Ziad wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bird gets slowly back to his feet.
Ziad has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ziad stuffs the takedown.
Bird tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ziad swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bird misses with a body shot
and Ziad counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ziad dives in and grabs Bird's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bird pushes down on Ziad's head and hops out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terrence Bird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ziad wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Bird misses
and Ziad counters with a leg kick.

Ziad closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Ziad pulls guard successfully.

Ziad had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bird defends it easily.
Ziad seems keen to control Bird's posture.

Ziad looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bird passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziad keeping hold of Bird's head, controlling as best he can.
Let's hope that Ziad has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Ziad is not content to let Bird control the position.

Bird seems to be looking for submissions.
Ziad keeping control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Con Ziad has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bird trying to control from half guard but Ziad is working away.
Ziad looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Ziad with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bird counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Ziad shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bird pinned against the cage. Bird gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ziad is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ziad takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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.
A combination from Bird does no damage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ziad.
Bird tries a head kick but it misses.
Bird misses with a head kick.
Ziad stuffs the takedown.
Ziad tries a quick counter leg kick but Bird is wise to it.
Ziad pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bird tries to land a leg kick but Ziad saw it coming and moves away.
Ziad feints the counter takedown.
Ziad buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Con Ziad comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ziad has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Con Ziad!