PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between AJ Zao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Monte Ball (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zao comes to the cage accompanied by It's raining men. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Zao
vs
Ball

184 cm
25
210 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
215 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, AJ Zao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Monte Ball!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Russell Pearce and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zao misses with a hook.
Ball is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Zao takes a swing at Ball's ribcage but misses.
Ball steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Zao.
Zao gets cracked there but stands up to it.

AJ Zao's cut is getting worse.
Ball throws an overhand right that lands on Zao's shoulder, as Zao tries to avoid the shot.
Ball gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zao.
Zao looks to score with a jab to the body but Ball is just out of range.
Ball tries to clinch but Zao is having none of it.
Zao swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Ball throws a hook but Zao blocks it.
Ball closes the distance but Zao moves to the side
and Zao counters with a stiff right hand.

Ball moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball can't find room to land a body shot as Zao controls the action.
Zao working aggressively here.
Ball misses with a punch to the body.
Ball misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ball working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zao takes a shot to the head.
Zao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ball blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ball scores with a shoulder strike.
Zao tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ball's elbow.
Ball throws a head punch that misses.
Ball tries a body shot but Zao blocks it.
Ball blocks an uppercut.
Ball lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ball blocking some punches.
Zao has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zao misses with a punch on the inside.
Zao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ball creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ball.
Ball softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

AJ Zao's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Zao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zao working aggressively here.
Ball tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ball taking a breather.
Ball blocks an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ball misses with a punch to the body.
Ball tries to stall but Zao uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zao creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Zao working aggressively here.
Ball digs a right hand underneath Zao's ribcage. Zao let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Ball lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zao backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ball.
Zao blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ball lands with a left to the head.
Zao fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ball throws a punch but it's blocked by Zao.
Zao scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ball jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Zao walks away with a smile on his face. Ball gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ball lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Ball moves out of range of the strikes.
Ball staying out of range there.
Zao uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ball.

Zao gets tackled into the cage by Ball. Ball maintains the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ball slips under a jab from Zao.
Ball moves in looking to clinch but Zao pushes him off.
Ball thuds his right hand into Zao's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ball fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zao, pushing him back against the cage.
Zao misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ball blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ball pushes Zao back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ball working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ball is stalling here.
Zao tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zao lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zao.
Ball swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Monte Ball dominated that round.
The cut man is working on AJ Zao's cut.
That's time! Zao's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ball doesn't manage to clinch there - Zao circles away.
Ball uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zao.
Zao connects with a crisp jab.
Zao throws a lazy right hand but Ball sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zao has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Ball finds it's way round the side to connect with Zao's head.
Ball tries to clinch but Zao moves out of range.
Ball moves out of range of the strikes.
Ball tries to counter by closing the distance.
AJ Zao is winning the standup battle so far.
Ball tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zao paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ball uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zao.
Zao misses with a straight right.
Zao tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ball was well out of range. Poor timing from Zao.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball takes a swing at Zao's ribcage but misses.
Zao looks to throw the jab but Ball is out of range.
Ball thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zao throws the left hand but Ball avoids the punch easily.
Zao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zao misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ball.
Ball lands with an uppercut that bounces Zao off the cage and back into range.
Zao missing with a left hand there. Ball was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A telegraphed right hand from Zao misses the target.
Ball wants to counter the offense by Zao and move into the clinch position.
Zao scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ball doesn't seem bothered though.

Ball moves into the clinch.
Ball lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zao blocks a body shot from Ball.
Ball pushes Zao back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zao lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ball can't find room to land a body shot as Zao controls the action.
Ball blocks an uppercut.
Ball misses with the head strike.
Ball swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ball misses with a body punch.
Ball throws a head punch that misses.
Monte Ball seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Zao swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zao misses with a punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zao misses with some punches.
Ball swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ball lands with a right to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ball.
Zao swings wildly with an uppercut but Ball uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zao blocking some punches.
Ball lands a nice uppercut.
Zao throws a punch but it's blocked by Ball.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball is working Zao over against the cage.
Ball lands a shoulder strike.
A short left from Ball.

Jeez, AJ Zao's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Ball working aggressively here.
Ball is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zao as Ball tries to tie him up.
Ball fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zao letting Ball take a breather here.
Zao lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ball.
Ball working aggressively here.

Ball jumps guard and drags Zao to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ball has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zao gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Ball on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Ball moves out of range of the strikes.
Ball displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zao throws out the jab.
Ball blocks a jab.
Ball keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zao.
Ball fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zao manages to avoid it.

Ball moves into the clinch successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ball.
Zao blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zao gets through Ball's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ball lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ball fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Monte Ball showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on AJ Zao'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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zao takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Ball closes the distance and clinches.
Zao blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Ball fails to land.
Zao lands a left hand.
Zao lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ball backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zao.
Ball lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zao backwards.
Zao tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ball's elbow.
Zao lands a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zao blocking some punches.
Ball lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Zao backwards.
Zao lands a shoulder strike.
Ball lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zao blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ball fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zao working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ball.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ball.
Zao lands with a left to the head.
Zao lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ball.

Zao breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jab by Zao.

It looks like Monte Ball has been cut.
Zao throws a lazy right hand but Ball sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ball lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Ball fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zao on the side of the head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at AJ Zao's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Monte Ball!