PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rhett Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Zelaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Little
vs
Zelaya

184 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rhett Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sammy Zelaya!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Little clinches up against the cage.
Zelaya wants to break the clinch but can't.

Zelaya jumps guard and drags Little to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Little throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zelaya works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zelaya is looking to stand up but Little isn't so interested in that idea.

Zelaya working for submissions but it's allowed Little to get to half guard.
Little is keen to just control but Zelaya is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Little thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zelaya's head.

Zelaya looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zelaya gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zelaya has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Zelaya looking to control but Little passes into half guard.
Little takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Little thows a huge punch but Zelaya dodges it nicely.
Zelaya controlling the position for now.

That's two 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.
Little throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Zelaya to regain full guard.

Zelaya has his foot on Little's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Little works his way back into a safe position though.
Zelaya is trying to keep Little in close.
Zelaya lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Little looking for a sweep. Not yet Little, not yet.

Little throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Zelaya escapes and throws Little's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Zelaya working the head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Little wants to get back to full guard but Zelaya has passed into side control.
Little tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Little manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Little is thwarting Zelaya's attempts to control the position.

Zelaya makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zelaya throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Little tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Zelaya is in Little's guard.

Zelaya is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Zelaya trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Zelaya won't allow Little to sweep him here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Little is working hard here to advance position.

Little is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sammy Zelaya will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Zelaya stalks Little and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Little's face. Little staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Rhett Little has been cut.
The fight stays on the outside here - Little looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Zelaya closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Little's guard.
Little wants to get back to his feet but Zelaya passes into half guard.

Little is pressing down on Zelaya's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zelaya wants to control from the top but Little keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Little is on top in guard.

Zelaya looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Little has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Little throws a big right hand that misses.
Zelaya looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Little puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Zelaya wants to control the action here but instead Little manages to pass to full mount!
Little throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Zelaya tries to lock up and control but Little gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Little lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Zelaya hang on?
Zelaya is trying desperately to improve position.
Little misses with a head shot.
Zelaya slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Zelaya avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Little.
Zelaya is looking to control Little's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zelaya avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zelaya is looking for a sweep. Little is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zelaya is still trying to improve position.
Little is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Little with the ground and pound but Zelaya uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's four 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.
Little stands up over Zelaya, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Little won't allow Zelaya to get back to his feet.
Little scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Zelaya working a defensive guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Little with a poor takedown
and Zelaya counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Little darts in looking for a takedown but Zelaya gets double underhooks and turns Little into the cage.
Zelaya is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Zelaya gets a double leg takedown into Little's guard.

Little pushes Zelaya off and gets back to his feet.
Little shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zelaya but Zelaya pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zelaya is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rhett Little dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rhett Little'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!

Little has taken the fight to the clinch.

Zelaya jumps guard.
Zelaya looking to hit a scissor sweep but Little is one step ahead there.
Zelaya lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Little wants to stand but Zelaya is controlling the position.
Zelaya controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zelaya decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Little, up you get!

Zelaya lands a big head kick that sends Little tumbling to the mat! Zelaya takes a step backwards and waves Little back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Little is rocked!
Little tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zelaya sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Little somewhat.
Oh Little is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Zelaya dives in and gets a big takedown. He lands in full mount and immediately unloads a series of heavy strikes! Little has had enough and taps out.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Sammy Zelaya!