PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Adler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tomasz Rzasa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Adler
vs
Rzasa

177 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
19
152 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Adler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tomasz Rzasa!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Adler lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rzasa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Adler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Adler tries to land a front kick but Rzasa steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Adler doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rzasa counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rzasa.
Rzasa scoring with some ground and pound.
Adler is looking to stand up but Rzasa isn't so interested in that idea.
Adler is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rzasa engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rzasa slips nicely into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rzasa lands a nice short elbow.
Rzasa should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Adler gets back to full guard.
Rzasa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Adler controls Rzasa momentarily but Rzasa frees himself.
Rzasa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rzasa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Adler will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rzasa is stalling in the full guard.
Rzasa postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa slips nicely into half guard.
Adler tries to roll over but Rzasa keeps him under control.
Rzasa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Adler is trying to get back to full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Adler looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rzasa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Adler tries to clinch but Rzasa moves out of range.
Adler tries to clinch there but Rzasa circles away.
A shot to the body from Rzasa misses
and Adler counters with a right hand to the body.
Jab, jab by Adler - just one landing.

Rzasa clinches up with Adler and pushes him back against the cage.

Rzasa breaks the clinch.

Rzasa clinches up with Adler and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Rzasa tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A bit of stalling here from Rzasa.
Adler is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rzasa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Adler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Adler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Adler tries to circle away but Rzasa has him pinned against the cage.
Rzasa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Adler gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Adler crunches a lovely knee into Rzasa's ribcage.

Rzasa manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rzasa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rzasa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Adler manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomasz Rzasa dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rzasa shoots in looking for a takedown but Adler manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rzasa's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rzasa feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Adlers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rzasa darts in looking for a takedown but Adler gets double underhooks and turns Rzasa into the cage.
James Adler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Adler darts in looking for a takedown but Rzasa gets double underhooks and turns Adler into the cage.
Rzasa unleashes a big counter combination but Adler bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Adler looks for a takedown but Rzasa sprawls well.
Adler fails in his attempt to clinch.
Adler delivers a nice body kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Adler.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Adler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rzasa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rzasa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Adler as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adler shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rzasa but Rzasa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Adler blocks the body kick.
Rzasa wants to clinch.
Adler shoots in looking for a takedown. Rzasa tries to sprawl out of it but Adler keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rzasa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Adler or perhaps it was just good defense by Rzasa, which made it look bad.

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.
Adler lands with a nice combination. Rzasa backs away looking to recover.
Rzasa keeps the fight on the outside.
Adler doesn't manage to clinch there - Rzasa circles away.
Adler tests Rzasa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rzasa stuffs the takedown attempt from Adler. Adler gets slowly back to his feet.
Adler is looking to clinch.

Rzasa closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Adler did well to prevent Rzasa getting side control.
Adler wants to stand back up but Rzasa manages to pass into side control.
Rzasa taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa moves into full mount!
Adler tries to hold on but Rzasa pushes him away.
Rzasa looking to control and managing it successfully.
Adler tries to lock up and control but Rzasa gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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.
Adler's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Tomasz Rzasa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Adler tries to improve his position but instead Rzasa has taken his back!
Adler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rzasa on the ground.
Rzasa is looking to control Adler but Adler is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Rzasa punches Adler on the ear.
Adler turns into Rzasa and is now in his guard.
Rzasa keeping moving, preventing Adler from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Adler looking to sit in guard and control but Rzasa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomasz Rzasa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Adler tries for a takedown but Rzasa sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rzasa is looking for the big counter here.
Adler shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rzasa as he avoids it easily.
Adler is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rzasa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Adler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Adler as Rzasa shoots in.
Rzasa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Adler has his takedown stuffed

so Rzasa counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Adler has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rzasa has passed into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adler being controlled for a moment.
Rzasa working away.
Adler on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Adler tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adler manages to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rzasa is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rzasa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Adler wants to control the action here but instead Rzasa manages to pass to full mount!
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Rzasa has eaten all the pies!

Rzasa throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Adler has his hands clasped together but Rzasa breaks the hold and Adler is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Rzasa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tomasz Rzasa!