PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Royce Brandau (ranked 3428 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kondo Zhan (ranked 3233 p4p, 0 weight class). Royce Brandau could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Kondo Zhan's chin.

Brandau
vs
Zhan

175 cm
24
154 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

179 cm
25
162 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Royce Brandau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kondo Zhan!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Dirk Anderson and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zhan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Brandau moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Brandau tries to counter by clinching up but Zhan breaks away and moves out of range.
Zhan looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Zhan tests Brandau's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Zhan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Zhan throws a jab when Brandau was well out of range.
Kondo Zhan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zhan punishes Brandau's body with a nice straight punch.
Zhan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Brandau at a distance.
Zhan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Brandau.
Brandau moves out of range as Zhan strikes.
Brandau misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zhan connects with a nice looking jab.
Brandau staying out of range there.
It looked like Brandau was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Brandau takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zhan lands a nice hook to Brandau's body. Brandau takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhan lands with an uppercut that bounces Brandau off the cage and back into range.
Zhan lands a jab to the head.
Zhan throws a body shot but no joy.
Zhan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Zhan throws a shot to the body.
We've been hearing reports that Brandau has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
A shot to the liver by Zhan. Beautiful body shot.
Brandau takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Zhan scores with a jab. Brandau acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Zhan throws a body punch but Brandau moves out of range.
Zhan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Brandau manages to avoid it.
Brandau changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Zhan lands with a nice body punch.
Zhan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brandau throws a front kick aimed at Zhan's knee but Zhan avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brandau tries a head kick but it misses.
Zhan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Brandau sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Brandau is looking to counter the offense by Zhan and move into the clinch.
Zhan throws a right hand that Brandau ducks under and follows up with a left that Brandau also avoids with ease.
Zhan works Brandau's body with a nice hook.

Brandau instigates a clinch.

Brandau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zhan fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Brandau slips a straight right by Zhan.
Zhan stuns Brandau with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Zhan stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Zhan throws a shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Zhan.
Brandau slips under a jab from Zhan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Brandau.
Zhan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Zhan lands an overhand right.
Zhan bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Brandau's head backwards.
Zhan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Brandau takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Zhan slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Zhan uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nice defenses there by Brandau.
Brandau drops down looking for a counter takedown but Zhan sprawls and moves away.
Brandau shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zhan but Zhan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Brandau takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhan thuds a left hand into Brandau's body.
Brandau gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zhan.
Brandau tries to score a power double leg takedown but Zhan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Brandau somewhat.
Zhan is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Brandau with a body shot.
Zhan lands a head shot.
Zhan lands a lovely overhand right.
Zhan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Brandau at a distance.
Zhan jabs Brandau to the body, keeping him at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Brandau gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Zhan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
As Zhan tries to get set, Brandau tries to push him back and clinch up but Zhan manages to avoid the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kondo Zhan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zhan lands with an uppercut that bounces Brandau off the cage and back into range.
Zhan with a nice cross.

Brandau closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Zhan did well to prevent Brandau getting side control.
Brandau tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zhan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Brandau is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Zhan has managed to free his arm - good work.

Brandau is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zhan sees it coming and defends easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zhan wants to improve his position but Brandau is controlling well.
Zhan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Brandau is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zhan sees it coming and defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brandau is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zhan sees it coming and defends easily.
Zhan has his hands clasped together around Brandau's back. He's all about the action.

Brandau has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Zhan defend it? Brandau steps over the head and cranks it - Zhan is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Brandau!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Royce Brandau!
A very excited looking Royce Brandau made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.