PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Jack Zabijaka (ranked 6110 p4p, 539 weight class) and Lesliah Souza (ranked 8981 p4p, 635 weight class). Jack Zabijaka looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Zabijaka
vs
Souza

185 cm
22
176 lbs
11 - 2 - 1

191 cm
19
176 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

Excellent MT
Solid chin

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jack Zabijaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lesliah Souza!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Steven Brown and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza scores with a head kick. Zabijaka tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Souza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zabijaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Souza.
Souza tries a head kick but it misses.
It looked like Zabijaka was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Jack Zabijaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Souza.
Souza lands with a cross.

Zabijaka forces Souza back against the ropes and clinches.
Souza tries to break free but Zabijaka pushes him back against the ropes.
Zabijaka blocks an uppercut.
Zabijaka keeps control of Souza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Zabijaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zabijaka.
Souza wants to break free but Zabijaka has control.
Souza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Zabijaka manages to break the clinch.
Souza falls off balance throwing a combination
and Zabijaka counters with a stiff right hand.
Souza takes a swing at Zabijaka's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Zabijaka on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza feints and then cracks Zabijaka's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Zabijaka down.
Zabijaka blocks the body kick.

Souza tries to keep at a distance but Zabijaka has taken the fight into the clinch.
Zabijaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zabijaka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Souza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Zabijaka breaks the clinch.
Souza wants to slow Zabijaka down by chopping away at his legs.
It looked like Zabijaka was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A slapping leg kick lands for Souza.

Zabijaka gets a clinch.

Zabijaka's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Souza misses with a body shot.
Nice body punch from Souza.
Nice jab there from Zabijaka.
Souza misses with a wild combination.
A head kick misses from Souza.
Zabijaka definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Souza pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Souza delivers a nice body kick.
Zabijaka is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.
Zabijaka moves out of range as Souza throws a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zabijaka fails in his attempt to clinch.

Souza tries to keep at a distance but Zabijaka has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Zabijaka clinches.
Souza is trying to force a seperation but Zabijaka has the dominant position.
Souza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zabijaka has him pressed against the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Souza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Souza is trying to break free.
A short uppercut from Zabijaka.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Zabijaka throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zabijaka.
Zabijaka keeps control of Souza as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Souza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zabijaka has him pressed against the ropes.
Souza has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Zabijaka seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Souza can turn it around.
Zabijaka with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Souza tries to break the clinch but Zabijaka is controlling the position.
Zabijaka stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jack Zabijaka will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Souza dodges the punch combination from Zabijaka.
Souza motions for Zabijaka to come forward. Souza throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Jack Zabijaka is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Souza throws a leg kick but Zabijaka moved away.
Souza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Zabijaka feints a jab promting Souza to slip. Zabijaka then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Souza slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Souza buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A clash of legs there as Zabijaka blocks the low kick.
Lesliah Souza seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Zabijaka moves out of range of the body kick.
Souza tests Zabijaka's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Zabijaka on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zabijaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Souza fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Souza tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A little feinted left hand from Zabijaka on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Zabijaka cracks the inside of Souza's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That kick from Souza tenderised Zabijaka's leg. Zabijaka is trying to keep his angry face on.
Souza throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Souza goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Zabijaka tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Souza manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Souza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zabijaka.
A leg kick checked by Zabijaka.
Souza ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Zabijaka takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Souza checks the leg kick nicely there.
Souza darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Souza scores with a nice strike.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zabijaka looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Souza misses with a body kick.
Zabijaka tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Souza manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zabijaka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Souza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Souza connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Zabijaka looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zabijaka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Souza tries a head kick but it misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Zabijaka.
Souza throws a leg kick but Zabijaka checks it.

Zabijaka pushes Souza up against the ropes in a clinch.
Zabijaka prevents Souza from breaking the clinch.
Souza working hard to break the clinch.
Zabijaka throws a punch but it's blocked by Souza.
Souza tries to break free but Zabijaka pushes him back against the ropes.
Souza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Souza blocking some punches.
Souza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zabijaka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Souza's efforts to push away.
Zabijaka holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Zabijaka lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Souza wants to break free but Zabijaka has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lesliah Souza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Souza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Souza misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zabijaka tries to clinch but Souza is having none of it.
Zabijaka wants to clinch.

Zabijaka has taken the fight to the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Zabijaka.
Souza tries to break free but Zabijaka pushes him back against the ropes.
Jack Zabijaka has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Zabijaka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zabijaka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Souza throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Souza looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Souza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zabijaka has him pressed against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza is trying to break free.
Souza can't break the clinch.
Souza is trying to break the clinch but Zabijaka has him pressed against the ropes.
Souza wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Zabijaka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Zabijaka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Maybe Zabijaka would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Zabijaka prevents Souza from breaking the clinch.
Zabijaka misses with a knee strike.
Zabijaka lands with a short shot to the head.

Souza breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zabijaka wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
Zabijaka fails with an attempt to clinch.
Souza lands a right hook to the body.

Zabijaka has taken the fight to the clinch.
Souza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Souza wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zabijaka has him pressed against the ropes.

Zabijaka breaks the clinch.
Zabijaka throws a jab but it's blocked by Souza.
Souza fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Souza fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Zabijaka has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Zabijaka blocks the body kick.
Souza scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Zabijaka misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zabijaka tries to clinch there but Souza circles away.
Souza lands with a nice body kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Souza checks a leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Souza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Souza changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Zabijaka takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Zabijaka is looking to clinch.
Souza looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Zabijaka scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Souza throws a head kick that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lesliah Souza.
I think Souza has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Lesliah Souza!