PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wendall White (ranked 23493 p4p, 668 weight class) and Daniel Zigrand (ranked 24963 p4p, 692 weight class). Zigrand is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Linkin Park - Never back down. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

White
vs
Zigrand

187 cm
28
210 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

190 cm
19
200 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Wendall White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Daniel Zigrand!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zigrand avoids the head kick by White.
Zigrand is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Zigrand with a poor takedown

and White counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

White is trying to trip Zigrand. He has hold of a leg but Zigrand is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. White persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
White sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Zigrand is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

White gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White avoids the body shot from Zigrand.

Zigrand gets caught flat footed, as White shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zigrand is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zigrand tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zigrand utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zigrand trying to keep a closed guard but White is proving a slippery customer.
Zigrand is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
White is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Zigrand looking for a sweep. Not yet Zigrand, not yet.
White has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
White postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

White rushes Zigrand and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
White doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

White lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
White not doing much here.
Zigrand wants to control but White is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is figuring out what he wants to do next.
White looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Still in half guard, White seems content to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Zigrand dives in for a single leg takedown but White sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

White bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
White knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zigrand on the ground.
Zigrand avoids any damage from the ground and pound of White.
Zigrand is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White is staying tight to Zigrand's torso, preventing him from escaping.
White's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zigrand is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wendall White dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zigrand wants to clinch up but White keeps it at a distance.
Zigrand fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

White shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Zigrand napping and manages to drive through into side control!

White decides to take the fight back to the feet.
White is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zigrand can do to turn this around?
Zigrand wants to clinch up but White keeps it at a distance.
White throws a counter high kick but Zigrand was just alert enough to avoid it.
Wendall White is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

White drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
White taking a breather here.
White throws a strike aimed at the side of Zigrand's head but Zigrand avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zigrand struggling a bit here.

White decides to stand up, so the ref orders Zigrand to his feet.
White fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zigrand manages to avoid it.

White rushes Zigrand and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

White has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Zigrand uses from the top position.
Zigrand trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wendall White overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zigrand slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
White is trying to buck Zigrand off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
White wants to control but Zigrand postures up.
White is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Zigrand decides to take the fight back to the feet.

White dives in and scores a takedown into Zigrand's guard.
Zigrand working a defensive guard here.
White throwing strikes from guard but Zigrand blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zigrand is trying to control the position but White postures up.
White postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
White controlling from the top position.
White won't allow Zigrand to sweep him here.
White is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
White has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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.
White stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and White wants it to stay on the feet.
White seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

White clinches up with Zigrand and pushes him back against the cage.

White gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
White passes easily into side control. Nice work.
White throws a strike aimed at the side of Zigrand's head but Zigrand avoids it well.
White staying calm.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
White throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wendall White dominated that second round.
That's time! White's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Zigrand doesn't manage to clinch there - White circles away.
No luck for Zigrand with that takedown attempt.
Zigrand shoots and misses
and White cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

White closes the distance and clinches.

White manages to break the clinch.

White closes the distance and clinches.
Zigrand tries to land knees in the clinch but White avoids the damage to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by White as Zigrand tries to tie him up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

White ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. White no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
White striking off his back but it's not causing Zigrand any problems.
White looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Zigrand puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
White is looking to improve his position.

White pushes Zigrand off and gets back to his feet.

White scores with a takedown into Zigrand's guard.
Zigrand wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and White manages to pass to side control.

Zigrand wants to improve his position but White is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zigrand blocking the ground and pound attempt from White.
White passes into side control, despite Zigrand's attempt to control the position.
Zigrand trying to control but White flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
White biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
This is a sustained period of stalling by White.
Zigrand is trying to break free.

White has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Zigrand has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
White missing with strikes.
White misses with a punch to the head.
White biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zigrand is really stuck here.
Zigrand manages to reverse the position and now he's in White's guard. Nice work there by Zigrand.

White working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Zigrand doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Zigrand manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Zigrand drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Zigrand jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Zigrand takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Zigrand stands up from White's guard - Zigrand perhaps looking for a knockout.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wendall White showed his dominance in that final round.
Well White has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wendall White!
A pretty intense looking Wendall White took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.