PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Graham (ranked 4371 p4p, 431 weight class) and Michael Ziglar (ranked 4735 p4p, 454 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Graham
vs
Ziglar

176 cm
25
168 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alexander Graham !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Ziglar!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ziglar looking to score a takedown here. Graham is defending well but Ziglar drives through and ends up in Graham 's guard.
Graham lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Graham trying to control but Ziglar is working from the bottom.
Graham lands a couple of digs.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Graham accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ziglar wants to sweep here but Graham controlling him for the moment.
Graham chips away with some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Graham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Graham 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziglar wants to hit a switch here but Graham passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Ziglar there!
Ziglar taking shots to the head.
Graham can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ziglar is looking to escape.
Ziglar bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziglar preventing the sweep.

Graham has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Ziglar is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Ziglar gets underhooks to prevent Graham 's takedown attempt.
Ziglar is pressed up against the cage. Graham has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ziglar down to the mat. Ziglar avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Ziglar scores with a takedown into Graham 's guard.

Graham has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Ziglar off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ziglar shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Graham defends it nicely.
Ziglar looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziglar tries to clinch but Graham is having none of it.
Ziglar wants to clinch

and Graham decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ziglar's guard.
Graham not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Ziglar working for a triangle but Graham defends it easily.

Ziglar is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ziglar looking for subs off his back but Graham has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziglar is pressing down on Graham 's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Graham scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Ziglar looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Graham passes into side control.
Graham trying to control the action but Ziglar is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Graham dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Graham drives through with a takedown into Ziglar's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Graham wants to control from the top but Ziglar keeps moving.
Graham working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Graham postures up and lands a big shot to Ziglar's brow.
Ziglar wants to get back to his feet but Graham is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ziglar keeping moving, preventing Graham from controlling successfully.
Graham slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Graham accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alexander Graham overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ziglar trying to keep a closed guard but Graham is proving a slippery customer.
Graham preventing the sweep.
Graham has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ziglar is breathing heavily.
Graham lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ziglar keeping moving, preventing Graham from controlling successfully.
Ziglar is trying to keep Graham in close.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Graham throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ziglar tries to counter with a clinch but Graham shakes him off and moves away.
Ziglar tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Graham defends well and Ziglar ends up having to push Graham into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Graham instigates a clinch.
Ziglar tries to pull guard but Graham holds him up against the cage and eventually Ziglar drops back down to his feet.

Graham jumps guard.
Ziglar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Graham is keeping the position for now.
Graham wants to hit a switch here but Ziglar passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Graham there!
Graham regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham wants to improve his position but Ziglar is controlling well.
Graham wants to control but Ziglar is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ziglar passes into side control, despite Graham 's attempt to control the position.
Graham tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Graham manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Graham working the head and body with strikes.
Ziglar regains full guard. Nicely done.
Graham postures up in Ziglar's guard and throws a big left but Ziglar blocks it.
Ziglar keeping moving, preventing Graham from controlling successfully.
Graham looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Graham working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ziglar's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Graham dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Graham takes the fight into the clinch.
Graham wants to take the fight to the mat but Ziglar manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ziglar is trying to maintain a safe position but Graham gets an underhook and turns Ziglar into the cage.

Graham gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Graham working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ziglar's head.
Ziglar being controlled here, momentarily.
Ziglar is looking to stand up but Graham isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ziglar wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziglar is striking from the bottom but Graham uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Graham working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Graham trying to control from half guard but Ziglar is working away.
Ziglar trying to control but Graham postures up.
Ziglar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ziglar on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

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.

Graham is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ziglar doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Graham .

Graham escapes and gets back to his feet.
Graham dives in and grabs Ziglar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ziglar pushes down on Graham 's head and hops out.
Ziglar has a takedown stuffed.

Graham looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Graham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ziglar can do to turn this around?
Graham postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Graham makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Graham thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Graham sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Graham makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four 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.
Ziglar has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Graham wants to pass the guard but Ziglar is keeping the position.
Graham landing some decent shots from guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Graham is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Graham showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Graham 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Graham !
Alexander Graham was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.