PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yhorm Giant (ranked 1121 p4p, 47 weight class) and Gorgon Zola (ranked 2883 p4p, 117 weight class). Zola is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: For Heavy Metal we will die!. Gorgon Zola has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Giant
vs
Zola

225 cm
32
292 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

193 cm
36
267 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Threads of HARDCORE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yhorm Giant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gorgon Zola!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola ducks under a wild hook from Giant.
Zola lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A nice leg kick lands there from Giant.
Zola swings for the body but Giant moves out of range.
Giant does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Giant throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Zola counters with a single leg into guard. Giant didn't expect that.
Zola trying to control but Giant is working from the bottom.
Giant tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zola slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giant seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Zola not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giant pulls Zola in close to prevent any damage.
My spies in Team Beta Fail inform me that Zola has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Zola loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Zola wants to pass the guard but Giant is keeping the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zola takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Zola shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Giant but Giant pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Giant throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Zola changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Giant tries to avoid it but Zola manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Giant to the ground. Giant escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Giant misses with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zola fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Yhorm Giant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gorgon Zola.
Zola takes one to the side of the head.
Zola ducks under a wild hook from Giant.
Decent striking displayed by Giant there.

It looks like Gorgon Zola has been cut.

Giant knocks Zola to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Zola is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Giant looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Zola is avoiding damage well.
Zola is still in real trouble! Can Giant finish him?
Zola is not content to let Giant control the position.
Zola seems to have recovered his senses.
Zola seems a little lost for a moment, as Giant dominates the positioning.
Giant is trying to ground and pound but Zola uses the momentary lack of control by Giant to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola is staying active underneath Giant, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Giant thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Giant is thwarting Zola's attempts to control the position.
Giant is keen to just control but Zola is a slippery customer.
Zola makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zola.
Giant seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Giant keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zola's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Giant pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zola is keeping the position for now.
Zola keeping moving, preventing Giant from controlling successfully.
Giant postures up.
Giant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Giant trying to control but Zola is working from the bottom.

Zola has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Giant off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Giant throws a body kick that misses.
Zola fails to land the takedown.
Giant misses with a hook. Zola ducked under it nicely.
A slow jab from Giant misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yhorm Giant dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gorgon Zola's cut.
That's time! Giant's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Giant throws a lazy body kick
and Zola counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Yhorm Giant has been cut.
Giant throws a head kick that misses
and Zola counters with a slapping leg kick.
Zola misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Giant throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Giant's corner calls for a 1-2. Giant obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Zola closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Giant struggling a bit here.
Giant is looking for a sweep.
Giant is letting Zola control him for a moment.
Giant is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola cracks Giant with a big elbow.
Giant sneaks back into half guard.
Giant tries to roll over but Zola keeps him under control.
Giant wants to control but Zola is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zola wants to control but Giant is keeping him busy.
Zola wants to pass the guard but Giant is defending well.
Zola thows a huge punch but Giant dodges it nicely.
Zola uses his free foot to push down on Giant's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Giant.
Giant is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Zola is working for a guillotine from mount but Giant frees his head quite easily.
Giant is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giant is working hard here to advance position.
Zola thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Zola can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Giant is looking to escape.
Giant tries to lock up and control but Zola gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

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.
Giant is trying to escape the mount.
Giant blocking the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giant wants to control but Zola is having none of it.
Giant blocking the ground and pound.
Zola looking to control but Giant is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Giant keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zola controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gorgon Zola showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Giant's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zola blocks a jab.
Zola uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Giant.
Giant throws a nice outside leg kick.
Zola walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Zola gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Zola has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Giant avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Zola keeps control of Giant as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Zola jumps guard but Giant stands there with Zola around his waist. Zola gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The referee calls for Giant to work.
Giant wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giant works on Zola's body with a couple of short punches.

Giant breaks from the clinch.
Zola stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Giant.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Giant.
Giant fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Zola has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Giant has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zola wants to clinch up but Giant keeps it at a distance.
Giant half committed to a counter leg kick.
Giant walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Zola checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A good leg kick by Giant.
Giant misses with a lunging right hand
and Zola counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Zola fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Yhorm Giant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gorgon Zola.
Giant is looking to score with low kicks.
Crunch! Giant slams his shin into Zola's torso.
Giant misses with a low kick.
Yhorm Giant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giant tries a low kick but Zola avoids it.
Zola feints a counter leg kick.
Zola blocks a head kick by Giant.
Zola throws a big counter head kick but Giant avoids it with no problem.
Yhorm Giant is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giant throws a right hand that misses
and Zola counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A nice inside leg kick there by Giant. That's going to slow Zola down.

Zola gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Giant takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zola drags the fight down to the ground.
Giant wants to control from the top but Zola keeps moving.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Giant sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Zola is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Giant slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Zola is working an open guard so Giant takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giant tries to score with a low kick but Zola moves his leg out of the way.
Giant scores with a head kick.
Zola shoots in for a double leg but Giant sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Zola on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Giant is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Zola takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Giant pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Giant throws a leg kick that misses.
Zola tries a quick counter leg kick but Giant is wise to it.
Giant throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Zola tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Giant manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Giant misses with a head kick.
Giant lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Zola dives in for a single leg takedown but Giant sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giant scores with a crisp jab that stopped Zola in his tracks.
Giant throws a push kick but Zola slaps the foot to one side.
Giant misses with a shot to the body
and Zola counters with a straight right hand.
Giant misses with a low kick.
A leg kick checked by Zola.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zola uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Giant.
Zola is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Zola checks a low kick from Giant.
Giant throws a low kick but Zola avoids it.
Zola is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Zola takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Zola doesn't manage to clinch there - Giant circles away.
Zola scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Zola shoots in for a double leg but Giant sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Giant tries to keep at a distance but Zola has taken the fight into the clinch.

Giant breaks from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yhorm Giant showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Giant has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yhorm Giant!
A very excited looking Yhorm Giant rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.