PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Cole (ranked 1163 p4p, 668 weight class) and Dai Zexi (ranked 159 p4p, 95 weight class). Cole comes into the arena with I Won't Back Down blaring out of the sound system. Zexi is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by BRADIO-Flyers. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cole
vs
Zexi

175 cm
40
212
41 - 26 - 1

175 cm
31
220
24 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 41 - 26 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dai Zexi!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Chris Edwards and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zexi misses with a jab to the body
and Cole counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nice body punch from Cole.
Zexi throws a jab when Cole was well out of range.
Zexi throws a hook to the side of Cole's head but Cole sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cole fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Zexi is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Cole with a body shot.
Cole takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Zexi jabs Cole right on the nose. Cole blinks but takes it well.
Dai Zexi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zexi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Zexi misses with a straight right.
Zexi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cole is looking to counter punch.
Nice jab there from Zexi.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Zexi is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Zexi.
Zexi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Zexi misses with a body shot.
Zexi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cole.
Zexi lands a nice shot that snaps Cole's head back.
Zexi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cole moves away.
Zexi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cole.
Cole is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cole shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Cole showed some decent athleticism there.
Cole scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zexi tries to roll over but Cole keeps him under control.
Cole looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
The fighters are battling for position here. Zexi manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cole got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zexi has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cole has managed to get both his arms back between Zexi's legs - danger averted.
Cole postures up in Zexi's guard and throws a big left but Zexi blocks it.
Zexi is adopting a defensive guard.
Cole throws a big right hand that misses.
Zexi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Zexi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zexi is thwarting Cole's attempts to control the position.
Cole is refusing to be controlled, as Zexi sits in half guard.
Zexi working over Cole with some ground and pound. Cole looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cole is trying is best to control the position here.
Cole is looking to improve his position.
Cole is controlling Zexi's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zexi is just content to waste time from the top position. Cole takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cole manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zexi manages to get himself to full guard.

Cole scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Zexi working for a triangle but Cole defends it easily.

Zexi looking for a guillotine here but Cole defends easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dai Zexi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zexi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Cole shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Zexi as he jumps to the side.
Dai Zexi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cole slips a straight right by Zexi.
Zexi swings for the body but Cole moves out of range.
Zexi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Zexi closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole working aggressively here.
Zexi lands with a left to the head.
Cole blocking some punches.
Zexi misses with a body punch.
A nice left hand lands by Zexi.
Cole blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cole tries to throw a body punch but Zexi avoids it by throwing Cole back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole takes a shot to the head.
Cole has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Zexi after a bit of a struggle.
Cole has Zexi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zexi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Cole. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cole makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Cole drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Zexi gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cole working aggressively here.
Cole blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zexi cracks Cole with a nice body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zexi lands a left hand.
Zexi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A right handed body shot lands from Zexi.
Still in the clinch, Zexi scores with a nice short uppercut.
Zexi lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Zexi.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zexi creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Zexi blocks a body shot from Cole.
Zexi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zexi lands a right hand.

Cole is rocked!
Zexi lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cole or not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zexi lands a body shot.

Zexi jumps guard and drags Cole to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Dai Zexi has got the better of the ground game so far.

Zexi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Zexi looking for a sweep. Not yet Zexi, not yet.
Zexi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cole won't allow Zexi to pass to mount.
Zexi is stalling here. Cole is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Zexi seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Cole has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Cole postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Zexi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cole.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zexi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cole off and has taken his back!
A lull in the action here.
Zexi gets his hands free as Cole looks to control.
Zexi scores with strikes from the back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cole trying to control but not successfully.
Zexi throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Zexi is looking to control Cole but Cole is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole rolls, trying to escape but Zexi keeps control of the position.
Cole looking very determined here, making life difficult for Zexi.
Cole manages to reverse the position and now he's in Zexi's guard. Nice work there by Cole.
Cole is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Cole preventing the sweep.

Zexi working for a triangle but Cole defends it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dai Zexi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zexi has taken the fight to the clinch.
Zexi gets through Cole's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Zexi swings wildly with an uppercut but Cole uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zexi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zexi lands a right hand.

Zexi lands a takedown into guard.
Cole looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zexi is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zexi's guard.

Cole loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cole throwing strikes but missing.
Cole in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zexi has Cole pulled in close to control his posture.

Zexi looking for a guillotine here but Cole defends easily.
Cole stands up over Zexi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Michael Cole has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cole working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zexi's head.

Zexi working for a triangle but Cole defends it easily.
Zexi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cole.
Zexi controls Cole momentarily but Cole frees himself.
Cole lands a couple of digs.
Cole chips away with some ground and pound.
Cole loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cole postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole connects with a couple of short punches.
Cole works over Zexi with some ground and pound from guard.
Zexi 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.
Cole connects with a couple of short punches.
Cole stopping the sweep attempt from Zexi.

Zexi had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cole defends it easily.
Cole cracks Zexi with a solid left hand.
Cole postures up in Zexi's guard and throws a big left but Zexi blocks it.
Zexi wants to sweep here but Cole controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cole working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zexi's head.
Zexi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cole is in close to Zexi's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cole postures up.
Cole with a nice head shot there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cole accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cole chips away with some ground and pound.
Cole throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zexi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cole.
Zexi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cole is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Michael Cole.
I think Zexi 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dai Zexi!
Dai Zexi thanked the fans post fight for their support.