PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brian Aston (ranked 3803 p4p, 3233 weight class) and Zeno Bathory (ranked 136 p4p, 120 weight class). Bathory has chosen Metallica: Battery as his entrance music. Zeno Bathory has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aston
vs
Bathory

207 cm
23
290
5 - 1 - 0

208 cm
29
275
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Brian Aston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zeno Bathory!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Saam Ante and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aston throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Aston is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bathory.
Bathory counters with a body kick.
Bathory with a lazy takedown attempt
and Aston counters with a straight right hand.

Bathory clinches up with Aston and pushes him back against the cage.
Bathory drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bathory wants a takedown.
Brian Aston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zeno Bathory.
Bathory working aggressively here.
Bathory tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Aston fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aston blocking some punches.
Aston misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bathory blocking some punches.
Aston is pressed up against the cage. Bathory has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Aston down to the mat. Aston avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Bathory shoots in and bounces Aston off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Bathory postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Aston is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Bathory, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aston wants to get up but he can't break Bathory's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bathory wriggles free and stands up.
Aston moves into range and connects with a jab.
Aston lands a nice looking body shot.
Aston looks to throw the jab but Bathory is out of range.
A swing and a miss from Aston.
Bathory throws out a counter right but Aston avoids it with no problem.
Nice shot lands for Aston.

It looks like Zeno Bathory has been cut.

Bathory closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Aston to the mat! Aston manages to get full guard.
Bathory engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bathory is looking to work some ground and pound but Aston has wrist control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bathory throws a big right hand that misses.
Aston trying to keep a closed guard but Bathory is proving a slippery customer.
Bathory advances position into side control!
Bathory working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
An elbow from Bathory crashes against the mat.
Bathory lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Aston prevents Bathory from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bathory scoring with punches from side control.
Bathory trying to control the position but Aston is working away.
Bathory has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bathory remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
An elbow from Bathory crashes against the mat.
Bathory advances nicely into full mount.

Bathory is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Aston to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Aston shrugs it off.
Aston knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bathory on the ground.
Aston is in a horrible position here. Bathory smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Bathory lands a big shot there that rocks Aston but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Aston taking shots to the head.
Bathory throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Aston because Bathory loaded up on that one.
Bathory content just to control the position here.
Bathory lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Bathory lands with some strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bathory thowing shots but they're missing.
Aston in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Aston is rocked!
Bathory throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Aston because Bathory loaded up on that one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zeno Bathory dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zeno Bathory's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bathory moves away from the strike by Aston.
Aston misses with a body shot.
Aston moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Aston gets caught flat footed, as Bathory shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Aston is trying to control the position but Bathory postures up.
Zeno Bathory has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Bathory accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Aston keeping full guard, as Bathory tries to pass.
Bathory throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bathory content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Bathory trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bathory scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bathory is looking to work some ground and pound but Aston has wrist control.
Bathory landing some decent shots from guard.
Bathory with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bathory postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bathory is stalling in the full guard.
Bathory has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Bathory drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Aston manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bathory has Aston in his guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bathory trying to keep a closed guard but Aston is proving a slippery customer.

Bathory looking for a guillotine here but Aston defends easily.
Aston wants to stand but Bathory is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bathory seems keen to control Aston's posture.

Bathory is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Aston frees his head nicely. Oh but Bathory has switched to an armbar! Aston is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Zeno Bathory!
A determined Zeno Bathory didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!