PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dick Winters (ranked 423 p4p, 1754 weight class) and Zhang Wei (ranked 63 p4p, 252 weight class). Winters's entrance music is All Along the Watchtower. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Winters
vs
Wei

183 cm
26
170
9 - 3 - 0

187 cm
26
180
9 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Knockout power

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dick Winters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Zhang Wei!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Daniel Franklin and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Winters avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Winters takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Winters scores with a takedown into Wei's guard.
Wei manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Winters manages to get himself to full guard.

Winters working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wei.
Winters looking to control.
Winters working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wei.
Winters working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wei.
Wei has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad The Island. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wei throws a big right hand that misses.
Wei wants to control from the top but Winters keeps moving.
Wei content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wei is working Winters over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Wei postures up in Winters's guard and throws a big left but Winters blocks it.
Winters utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wei distracts Winters with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Wei throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Winters works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Wei postures up in Winters's guard and throws a big left but Winters blocks it.
Wei trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Winters has Wei pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Winters looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Winters is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Winters slips a jab from Wei.
Dick Winters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Wei enables Winters to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Wei manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Winters connects with a couple of short punches.
Winters slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Winters throws a strike aimed at the side of Wei's head but Wei avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wei is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Wei is trying to stand up here but Winters is controlling him well.
Winters wants to pass the guard but Wei is defending well.
Wei moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winters showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wei tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Winters postures up.
Wei looking to hit a scissor sweep but Winters is one step ahead there.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Wei is trying to control the position but Winters postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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.

Winters shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Wei is trying to defend but Winters finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Winters wants to free his trapped foot but Wei is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wei wants to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Zhang Wei will probably get the nod.
That's time! Winters's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Winters shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Wei sprawls well. Wei wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Winters gets slowly back to his feet.

Winters closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Winters taking a breather here.
Winters throwing shots but missing, from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wei struggling a bit here.
Wei is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Winters is staying active.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wei tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Winters wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Winters trying to control the action but Wei is working from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Wei is trying to get back to half guard.

Winters is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Wei is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Wei tries to escape but Winters is in control.

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.
Wei is trying to control Winters's posture but Winters avoids it.
Wei tries to bench press Winters off him but Winters keeps the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Winters dives in for a single leg takedown but Wei sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Wei's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Winters drags the fight down to the ground.
Winters has his hands on Wei's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winters is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Winters looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Winters utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wei postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Wei wants to control from the top but Winters keeps moving.
Winters is trying to control the position but Wei postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Zhang Wei is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wei throws a right and a left that Winters avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Wei tries to sprawl but Winters drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Wei is positioning himself well to prevent Winters advancing to mount.
Dick Winters overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Winters is thwarting Wei's attempts to control the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Winters in particular looking to stall.
Winters wants to free his trapped foot but Wei is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wei trying to control from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Winters dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Winters shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Wei pinned against the cage. Wei gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Wei.

Winters closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Wei quickly recovers to half guard.

Winters seems to be working for a kimura but Wei defends the submission attempt.
Winters wants to control but Wei is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wei is doing well to control the position and prevent Winters from advancing to side control.
Winters trying to mount his opponent but Wei defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wei is looking to control Winters's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Wei avoid being mounted?
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Winters wants to control but Wei is keeping him busy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Winters looks for a takedown but Wei sprawls well.
Winters fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Wei avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dick Winters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Winters ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Wei stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Wei wants it to stay on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Winters is defended easily by Wei.
Winters tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Wei swivels and escapes.
Winters darts in looking for a takedown but Wei gets double underhooks and turns Winters into the cage.
Wei is trying to force a seperation but Winters has the dominant position.
Winters is trying to pull guard but Wei has him pressed against the cage.
Wei is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Wei avoids a wild elbow strike from Winters.
Wei is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Winters fails to pull guard.
Winters changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Wei fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Wei missing with a left hand there. Winters was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Winters shoots in for a double leg but Wei sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Winters uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Wei.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Wei throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Wei throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Winters moves out of range as Wei strikes.
Winters half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Wei. Those never looked like landing.
Wei throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Winters sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Winters defending well as Wei loads up on a big left hand.
Winters staying out of range there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Winters is defended easily by Wei.
Winters moves out of range as Wei strikes.
Winters uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Wei.
Winters dives in and grabs Wei's left leg, looking for a takedown. Wei pushes down on Winters's head and hops out.
Wei scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Winters feints and as Wei raises his hands in defense, Winters changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wei keeping moving, preventing Winters from controlling successfully.
Wei keeping full guard, as Winters tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wei looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Winters looking to pass the guard.
Wei working a defensive guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wei looking for a sweep. Not yet Wei, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zhang Wei comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wei 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zhang Wei!
A very excited looking Zhang Wei 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.