PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Ziskie (ranked 351 p4p, 1822 weight class) and Jake Damien (ranked 53 p4p, 244 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ziskie
vs
Damien

187 cm
29
186
18 - 8 - 1

180 cm
29
176
13 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Urban Fighter

KOMBAT KLOTHING

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 18 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Mike Ziskie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jake Damien!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Winston Howard and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damien takes one on the button.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Damien shoots for a takedown but Ziskie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ziskie was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Ziskie misses with an uppercut.

Ziskie has managed to clinch.
Damien changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ziskie fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ziskie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Damien throws a body shot but no joy.

Damien bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Damien looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ziskie is looking to regain half guard here but Damien keeps moving and retains side control.

Damien swings around for an armbar but Ziskie sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Damien's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ziskie looking to pass the guard.
Damien wants to sweep here but Ziskie controlling him for the moment.
Ziskie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Damien swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damien tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ziskie wants to pass the guard but Damien is keeping the position.
Ziskie passes into half guard.
Ziskie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Damien knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Damien tries to get to full guard but Ziskie has control of the leg.
Ziskie trying to mount his opponent but Damien defends it.
We've been hearing good reports from Ziskie's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Ziskie stalling.
Ziskie is keen to just control but Damien is a slippery customer.

That's two 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.
Damien trying to hold on to Ziskie's head to control him but Ziskie postures up.
Ziskie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damien keeps working.
Damien moves into full guard.
Ziskie advances position into side control!

Ziskie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Damien knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ziskie is looking to take a break and control but Damien is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damien seems a little lost for a moment, as Ziskie dominates the positioning.
Damien is looking for a sweep.
Ziskie trying to control the position but Damien is working away.
Damien is looking for a sweep.

Ziskie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Damien is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Ziskie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

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.
Damien is trying to get back to half guard.
Ziskie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damien keeps working.
Damien tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ziskie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damien keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ziskie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Damien wants to control but Ziskie postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Ziskie dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Damien closes the distance and clinches up with Ziskie, looking for a takedown. Damien pushes Ziskie against the cage but Ziskie circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ziskie swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Ziskie defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Damien.

Ziskie closes the distance and clinches.
Ziskie misses with a punch on the inside.
Ziskie swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Damien wants a takedown.
Mike Ziskie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Damien.
Damien blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Damien goes for a takedown attempt but Ziskie pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ziskie misses with a straight right.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Damien.
Ziskie throws a jab but it's blocked by Damien.
Damien steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ziskie.

Ziskie closes the distance and pushes Damien back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ziskie swings wildly with an uppercut but Damien uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ziskie misses with the head strike.
Damien changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ziskie fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ziskie misses with a hook. Damien ducked under it nicely.

Ziskie clinches up against the cage.
Ziskie throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziskie prevents the takedown attempt.
Damien looking for a takedown.
Ziskie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Damien can do to turn this around?
Ziskie fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ziskie throws a punch but it's blocked by Damien.
Ziskie tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ziskie throws a head punch that misses.
Ziskie misses with a body punch.
Damien drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ziskie gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Damien wants a takedown.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ziskie.
Ziskie misses with some punches.
A short left from Ziskie.

It looks like Jake Damien has been cut.
Ziskie lands a body punch in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Damien.
Ziskie misses with the head strike.

Ziskie has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Damien is trying to keep an underhook but Ziskie manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Ziskie passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Damien!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ziskie working for a submission but Damien is keeping him at bay.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damien sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Damien is not content to let Ziskie control the position.
Ziskie is controlling the pace.
Ziskie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Damien does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Damien is looking for a sweep. Ziskie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ziskie uses his free foot to push down on Damien's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Damien.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ziskie goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Damien turns into him and now he's in Ziskie's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Damien is looking to advance position but Ziskie has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Ziskie content just to control the position here.
Damien is looking to improve his position but Ziskie isn't that keen on the idea.
Damien regains half guard.
Ziskie passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Damien!
Mike Ziskie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damien stops Ziskie from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Ziskie tries to control but Damien wriggling away.
Damien regains half guard.
Damien won't allow Ziskie to pass to mount.
Damien trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Ziskie manages to pass to mount!
Ziskie is looking to work his way around to Damien's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
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!
Damien is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Ziskie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jake Damien's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ziskie has managed to clinch.
Damien blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Ziskie fails to land.
Ziskie is pressed up against the cage. Damien has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ziskie down to the mat. Ziskie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Damien uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ziskie.

Damien closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ziskie did well to prevent Damien getting side control.

Damien is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ziskie doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Damien.
Ziskie works his way to full guard. Good work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damien looking to pass the guard.
Damien works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Damien is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damien passes to full mount!
Damien prevents Ziskie from getting the reversal.

Damien goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Ziskie is on top in guard.
Ziskie passes into half guard.
Ziskie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Damien keeps working.
Ziskie trying to mount his opponent but Damien defends it.
Mike Ziskie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziskie seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Damien tries to roll over but Ziskie keeps him under control.
Ziskie works his way into full mount!
Ziskie content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziskie has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Ziskie.
Damien is working to get back to half guard.
Ziskie content just to control the position here.
Damien tries to reverse the position but Ziskie maintains control.
Ziskie controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damien tries to lock up and control but Ziskie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ziskie content just to control the position here.
Ziskie is trying to take his opponent's back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Damien is looking to improve his position but Ziskie isn't that keen on the idea.
Ziskie controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Ziskie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ziskie 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Ziskie!
A very excited looking Mike Ziskie made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.