PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Hantz (ranked 4865 p4p, 4606 weight class) and Aleksandr Zuev (ranked 544 p4p, 531 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Hantz
vs
Zuev

185 cm
18
200
1 - 0 - 0

201 cm
18
215
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Hoarse Pills
Seventh Circle Clothing

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Hantz !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aleksandr Zuev!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Valeri Chadov and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hantz has his takedown stuffed
and Zuev counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Zuev lands a lovely overhand right.
Hantz is looking to clinch.
Zuev lands a jab to the head.
Hantz tries to clinch
and Hantz takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Zuev sizes up Hantz with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hantz can't find room to land a body shot as Zuev controls the action.
Hantz is trying to pull guard but Zuev has him pressed against the cage.
Hantz is trying to pull guard but Zuev turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Hantz . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good body shot from Zuev.
Hantz jumps guard but Zuev stands there with Hantz around his waist. Hantz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zuev displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hantz up against the cage.
Zuev connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hantz 's face.

It looks like Tom Hantz has been cut.
Our sources have told us that Hantz has been working on his elbows in the gym.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuev lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Zuev obliges.
Hantz jumps guard but Zuev stands there with Hantz around his waist. Hantz gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hantz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hantz is pushing Zuev up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A head punch on the inside from Zuev fails to land.
Hantz jumps guard but Zuev turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Zuev lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hantz backwards.
Zuev swings wildly with an uppercut but Hantz uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zuev.
Zuev lands a right hand.
Zuev scores with a shot to the side of Hantz 's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hantz drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Zuev gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hantz blocks an uppercut.
Zuev misses with a knee to the head.
Zuev blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A frustrated look appears on Hantz 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zuev tries to land a knee to the head but Hantz blocks with his arms.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Still in the clinch, Zuev scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hantz wants to break the clinch but can't.
Zuev stalls.
Zuev swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hantz blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zuev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuev scores with a shot to the side of Hantz 's head.
Zuev crunches a lovely knee into Hantz 's ribcage.
Hantz is breathing heavily.
Zuev lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hantz backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zuev creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hantz is trying to pull guard but Zuev has him pressed against the cage.
Zuev throws a punch but it's blocked by Hantz .
Zuev trying to land knees to the body.
Hantz tries to pull guard but Zuev holds him up against the cage and eventually Hantz drops back down to his feet.
Zuev slows down the pace here.
Zuev lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hantz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Zuev stalling the fight.
Zuev scores a nice knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuev connects with a nasty looking knee right to Hantz 's face.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zuev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zuev lands a hook that snaps the head of Hantz backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Zuev lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zuev tries to throw a body punch but Hantz avoids it by throwing Zuev back against the cage.
Zuev lands a knee to the head.
Zuev tries to land knees in the clinch but Hantz avoids the damage to the body.
Zuev holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hantz looking to slow down the pace here.
Zuev just leaning against Hantz , taking a breather.
Zuev softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Zuev connects with a knee to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Zuev dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Hantz 's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Zuev cracks Hantz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hantz takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hantz has a takedown stuffed.
Zuev lands a slapping body shot.
Zuev scores with a decent looking hook.
Zuev is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Zuev swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hantz .
Hantz takes one on the button.
Nice straight punches there by Zuev. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Zuev.
Nice body punch from Zuev.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hantz .

Zuev bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice combination there by Zuev.
Zuev has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hantz walks into a straight right hand from Zuev.
Zuev throws a head kick that misses.
Zuev just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHantz .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuev connects with a solid leg kick.
Zuev scores with a sloppy right hand. Hantz should have avoided that one.
Zuev scores with a jab. Hantz acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A slapping leg kick lands for Zuev.
Zuev scores with a shot to the body.
Zuev dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hantz . That did some damage!
Hantz shoots in looking for a takedown. Zuev tries to sprawl out of it but Hantz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zuev manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hantz takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hantz misses with a double jab
and Zuev counters with an inside leg kick.
Zuev swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hantz .
Zuev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hantz takes a body punch but keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zuev feints and then cracks Hantz 's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hantz down.
Hantz on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zuev has Hantz up against the cage in a clinch.
Zuev throws a punch but it's blocked by Hantz .
Zuev lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Zuev.
Zuev tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zuev lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Zuev lands with a light punch inside.
Zuev lands a nice uppercut.
Zuev unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Zuev will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hantz up against the cage.
Zuev is stalling here.
A nice left hand lands by Zuev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hantz .
Hantz wants to get back to striking at distance but Zuev won't allow it.
A hook to the body from Zuev.
A short left from Zuev.
A right handed body shot lands from Zuev.
Zuev makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hantz .
A head punch on the inside from Zuev fails to land.
Zuev lands a nice uppercut.
Zuev's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Zuev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Come on Zuev - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zuev lands a nice knee to the body.
Zuev lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nice body punch from Zuev - that landed with a thud.
Zuev dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Zuev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zuev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hantz backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zuev lands with a left to the head.
Zuev lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Zuev lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zuev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hantz backwards.
Aleksandr Zuev seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The referee calls for Zuev to work.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zuev creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksandr Zuev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tom Hantz 's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Hantz looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zuev lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Aleksandr Zuev seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hantz takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tom Hantz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zuev keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Tom Hantz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hantz ducks right into an uppercut from Zuev.
Hantz darts in looking for a takedown but Zuev gets double underhooks and turns Hantz into the cage.
Hantz has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Zuev avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Zuev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zuev working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Zuev lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hantz is trying to pull guard but Zuev has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Hantz . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zuev working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Zuev throws a punch but it's blocked by Hantz .
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zuev misses with some punches.
Hantz misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hantz is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Zuev landing knees to the head.
Zuev lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Zuev.
Zuev pushes Hantz back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Zuev scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Zuev scores with a knee to the head.
Zuev cracks Hantz with a nice body shot.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Zuev takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Zuev throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zuev has Hantz pushed against the cage.
Zuev controlling the action here for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuev lands with a left to the head.
Zuev lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body punch from Zuev - that landed with a thud.
Zuev taking a breather.
Zuev scores with a hook to the body.
Zuev pressing his opponent against the cage.
Zuev with a knee to the head.
Zuev makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Zuev using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuev working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The referee is keeping an eye on Zuev - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Zuev throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hantz s head.
Aleksandr Zuev is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zuev lands an uppercut.
Hantz wants to stall.
Zuev lands a body punch in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Zuev.
Zuev stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Zuev.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Zuev.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hantz wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zuev has him pressed against the cage.
Zuev throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hantz s head.
A shot in the inside from Zuev.
Hantz is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Zuev is keeping busy.
Hantz throws a head punch that misses.
Tom Hantz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hantz misses with an elbow strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksandr Zuev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zuev has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 24:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 24:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksandr Zuev!
Aleksandr Zuev decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.