PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Abdullah Zaire (ranked 1632 p4p, 2415 weight class) and Derek Patterson (ranked 236 p4p, 320 weight class). Patterson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I'm So High. Nashville Pussy kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Zaire
vs
Patterson

189 cm
35
202
13 - 10 - 1

179 cm
27
188
5 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
Conquer

HELLBENT
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abdullah Zaire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Derek Patterson!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Patterson.
Nice uppercut there from Zaire.
Zaire dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Zaire has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Rubber Guard Emporium in the buildup to the fight.
Zaire with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Patterson ducks under a wild hook from Zaire.
A bone on bone clash there as Patterson blocks the leg kick.
A little jabbing left from Patterson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Zaire with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Patterson to score with a decent uppercut.

Patterson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Zaire avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Patterson.
Zaire has his hands clasped together around Patterson's back. He's all about the action.
Patterson not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire moves into full guard.
Patterson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Patterson connects with a couple of short punches.
Patterson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Patterson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Patterson tries to free his leg and advance position but Zaire is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patterson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Patterson cracks Zaire with a solid left hand.
Patterson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Zaire working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Patterson.
Zaire avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Patterson wants to control from the top but Zaire keeps moving.

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

Patterson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaire trying to stand up but can't free himself from Patterson's guard.
Zaire controlling from the top position.
Zaire continues to stall.
Patterson wants to sweep here but Zaire controlling him for the moment.
Patterson keeping full guard, as Zaire tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Zaire scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Zaire thuds his right hand into Patterson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Patterson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Zaire misses with a body shot.
Zaire takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Zaire jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Patterson is looking to clinch but Zaire is avoiding it.
Zaire missing with a left hand there. Patterson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zaire paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A big right from Patterson misses.
Zaire swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Patterson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Patterson slips a jab from Zaire.
Good shot there by Zaire.
Patterson tries to clinch but Zaire is having none of it.
Zaire fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zaire getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zaire. Patterson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Patterson or perhaps it was just good defense by Zaire, which made it look bad.
Zaire misses the jab.
Patterson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zaire swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zaire is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Patterson.
Patterson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zaire.
Patterson connects with a right hand. Zaire shakes it off.
Patterson walks into a stiff left hand from Zaire.
Zaire explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A punch lands to the side of Patterson 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Patterson closes the distance and pushes Zaire back into the cage.
Patterson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Zaire after a bit of a struggle.
Zaire swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Patterson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Abdullah Zaire has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Derek Patterson.
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!
Zaire doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zaire lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patterson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Zaire lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Patterson looking for a takedown.
Zaire tries to break free but Patterson pushes him back against the cage.
Patterson tries to throw a body punch but Zaire avoids it by throwing Patterson back against the cage.
Patterson is working for takedown but Zaire is calmly controlling the position for now.
Zaire gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Patterson.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zaire.
Patterson lands with a left to the head.
Zaire misses with a body punch.
A bit of stalling here from Zaire.
Zaire lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Patterson backwards.
Patterson lands an uppercut.
Zaire misses with a punch to the body.
Zaire can't find room to land a body shot as Patterson controls the action.
Patterson tries to work over Zaire's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Zaire fails to land.
Zaire lands with a left to the head.

Zaire breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaire scores with the left hand. Patterson knows he should have avoided that one.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zaire lands a nice leg kick that just misses Patterson's sensitive parts.
Patterson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A counter left hand to the body from Zaire misses its target.
Patterson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Zaire.
Patterson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Patterson keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Zaire thuds a left hand into Patterson's body.
Zaire is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Patterson can do to turn this around?

Patterson has closed the distance and engaged Zaire in a clinch.
Zaire tries to work over Patterson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Patterson.
Zaire lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Patterson lands with a light punch inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Patterson.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zaire.
Patterson lands a left hand.
Zaire misses with a body punch.

Zaire's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Patterson shoots in and drives through. Zaire sprawls well.
Patterson has a takedown stuffed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patterson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zaire uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Patterson.
Zaire swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Patterson checks a leg kick.
Patterson tries for a takedown but Zaire sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Zaire was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Patterson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zaire manages to avoid it.
Zaire with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Zaire misses with a looping left.
Zaire with a jab.
Patterson shoots in but Zaire avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zaire fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Patterson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Zaire. Zaire obviously looking to wear him down.
Zaire cracks Patterson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch but Zaire swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zaire throws a quick counter kick to the body but Patterson avoids it.
Patterson throws a jab but it's blocked by Zaire.
Abdullah Zaire is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaire throws a body punch but Patterson moves out of range.
Patterson tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Zaire dips to his left and cracks Patterson with an uppercut!
Patterson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Zaire.
Abdullah Zaire is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Patterson scores with a decent looking hook.
Zaire moves out of range as Patterson throws a body kick.
The fighters circling - Zaire throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Patterson moves out of range as Zaire strikes.
Patterson wants to clinch up but Zaire keeps it at a distance.
Zaire looks to score with a jab to the body but Patterson is just out of range.
Patterson tries for a takedown but Zaire sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Patterson ducks under a wild hook from Zaire.
Zaire swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zaire changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Zaire throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Patterson on the side of the head.
Patterson misses with a body shot.
Zaire attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Patterson takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Derek Patterson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Patterson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zaire looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Zaire cracks Patterson with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Zaire uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Patterson.
Zaire lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Patterson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Zaire avoids it really well and circles away.
Patterson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Patterson gets a takedown into half guard.
Patterson thows a huge punch but Zaire dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patterson wants to control but Zaire is keeping him busy.
Patterson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Patterson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Zaire is trying to stand up here but Patterson is controlling him well.
Patterson prevents Zaire from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Patterson throwing shots but Zaire is blocking nicely.
Patterson lands strikes from half guard.
Patterson content to control rather than advance.
Patterson throwing shots but Zaire is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patterson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Zaire blocking the ground and pound attempt from Patterson.
Patterson is trying to control. Zaire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Patterson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zaire steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Patterson.
Zaire throwing a counter right hand but Patterson manages to avoid it.
Patterson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zaire ducks under a wild hook from Patterson.
Zaire connects with a solid leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Zaire.
Zaire cracks a nice hook into Patterson's ribs.
Patterson cracks Zaire with a good jab.
Patterson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Zaire gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Zaire looks to score with a jab to the body but Patterson is just out of range.
Zaire works Patterson's body with a nice hook.
Zaire clobbers Patterson with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Patterson just misses with a punch to the body.
Patterson moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Patterson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Zaire lands with a thumping leg kick.

Patterson clinches with his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Patterson misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Patterson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Patterson drags the fight down to the ground.

Zaire stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A punch lands to the side of Patterson 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Good exchange - Zaire coming out on top.
Patterson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Zaire getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Zaire wants to slow Patterson down by chopping away at his legs.
Sloppy strikes from Zaire. Those never looked like landing.

Patterson closes the distance and pushes Zaire back into the cage.
A short right from Patterson on the inside.
Patterson is looking for a takedown.
Abdullah Zaire has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Derek Patterson.
Patterson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zaire struggles to land a body shot inside as Patterson controls his hands.
Patterson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Zaire is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Patterson successfully pulls guard.
Zaire controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Abdullah Zaire is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Patterson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Zaire defends well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Derek Patterson.
I think Zaire has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdullah Zaire!
Our winner, Abdullah Zaire, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.