PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Katsuki Bakugo (ranked 1549 p4p, 1115 weight class) and Marko Zrinski (ranked 236 p4p, 172 weight class). Zrinski has chosen Devil eyes as his entrance music. Marko Zrinski has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Bakugo
vs
Zrinski

185 cm
22
200
8 - 2 - 0

183 cm
25
185
10 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

Urban Fighter

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Katsuki Bakugo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marko Zrinski!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zrinski looks to land a body kick but Bakugo moved away.
Zrinski with a nice cross.
Bakugo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zrinski.
Bakugo appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Bakugo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Zrinski throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Marko Zrinski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zrinski fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bakugo manages to avoid it.
Zrinski throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bakugo scores with a takedown into Zrinski's guard.
Bakugo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bakugo landing some decent shots from guard.
Zrinski wants to sweep here but Bakugo controlling him for the moment.
Bakugo is pushing down on Zrinski's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zrinski is fighting to maintain full guard but Bakugo has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zrinski trying to hold on to Bakugo's head to control him but Bakugo postures up.

Bakugo is working for a submission of some sort.
Bakugo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bakugo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Bakugo is working for a kimura but Zrinski is defending it quite comfortably.
Zrinski is looking to control Bakugo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zrinski avoid being mounted?

Bakugo is looking for a kimura but Zrinski is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bakugo to get the leverage.

Bakugo is trying to work for a kimura but Zrinski is defending well.
Bakugo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zrinski is staying active underneath Bakugo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Zrinski trying to hold on to Bakugo's head to control him but Bakugo postures up.
Bakugo wants to control but Zrinski is keeping him busy.
Bakugo seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Bakugo is working for a submission of some sort.

Bakugo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zrinski sees it coming and defends easily.

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.

Bakugo is looking for a kimura here.
Zrinski desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Bakugo seems to be looking for submissions.
Zrinski felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zrinski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zrinski.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Katsuki Bakugo dominated that round.
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.

A big left from Zrinski misses.
Bakugo tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zrinski defends well and Bakugo ends up having to push Zrinski into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A countering left hand to the body from Zrinski misses.
Zrinski tries to work over Bakugo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Bakugo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Zrinski is trying to keep an underhook but Bakugo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Zrinski holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zrinski can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zrinski's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Zrinski regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bakugo advances position into side control!
Zrinski really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bakugo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Bakugo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zrinski wants to control but Bakugo postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bakugo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zrinski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Zrinski is not content to let Bakugo control the position.
Zrinski tries to buck Bakugo off but Bakugo is having none of it.
Bakugo scoring with punches and elbows.
Zrinski is not content to let Bakugo control the position.

Bakugo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zrinski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bakugo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Katsuki Bakugo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bakugo controls the position.
Zrinski struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bakugo tries for a kimura but Zrinski is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zrinski can't do much from the bottom here.

Bakugo has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Zrinski is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Bakugo yanks on the arm and Zrinski is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Bakugo.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Katsuki Bakugo!
During a confident post fight interview, Katsuki Bakugo thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.