PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abdullah Zaire (ranked 1400 p4p, 1418 weight class) and Billy Cubbedge (ranked 203 p4p, 208 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Zaire
vs
Cubbedge

189 cm
36
206
16 - 10 - 1

190 cm
37
199
21 - 21 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Brooklyn Apothecary
Conquer

Vegan Gains

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 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Abdullah Zaire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Billy Cubbedge !
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zaire jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cubbedge gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zaire.
Cubbedge throws a body punch but Zaire moves out of range.
Zaire jabs Cubbedge to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Zaire connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cubbedge momentarily.
Cubbedge misses with the combination.
Zaire lands with a shot to the body.
Zaire throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cubbedge doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cubbedge . Zaire does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zaire throws out a powerful jab.
Zaire takes one to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zaire connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cubbedge momentarily.
Cubbedge uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zaire.
Zaire swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cubbedge .
Cubbedge needs to keep his hands up - Zaire had a free shot at his head there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Zaire.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zaire.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zaire.
Zaire scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Zaire swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cubbedge .
Cubbedge changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Zaire tries to avoid it but Cubbedge manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Zaire to the ground. Zaire escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Zaire fires out a quick counter leg kick but Cubbedge just manages to avoid it.
Zaire misses with a kick to the body.
Zaire has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cubbedge finds it's way round the side to connect with Zaire's head.
Cubbedge looks to score with a jab to the body but Zaire is just out of range.
Cubbedge slips under a jab from Zaire.
Cubbedge throws a jab but it's blocked by Zaire.
Good leg kick by Zaire.
Zaire connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cubbedge looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zaire takes a swing at Cubbedge 's ribcage but misses.
Cubbedge is looking for the big counter here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Zaire misses.
Zaire slips under a jab from Cubbedge .
Zaire swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cubbedge .
Cubbedge misses with a wild body shot.
Zaire throws out a loose jab but Cubbedge uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cubbedge walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Zaire!
It looks like Zaire has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Cubbedge misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cubbedge just misses with a punch to the body.
Cubbedge avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A countering left hand to the body from Cubbedge misses.
Zaire misses with a straight right.
Zaire is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cubbedge takes one to the side of the head.
Cubbedge chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zaire can pounce on him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cubbedge connects with a body shot that sends Zaire's belly button to the back.
Zaire connects with a right hand. Cubbedge shakes it off.
Zaire takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Zaire with the inside leg kick.
Cubbedge takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Zaire misses with a left hand
and Cubbedge counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zaire uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cubbedge .
Zaire half committed to a counter leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zaire.
Cubbedge misses with a body shot
and Zaire counters with a nice leg kick.
Zaire connects with a body shot that sends Cubbedge 's belly button to the back.
Zaire turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cubbedge takes a jab right on the kisser.
Zaire throws a big shot that misses.
A jab from Zaire misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cubbedge chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zaire can pounce on him.
Zaire bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

It looks like Billy Cubbedge has been cut.
Zaire bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cubbedge 's head.
Zaire is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Zaire misses with a straight right.
Cubbedge 's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Cubbedge blocks a leg kick.
Cubbedge takes a swing at Zaire's ribcage but misses.
Zaire lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Zaire throws a head kick that misses.
Abdullah Zaire is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cubbedge fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cubbedge takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Zaire lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cubbedge tries to move into range but Zaire moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Zaire keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Abdullah Zaire has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Cubbedge .
Zaire throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
It seemed like Cubbedge was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdullah Zaire dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Billy Cubbedge 's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Zaire.
Cubbedge throws a hook to the side of Zaire's head but Zaire sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cubbedge throws a body punch but Zaire moves out of range.
Zaire blocks a leg kick.
Zaire is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cubbedge can do to turn this around?
Zaire throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cubbedge on the side of the head.
Zaire thuds his right hand into Cubbedge 's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Zaire throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cubbedge counters with a nice low kick that buckles Zaire's knee momentarily.
Zaire misses with a body shot.
Zaire misses with a body kick.
Zaire misses with a low kick.
Abdullah Zaire 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.
A punch combination from Cubbedge misses.
Cubbedge looks to score with a jab to the body but Zaire is just out of range.
Cubbedge fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zaire manages to avoid it.
Cubbedge throws out a loose jab but Zaire uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd cheers as Zaire lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cubbedge doesn't seem phased though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaire misses the shot to the body.
Zaire stuns Cubbedge with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Zaire scores with a nice head shot.
Cubbedge slips under a jab from Zaire.
Cubbedge shoots for a takedown but Zaire saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zaire pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zaire cracks Cubbedge with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Zaire's jab looks to have found its range, popping Cubbedge under the eye.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Cubbedge might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Zaire has got the better of the exchanges.
Zaire swings for the body but Cubbedge moves out of range.
A nice side step and Cubbedge releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Zaire ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Zaire lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The fighters circling - Zaire throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cubbedge fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zaire manages to avoid it.
Cubbedge has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cubbedge fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zaire throws an overhand right that lands on Cubbedge 's shoulder, as Cubbedge tries to avoid the shot.
Zaire keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cubbedge is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Zaire rather than just go for the knockout.
Zaire throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cubbedge feints the counter takedown.
Zaire lands with a hook. Cubbedge tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Zaire throws a shot to the body.
Zaire lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Cubbedge lands a nice shot to the body.
Cubbedge on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Cubbedge is rocked!
Cubbedge throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cubbedge is still on wobbly legs! Can Zaire finish him?
Zaire cracks Cubbedge with a right hand to the side of the head.
Zaire ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A nice inside leg kick there by Zaire. That's going to slow Cubbedge down.
Cubbedge seems to have recovered his senses.
Zaire dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Zaire throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cubbedge stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cubbedge misses with a combination
and Zaire counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cubbedge throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zaire.
Zaire connects with a jab.
Zaire swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cubbedge .
Cubbedge throws a big shot that misses.
Zaire looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Cubbedge takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Zaire moves out of range of the strikes.
Good leg kick by Zaire.
Zaire throws a sloppy head kick and Cubbedge moves out of range easily.
Zaire misses with a body shot.

Cubbedge clinches up against the cage.
Zaire works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Cubbedge pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Cubbedge blocks a body shot from Zaire.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaire tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zaire is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Zaire blocks an uppercut.
Zaire working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right from Zaire.
Zaire managing to block the knees to the body from Cubbedge .
Zaire misses with a punch on the inside.
Cubbedge has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Zaire after a bit of a struggle.
Zaire tries to throw a body punch but Cubbedge avoids it by throwing Zaire back against the cage.
A short right from Zaire.

Zaire manages to break the clinch.
Cubbedge on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Zaire drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Cubbedge right on the button. Cubbedge goes down! Zaire follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Zaire gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Abdullah Zaire!
A relieved looking Abdullah Zaire thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.