PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paz Zero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chou Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paz Zero has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zero
vs
Rico

190 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
20
180 lbs
1 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paz Zero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chou Rico!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zero fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rico throws a head kick but Zero moves out of range.
Zero tries a head kick but it misses.

Rico forces Zero back against the cage and clinches.
Rico tries to pull guard but Zero won't allow it.
Zero prevents the takedown attempt.
Rico tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Paz Zero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chou Rico.
Zero stops a takedown attempt from Rico.

Zero's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rico shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Zero pulls Rico in close to his closed guard and prevents Rico from doing any damage or advancing position.
Rico trying to control the position from guard on top but Zero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rico stopping the sweep attempt from Zero.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico stops Zero from standing up.
Rico is looking to work some ground and pound but Zero has wrist control.
Zero pulls Rico in close to his closed guard and prevents Rico from doing any damage or advancing position.
Rico thows a big elbow that misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zero avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rico shoots in but Zero avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rico looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Zero closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rico wants to control the action here but instead Zero manages to pass to full mount!

Zero swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rico is now in Zero's guard. A big mistake from Zero there, giving up the dominant position!
Zero pulls Rico in close to prevent any damage.
Rico trying to control but Zero is working from the bottom.
Zero is pulling down on Rico's head to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.
Rico has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Zero is proving hard to escape from.
Rico pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zero is keeping the position for now.
Rico looks gassed!
Zero is pulling down on Rico's head. It's preventing any offense from Rico, at least for the moment.
Zero working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rico distracts Zero with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zero keeping moving, preventing Rico from controlling successfully.
Rico is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rico closes the distance looking to clinch

and Zero counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rico is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Zero trying to control but Rico is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paz Zero dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rico throws a lazy right hand but Zero sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rico checks the leg kick nicely there.
Zero pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rico tries to clinch there but Zero circles away.
Rico tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Zero counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zero.

Zero drops back looking for a leg! Rico is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rico manages to kick Zero off! Zero jumps back into Rico's guard.
Zero not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rico working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Zero has passed into half guard!
Zero blocks the strikes from Rico.
Zero is trying to control the action in half guard but Rico is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rico trying to hold on to Zero's head to control him but Zero postures up.
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.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rico looks to clinch

and Zero counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rico missing with punches from the bottom.
Rico flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Paz Zero overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico tries to roll over but Zero keeps him under control.
Rico is trying to maintain the position but Zero is very close to passing his half guard.
Rico tries to get to full guard but Zero has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zero controlling the pace.

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.

Zero is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rico defends it well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rico looks to clinch

and Zero decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rico's guard.
Rico trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Rico keeping moving, preventing Zero from controlling successfully.
Rico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zero is one step ahead there.

Rico is working an open guard so Zero takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paz Zero dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Zero drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rico is trying to hold Zero in close to prevent damage but Zero has managed to pass into half guard.
Zero scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zero is stalling here. Rico is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Zero seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Rico has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Rico tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Zero is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico working the ground and pound but Zero is defending the strikes.
Zero might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rico lands a nice forearm strike.

Rico has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Rico gets the takedown into side control.
Zero is looking for a sweep.

Rico stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Rico shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zero tries to get to full guard but Rico has control of the leg.

Rico is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Zero is just riding it out for now. Rico eventually gives up the hold.
Rico trying to control from half guard but Zero is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico tries to pass the half guard into mount. Zero knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Zero looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Zero wants to improve his position but Rico is controlling well.

Zero kicks Rico off and gets back to his feet.

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.
Zero has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Zero misses with a combination
letting Rico counter with a right hand.
Rico fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rico darts in and clinches Zero up against the cage.
Zero pushes Rico back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rico tries for a takedown but Zero manages to get underhooks.
Zero takes an elbow to the temple.
Zero is working for takedown but Rico is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rico wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rico can't find room to land a body shot as Zero controls the action.
Chou Rico has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paz Zero is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rico tries to pull guard but Zero holds him up against the cage and eventually Rico drops back down to his feet.
Rico throws a punch but it's blocked by Zero.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chou Rico comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zero 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paz Zero!