PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Gianfranco Zola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Estacio da Fonseca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zola comes to the ring accompanied by Balls to the Wall. da Fonseca has chosen "Chokechain" - 3oh!3 as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Zola
vs
da Fonseca

163 cm
26
142 lbs
18 - 3 - 0

170 cm
26
140 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gianfranco Zola!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Estacio da Fonseca!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zola is looking to clinch.
A combination from da Fonseca does no damage.
Zola misses with an uppercut.
Zola moves in looking to clinch but da Fonseca pushes him off.
da Fonseca throws a series of strikes that have Zola backpedaling.
da Fonseca throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zola.
da Fonseca shoots in for a takedown but Zola shows good takedown defense.

da Fonseca shoots in and bounces Zola off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Zola is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Zola is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and da Fonseca defends it well.
da Fonseca trying to control here.

Zola is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Fonseca is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zola is thwarting da Fonseca's attempts to control the position.

da Fonseca looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
da Fonseca slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

da Fonseca looking for subs off his back but Zola has passed one foot through into half guard.
da Fonseca is pressing down on Zola's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two 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.
Zola looking to pass the guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now da Fonseca is on top in guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
da Fonseca is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
da Fonseca lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
da Fonseca throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Zola is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zola keeping full guard, as da Fonseca tries to pass.
da Fonseca trying to control the position from guard on top but Zola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zola trying to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zola throws a right hand that da Fonseca ducks under and follows up with a left that da Fonseca also avoids with ease.
da Fonseca staying out of range there.
da Fonseca lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

da Fonseca darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
da Fonseca trying to mount his opponent but Zola defends it.
Zola preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zola is not content to let da Fonseca control the position.
da Fonseca sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Zola defending well though.
da Fonseca wants to control but Zola is keeping him busy.
da Fonseca thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zola's head.

da Fonseca is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Zola sees it coming and defends easily.
da Fonseca throwing shots but Zola is blocking nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
da Fonseca fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
da Fonseca shoots for a double leg takedown but Zola sprawls well. He's pushed da Fonseca's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Estacio da Fonseca dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

da Fonseca uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zola.
Zola tries to bum rush da Fonseca with a series of wild strikes but da Fonseca uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
da Fonseca just misses with a punch to the body.
Zola throws a shot from downtown. da Fonseca moves away and avoids it.
da Fonseca will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zola lands the left hand.
Zola throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zola throws a series of punches but da Fonseca moves out of range.
da Fonseca shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zola pinned against the cage. Zola gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

da Fonseca looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Zola!
da Fonseca trying to control but Zola is having none of it.
Zola manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
da Fonseca working the head and body with strikes.

Zola is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but da Fonseca pulls his head out easily.
da Fonseca trying to pass the guard but Zola defending well.
da Fonseca looks to land a strike but Zola avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Zola utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zola keeping moving, preventing da Fonseca from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zola is on top in guard.
da Fonseca working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
da Fonseca is adopting a defensive guard.
da Fonseca keeping moving, preventing Zola from controlling successfully.

Zola drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Zola jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
da Fonseca wants to sweep here but Zola controlling him for the moment.

da Fonseca looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
da Fonseca keeping full guard, as Zola tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zola decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on da Fonseca, up you get!
da Fonseca fails with the takedown.
Gianfranco Zola has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Estacio da Fonseca.
da Fonseca swings and misses with a hook to the body.
da Fonseca fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Estacio da Fonseca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
da Fonseca fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
da Fonseca is breathing heavily.
da Fonseca throws a combination that misses
and Zola counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Zola connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
da Fonseca moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Zola slips a jab and a cross from da Fonseca.
Zola thows a left - swing and a miss!
A decent looking cross lands there for Zola.
Zola misses the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
da Fonseca throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zola slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
da Fonseca with a lazy takedown attempt
and Zola counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

da Fonseca is rocked!
Zola is looking for an opening here. He's unloaded a big left hand that catches da Fonseca flush on the jaw and sends him tumbling to the canvas! da Fonseca is out cold! Zola holds back from landing any unnecessary shots to his unconscious opponent, as the referee reacts slowly to the situation. A brutal knockout and then some excellent sportsmanship - this guy is my new favorite fighter!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Gianfranco Zola!
Gianfranco Zola retains his bantamweight title!