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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shaka Zulu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Kovalev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 183 cm
24
170 lbs
7 - 2 - 0 |
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180 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced |
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BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shaka Zulu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ivan Kovalev!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zulu looks to land a combination but Kovalev avoids it well.
Zulu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kovalev swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A head kick misses from Zulu.
Zulu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kovalev throws out the jab.
Kovalev checks the leg kick.
Zulu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kovalev blocks a head kick by Zulu.
A big left from Zulu misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zulu looks for a takedown but Kovalev sprawls well.
Zulu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kovalev.
Zulu lunges at Kovalev with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kovalev's hand.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulu fails with a takedown attempt.
Kovalev thows a body shot but no joy.
Kovalev fails to land with a series of punches.
Zulu fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shaka Zulu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zulu misses with a series of wild punches.
Kovalev moves out of range of the body kick from Zulu.
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.
Kovalev looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zulu throws a head kick but Kovalev moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zulu.
Zulu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kovalev.
Shaka Zulu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kovalev throws a series of strikes that have Zulu backpedaling.
Zulu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kovalev swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kovalev avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Zulu scores with a takedown into Kovalev's guard.
Zulu stops Kovalev from standing up.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zulu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kovalev is looking to stand up but Zulu isn't so interested in that idea.
Zulu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kovalev keeping moving, preventing Zulu from controlling successfully.
Zulu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kovalev is keeping the position for now.
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.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zulu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kovalev.
Zulu misses with a head kick.
Kovalev throws a looping overhand right but Zulu ducks down to avoid it.
Zulu throws a quick inside leg kick.
Zulu shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zulu showed some decent athleticism there.
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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zulu trying to control the action but Kovalev is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Shaka Zulu dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Zulu shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zulu scores with a three punch combo!
Kovalev slips under a jab.
Zulu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Kovalev counter with a right hand.
Zulu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Zulu is looking to take a break and control but Kovalev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zulu is trying to work for a kimura but Kovalev is defending well.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulu wants to free his trapped foot but Kovalev is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zulu is looking to take a break and control but Kovalev is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zulu passes to full mount!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Zulu looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Zulu thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kovalev tries to buck Zulu off but he can't manage it.
Kovalev is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Zulu wants to finish this one by submission but Kovalev is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Zulu.
Zulu has control of Kovalev's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kovalev regains control of the situation pretty easily.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zulu looking for a guillotine from mount but Kovalev is having none of it.
Kovalev's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Zulu thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
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.
Zulu looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Zulu wants to control the pace but Kovalev is squirming around nicely.
Poor strikes thrown by Zulu there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Zulu is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Kovalev can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zulu postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kovalev looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Shaka Zulu 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!
Zulu tries to land a leg kick but Kovalev saw it coming and moves away.
Kovalev throws a shot from downtown. Zulu moves away and avoids it.
Zulu swinging wildly here.
Zulu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kovalev ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zulu is looking to score with low kicks.
Zulu connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kovalev blocks a head kick by Zulu.
Zulu slips under a jab from Kovalev.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalev keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zulu tries to clinch there but Kovalev circles away.
Zulu throws a head kick but Kovalev moves out of range.
Zulu throws a shot from downtown. Kovalev moves away and avoids it.
Horrible takedown by Zulu or perhaps it was just good defense by Kovalev which made him look bad.
Zulu has his takedown stuffed
and Kovalev counters with a right hand to the body.
Zulu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kovalev slips under a jab.
Kovalev fails to land with a series of punches.
That's two 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.
Kovalev fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A swing and a miss from Kovalev.
Zulu looks for the body kick but Kovalev saw that one coming.
Zulu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zulu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zulu throws a right and a left that both miss.
Zulu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Zulu gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kovalev counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Zulu thinking.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shaka Zulu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kovalev lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zulu circles away quickly and effectively.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zulu defending well as Kovalev loads up on a big left hand.
Zulu swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Kovalev counters with a two punch combo.
Zulu is looking to clinch.
Shaka Zulu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zulu misses with a looping left.
Zulu throws a head kick that misses.
Zulu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kovalev avoids it really well and circles away.
Zulu avoids the body shot from Kovalev.
Kovalev misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zulu misses with a takedown attempt
and Kovalev connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zulu lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Zulu throws a head kick but Kovalev moves out of range.
Zulu throws a sloppy head kick and Kovalev moves out of range easily.
Zulu misses with a hook.
Zulu looks to land a combination but Kovalev avoids it well.
Zulu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Danga de danga de dang - Zulu scores with a four punch combination!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zulu shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kovalev sprawls well. Kovalev wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Zulu gets slowly back to his feet.
Zulu doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kovalev cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ivan Kovalev.
I think Zulu 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shaka Zulu!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
14% |
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