PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike McMiller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charles Zanzaza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zanzaza is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: John Parr - St Elmo's Fire (Man In motion). McMiller has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

McMiller
vs
Zanzaza

190 cm
19
204 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike McMiller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Charles Zanzaza!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Summer Carpenter and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zanzaza lands with a slapping head kick.
McMiller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
McMiller is breathing heavily.
Zanzaza lands with a shot to the body.
Zanzaza misses with the combination.

Zanzaza scores with a takedown into McMiller's guard.
Zanzaza controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
McMiller can't keep his opponent in guard - Zanzaza advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Zanzaza trying to control the pace.
I looks like Zanzaza might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Zanzaza should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMiller wants to improve his position but Zanzaza is controlling well.
Zanzaza controlling the pace.
Zanzaza working McMiller over with strikes.
Zanzaza slows the pace down in half guard.

McMiller is defending against the submission attempts here by Zanzaza.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McMiller won't allow Zanzaza to pass to mount.
Zanzaza passes the guard and advances to mount!
Zanzaza fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zanzaza trying to control but McMiller is having none of it.
Zanzaza takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Zanzaza tries to control but McMiller wriggling away.
McMiller is in all sorts of trouble here.
Zanzaza content just to control the position here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Charles Zanzaza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zanzaza throws out a powerful jab.
Zanzaza throws a sloppy head kick and McMiller moves out of range easily.
Zanzaza lands with a shot to the body.
McMiller shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zanzaza counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zanzaza lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
McMiller is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Zanzaza gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike McMiller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zanzaza lands a body shot.
A body shot lands from Zanzaza.
McMiller tries to score a body lock takedown but Zanzaza shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zanzaza holding his opponent close, against the cage.
McMiller takes a shot to the head.
McMiller jumps guard but Zanzaza stands there with McMiller around his waist. McMiller gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zanzaza pressing his opponent against the cage.
McMiller wants a takedown.
McMiller wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zanzaza has him pressed against the cage.
Zanzaza throws a blind hook that connects with the side of McMillers head.
Zanzaza lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Zanzaza stalling against the cage.
Zanzaza prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zanzaza gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from McMiller.
A bit of stalling here from Zanzaza.

McMiller is fighting off a takedown attempt but Zanzaza is just too persistent for him and manages to trip McMiller to the mat. McMiller regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zanzaza stays in close to McMiller's body and controls the position.
Zanzaza stopping the sweep attempt from McMiller.
Zanzaza tries to free his leg and advance position but McMiller is retaining full guard.

McMiller looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Zanzaza avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Zanzaza dominated that round.
That's time! McMiller's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

McMiller has his takedown stuffed

and Zanzaza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zanzaza passes to side control.
McMiller is looking for a sweep.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Zanzaza scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at McMiller to see if he's OK.
Zanzaza content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
McMiller is not content to let Zanzaza control the position.
Zanzaza working the ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McMiller managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Zanzaza.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zanzaza postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Zanzaza tries to advance to mount but McMiller denies him.
McMiller tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Zanzaza tries for a kimura but McMiller is defending well.

Zanzaza swings around for an armbar but McMiller sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Zanzaza's guard.
Zanzaza keeping moving, preventing McMiller from controlling successfully.

Zanzaza looking for a guillotine here but McMiller defends easily.
Zanzaza looking to hit a scissor sweep but McMiller is one step ahead there.
Zanzaza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. McMiller manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zanzaza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McMiller is keeping the position for now.
Zanzaza advances position into side control!
Zanzaza in side control, just content to control the action for now.

Zanzaza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
McMiller takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Zanzaza wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by McMiller, who protects the arm well.
Zanzaza wants to lay and pray for a moment but McMiller keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zanzaza controls the position.
McMiller is looking for a sweep.
Charles Zanzaza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zanzaza trying to control the position but McMiller is working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zanzaza lands with a straight right. McMiller didn't see that one coming.
A right-left combo lands from McMiller.
McMiller misses with the body kick

and Zanzaza holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zanzaza unloads a knee to the mid-section. McMiller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A nice left hand lands by Zanzaza.
Zanzaza pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zanzaza breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

McMiller shoots in and bounces Zanzaza off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McMiller sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Zanzaza is trying to keep McMiller in close.

Zanzaza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Zanzaza wants to sweep but no luck.
Zanzaza has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Zanzaza keeping moving, preventing McMiller from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Zanzaza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Zanzaza closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McMiller has Zanzaza pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zanzaza manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Zanzaza breaks the clinch.

Zanzaza has taken the fight to the clinch.

Zanzaza has clasped his hands together around McMiller's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Zanzaza is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt McMiller will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

Zanzaza tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Zanzaza has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
McMiller looks to move to half guard but instead Zanzaza has passed into mount! Damn!
Zanzaza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
McMiller is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zanzaza wants to control the pace but McMiller is squirming around nicely.
McMiller sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Zanzaza performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

McMiller looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

McMiller looking for submissions off his back.
Zanzaza seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Zanzaza seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McMiller does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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.
McMiller gets back to full guard.
McMiller trying to control the position.
Zanzaza trying to control but McMiller is working from the bottom.
McMiller trying to control the position.
Zanzaza passes McMiller's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Zanzaza in particular looking to stall.
Zanzaza's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Zanzaza is looking to take a break and control but McMiller is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Charles Zanzaza just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McMiller doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Zanzaza counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Zanzaza is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and McMiller defends it well.
Zanzaza wants to lay and pray for a moment but McMiller keeps working.
McMiller is looking to improve his position.
McMiller is trying to maintain the position but Zanzaza is very close to passing his half guard.

Zanzaza is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. McMiller doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Zanzaza.
McMiller moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zanzaza thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Zanzaza drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zanzaza content to stall in guard here.
McMiller manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zanzaza manages to get himself to full guard.
Zanzaza has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mike McMiller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
McMiller throws and elbow that misses. Zanzaza uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in McMiller's guard. Nice move by Zanzaza!

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Zanzaza comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zanzaza has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Zanzaza!