PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Micheal Zak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stanton Rick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Micheal Zak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zak
vs
Rick

180 cm
22
144 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

179 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Micheal Zak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stanton Rick!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, William Peck and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zak looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rick!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Rick sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Zak really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Zak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rick keeps working.
Zak wants to pass to mount but Rick is defending the position.
Rick controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Rick keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rick is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zak works his way into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rick is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Rick tries to hold on but Zak pushes him away.
Rick is looking to get to half guard.
Zak breaks from Rick's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Zak is breathing heavily.
Rick wants to hold on but Zak pushes him away.
Rick is squirming around, avoiding Zak's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rick is looking to get to half guard.
Rick tries to hold on but Zak pushes him away.
Zak raining down shots from the mount!
Rick bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rick trying to control but Zak is working from the bottom.
Zak keeping full guard, as Rick tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak managing to control the position.
Rick looking to sit in guard and control but Zak gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rick pushes Zak off and scrambles back to his feet.
Rick tries for a takedown but Zak circles away easily
and Rick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zak.
Rick is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Zak asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Zak is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rick knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rick can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Micheal Zak dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rick throws a head kick that misses.
Rick clinches but Zak breaks the clinch

and Zak counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rick!
Zak looking to finish with strikes here!
Rick is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rick sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rick trying to control here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rick is looking for a sweep. Zak is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick trying to hold on to Zak's head to control him but Zak postures up.
Rick works his way to full guard. Good work.

Zak postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rick is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Zak, into his guard.
Zak trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Zak avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rick's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rick trying to control the position from guard on top but Zak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zak wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rick tries to free his leg and advance position but Zak is retaining full guard.
Zak working a defensive guard here.

Rick drops back looking for a leg! Zak is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zak manages to kick Rick off! Rick jumps back into Zak's guard.
Rick must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Rick.
Micheal Zak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rick tries for a takedown but Zak circles away easily

and Zak counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rick won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Rick's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rick tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Rick is trying to escape the mount.
Rick tries to buck Zak off but he can't manage it.
Rick tries to reverse the position but Zak maintains control.
Rick is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zak content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Micheal Zak dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rick fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rick displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Zak.
Rick lands a jab to the head.
Rick misses with a takedown attempt

and Zak counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Zak is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rick trying to keep a closed guard but Zak is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rick has his foot on Zak's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zak works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick looking for a sweep. Not yet Rick, not yet.
Zak trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rick is trying to control the position but Zak postures up.

Rick is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zak won't allow Rick to sweep him here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Zak throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rick was covering up waiting for the punch and Zak finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Zak pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rick is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zak stopping the sweep attempt from Rick.
Zak controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rick utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rick keeping full guard, as Zak tries to pass.
Rick throwing short punches from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak wants to control from the top but Rick keeps moving.
Zak postures up in Rick's guard and throws a big left but Rick blocks it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rick stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Rick shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rick wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zak keeps working.
Micheal Zak overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rick wants to pass to mount but Zak is defending the position.
Rick is trying to control. Zak wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rick throws a strike but Zak avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Rick stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rick throws a head kick but Zak moves out of range.
Zak circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stanton Rick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Micheal Zak is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Micheal Zak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rick tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Micheal Zak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Zak, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Micheal Zak!