PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jaroslav Svoboda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Zimmerman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Svoboda's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Giles. Zimmerman comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Linkin Park-- What Ive Done kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Eric Zimmerman has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Svoboda
vs
Zimmerman

174 cm
21
155 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

177 cm
27
152 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jaroslav Svoboda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Zimmerman!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zimmerman throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Svoboda feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Zimmerman's calf.
Svoboda pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Svoboda pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Svoboda uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zimmerman.
Svoboda misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Good exchange - Zimmerman coming out on top.
Zimmerman shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Svoboda as he jumps to the side.
Zimmerman takes a swing at Svoboda's ribcage but misses.
Zimmerman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Svoboda throws a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Svoboda avoids a kick to the body.
Svoboda tries a head kick but it misses.
Svoboda needs to keep his hands up - Zimmerman had a free shot at his head there.
Svoboda ducks under a wild hook from Zimmerman.
Zimmerman fails to land the takedown.
Svoboda tries a head kick but it misses.
Zimmerman chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Svoboda can pounce on him.
Svoboda swats away the attempt to clinch by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman avoids a kick to the body.

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.
Zimmerman looks to score with a jab to the body but Svoboda is just out of range.

Zimmerman shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zimmerman showed some decent athleticism there.
Svoboda pushes Zimmerman off looking to stand but Zimmerman dives back in and keeps control.
Zimmerman is taking a breather. Svoboda says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Svoboda manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Svoboda throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Zimmerman decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Svoboda's guard.
Svoboda is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zimmerman is controlling him.

Zimmerman stands up from Svoboda's guard - Zimmerman perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Svoboda tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Zimmerman counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman stays in close to Svoboda's body and controls the position.
Svoboda is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zimmerman is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman with a nice head shot there.
Zimmerman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Svoboda wants to stand but Zimmerman is controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zimmerman passes Svoboda's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Svoboda dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Zimmerman. That did some damage!
Zimmerman chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Svoboda can pounce on him.
Zimmerman throws a lazy head kick
and Svoboda counters with a solid body kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Zimmerman, as that shot connected.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up
and Svoboda counters with a body kick that stops Zimmerman in his tracks momentarily.
Zimmerman throws a lazy head kick
and Svoboda counters with a body kick.
Svoboda throws a quick inside leg kick.
Zimmerman avoids the head kick by Svoboda.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zimmerman dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Jaroslav Svoboda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Svoboda bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zimmerman throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Svoboda throws a leg kick that is checked
and Zimmerman counters with a solid body kick.
Zimmerman lands a head shot.
Svoboda misses with a low kick.
Zimmerman checks the leg kick nicely there.
Svoboda swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Zimmerman gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Svoboda counters with a nice body kick.
Zimmerman throws a jab when Svoboda was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svoboda shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Svoboda lands a high kick!
Zimmerman thows a body shot but no joy.
Zimmerman looks to land a combination but Svoboda avoids it well.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Svoboda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Svoboda keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Zimmerman misses with a looping right.
Jaroslav Svoboda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zimmerman lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Svoboda throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svoboda lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Zimmerman crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Svoboda - the referee stops the clock and Zimmerman gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Svoboda. Zimmerman manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Svoboda avoids a kick to the body.
Zimmerman misses with a hook. Svoboda ducked under it nicely.

Zimmerman tries to keep at a distance but Svoboda has taken the fight into the clinch.
Svoboda leaning his opponent against the cage.
Svoboda throws an elbow that misses.
Zimmerman avoids a wild elbow strike from Svoboda.
Svoboda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zimmerman blocks it with crossed arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Svoboda has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zimmerman has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Svoboda.
Svoboda content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Svoboda with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Svoboda unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Zimmerman avoids the elbow strike from Svoboda, against the cage.
Svoboda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Svoboda tries to land knees in the clinch but Zimmerman avoids the damage to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A frustrated look appears on Zimmerman's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zimmerman takes an elbow to the temple.
Svoboda pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Zimmerman avoiding damage as Svoboda throws knees to the body.
Svoboda is trying to stall.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zimmerman.
Svoboda pushes off an throws an elbow but Zimmerman leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jaroslav Svoboda will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Zimmerman throws a series of punches but Svoboda avoids them all with ease.
Zimmerman throws a lazy body kick
and Svoboda counters with a nice low kick that buckles Zimmerman's knee momentarily.
Zimmerman looks to throw a body kick
and Svoboda counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Svoboda misses with a kick to the body
and Zimmerman counters with a nice body shot.
A head kick by Svoboda misses
and Zimmerman counters with a straight right hand.
Zimmerman misses with a kick to the body.
Zimmerman misses with an uppercut. Svoboda saw that one coming.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Zimmerman checks a leg kick.
Zimmerman throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Svoboda counters with a thumping low kick.
Svoboda pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Zimmerman blocks the low kick.
Zimmerman throws a sloppy head kick
and Svoboda counters with an outside leg kick.
Svoboda goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Zimmerman lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Svoboda throws a leg kick but Zimmerman moved away.
Zimmerman doesn't manage to clinch there - Svoboda circles away.
Svoboda tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Svoboda throws a hook but Zimmerman avoids it easily.
Zimmerman looks to score with a jab to the body but Svoboda is just out of range.
Zimmerman ducks right into an uppercut from Svoboda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Svoboda lands a nice leg kick that just misses Zimmerman's sensitive parts.
Zimmerman throws a body punch but Svoboda moves out of range.
A leg kick checked by Zimmerman.
Svoboda misses with a leg kick
and Zimmerman counters with a nice kick to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zimmerman is defended easily by Svoboda.
Svoboda avoids the body shot from Zimmerman.
Zimmerman throws a looping overhand right but Svoboda ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Svoboda is having none of it.
Svoboda scores with a push kick.
Svoboda connects with a solid leg kick.
A good leg kick by Svoboda.
Zimmerman misses with a straight right.
Zimmerman throws a right and a left that Svoboda avoids nicely.
Svoboda thows a leg kick but Zimmerman checks it
and Zimmerman counters with a body kick.
Svoboda falls off balance throwing a combination

and Zimmerman counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Svoboda is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zimmerman is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman is stalling in the full guard.
Zimmerman trying to control but Svoboda is working from the bottom.
Zimmerman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Zimmerman wants to stand but Svoboda is controlling his posture from full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Zimmerman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zimmerman has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Zimmerman!