PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tariq Ziyad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vic Bauer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Ziyad
vs
Bauer

188 cm
25
191 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

183 cm
24
194 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tariq Ziyad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Vic Bauer!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Bauer misses.
Ziyad throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Ziyad is looking to slow Bauer down with leg kicks.
Ziyad slips under a jab.
Ziyad lands with a slapping head kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ziyad.
Bauer jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Ziyad shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Bauer is trying to defend but Ziyad finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ziyad is working for a kimura but Bauer is defending it quite comfortably.
Ziyad looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ziyad is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Bauer is defending against the submission attempts here by Ziyad.
Ziyad throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ziyad wants to take a breather but Bauer is having none of it.
Ziyad wants to pass to mount but Bauer is defending the position.
Ziyad misses with a head shot. Bauer uses the momentum to regain guard.
Ziyad pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bauer is keeping the position for now.
Ziyad is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ziyad throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ziyad sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bauer's guard.
Bauer is refusing to be controlled, as Ziyad sits in half guard.
Ziyad drops an elbow to the side of Bauer's head.
Ziyad not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ziyad works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ziyad looking to finish with strikes here!
Ziyad has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad throwing strikes here but Bauer is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Bauer is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Bauer blocking the ground and pound.
Ziyad sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Ziyad wants to control the pace but Bauer is squirming around nicely.
Ziyad unloads with some shots from mount but Bauer bucks and avoids them well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tariq Ziyad dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A slow jab from Bauer misses its intended target.

Ziyad scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ziyad laying and praying for a moment but Bauer takes advantage and regains half guard.

Ziyad is looking for a kimura here.
Ziyad throwing shots but Bauer is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Ziyad.
Ziyad is keen to just control but Bauer is a slippery customer.
Ziyad wants to pass the guard but Bauer is defending well.
Ziyad is stalling here. Bauer is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Ziyad seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Bauer has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Bauer fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sloppy strikes there by Bauer.
Bauer lands a few punches from side control.
Ziyad is looking to regain half guard here but Bauer keeps moving and retains side control.
Bauer advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bauer is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Ziyad is looking to improve his position but Bauer isn't that keen on the idea.
Ziyad in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ziyad is looking to get to half guard.
Ziyad is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bauer lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ziyad hang on?
Bauer has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ziyad's face.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bauer with good strikes from the mount here!

Ziyad is rocked!
Bauer unloads with some shots from mount but Ziyad bucks and avoids them well.
Bauer trying to control but Ziyad is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad is looking to improve his position but Bauer isn't that keen on the idea.
Bauer landing punches.
Ziyad wants to try and get back to his feet.
Ziyad can't escape the position.
Ziyad wants to hold on but Bauer pushes him away.
Bauer lands a heavy elbow.
Ziyad taking shots to the head.
Bauer raining down shots from the mount!
Bauer avoids the attempt from Ziyad to control.
Ziyad is looking to improve his position but Bauer isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ziyad tries to reverse the position but Bauer maintains control.
Bauer landing strikes from the mount and Ziyad is in trouble!
Bauer looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Ziyad keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bauer cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bauer lands a heavy elbow.
Ziyad is desperately trying to improve his position but Bauer has a good base and remains in mount.
Ziyad taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vic Bauer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ziyad throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ziyad tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bauer swivels and escapes.
Bauer lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ziyad.
Some wild striking there from Bauer.
Ziyad connects with a high kick.
Bauer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ziyad pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Ziyad closes the distance and pushes Bauer back into the cage.
Ziyad has Bauer pressed against the cage, preventing Bauer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ziyad keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bauer's efforts to push away.
Ziyad is working for takedown but Bauer is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad has Bauer pressed against the cage, preventing Bauer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ziyad is pressed up against the cage. Bauer has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ziyad down to the mat. Ziyad avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Vic Bauer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ziyad uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bauer.
Bauer throws a jab but it's blocked by Ziyad.
Ziyad lands a leg kick that knocks Bauer off balance momentarily.
Bauer misses with a wild combination.
Bauer looks to score with a jab to the body but Ziyad is just out of range.
Ziyad ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ziyad lands a leg kick that knocks Bauer off balance momentarily.
Bauer has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Ziyad.
Bauer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bauer's sensitive parts.
Nice body kick there by Ziyad.
Bauer on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Bauer slaps away a takedown attempt from Ziyad, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tariq Ziyad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bauer sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ziyad fails to land the takedown.
No joy there for Bauer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bauer chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ziyad can pounce on him.
Bauer takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Ziyad is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bauer's half guard.
Ziyad is keen to just control but Bauer is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad slows the pace down in half guard.
Ziyad wants to control but Bauer is keeping him busy.
Ziyad thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bauer is refusing to be controlled, as Ziyad sits in half guard.

Ziyad is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bauer defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bauer blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ziyad.

Bauer pushes Ziyad off and gets back to his feet.
Bauer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ziyad moves away.
Bauer missing with a left hand there. Ziyad was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ziyad dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bauer. That did some damage!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
That kick from Ziyad tenderised Bauer's leg. Bauer is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ziyad lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ziyad turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Ziyad.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tariq Ziyad showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ziyad 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tariq Ziyad!