PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Will Juliao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Zat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Zat's choice of entrance music: Open your eyes by Alter Bridge. 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.

Juliao
vs
Zat

184 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Will Juliao!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gabriel Zat!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Juliao or perhaps it was just good defense by Zat which made him look bad.

Juliao closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zat to the mat! Zat manages to get full guard.
Zat looking to hit a scissor sweep but Juliao is one step ahead there.
Zat being controlled here, momentarily.
Zat keeping moving, preventing Juliao from controlling successfully.

Zat escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Juliao gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Juliao trying to control the position from guard on top but Zat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zat looking for a sweep. Not yet Zat, not yet.
Juliao wants to control from the top but Zat keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Will Juliao wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Zat ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Juliao moves away.

Zat rushes Juliao and presses him up against the ropes.
Zat goes for a takedown attempt but Juliao pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Juliao fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Juliao scores with a kick to the midsection.

Zat shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Juliao trying to control but Zat postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Juliao misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Juliao is looking for a sweep. Zat is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zat seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Zat thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Juliao's head.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zat stands up out of the half guard.
Juliao fails with the takedown
and Zat counters with a one-two to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Juliao. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zat moves out of range of the body kick from Juliao.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zat looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Zat feints and as Juliao raises his hands in defense, Zat changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Juliao is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Juliao throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Zat throwing strikes from guard but Juliao blocks nicely.
Zat is looking to stand up but Juliao won't let him.
Juliao thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Zat working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Juliao striking off his back.
Juliao keeping full guard, as Zat tries to pass.
Zat takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Zat passes Juliao's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Zat seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Juliao does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four 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.
Zat controlling the action here.
Juliao trying to hold on to Zat's head to control him but Zat postures up.
Zat keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Zat decides to stand and escape the position.
Juliao shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zat counters with an inside leg kick.

Juliao gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Zat to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Zat gets to his feet. Juliao looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Zat fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Juliao sprawls well initially but Zat persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Zat dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

No joy there for Zat, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Juliao instigates a clinch.

Zat pulls guard successfully.

Zat pushes Juliao off and gets back to his feet.
Juliao circles away from the clinch attempt.
Juliao has his takedown stuffed
and Zat makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
An inside leg kick from Zat misses.
Zat throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Juliao's head.
Juliao misses with a head kick.
Juliao avoids the head kick by Zat.
Zat swinging wildly here.
Zat is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zat's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Zat duly obliges.

Zat darts in and clinches Juliao up against the ropes.
Zat lands with a right to the head.

Zat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zat blocks the body kick.

Juliao gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Zat to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Juliao has momentary wrist control but Zat slips an elbow through the middle.

Juliao is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gabriel Zat has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zat is stalling in the full guard.
Zat works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zat uses his free foot to push down on Juliao's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Juliao.
Zat tries to control but Juliao wriggling away.
Zat connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Juliao is squirming around, avoiding Zat's attempts to control the action.
You get the feeling that Juliao really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Zat looking to control but Juliao is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Zat putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Zat putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zat lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Juliao hang on?
Juliao taking shots to the head.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Zat scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Juliao?
Zat in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Zat with shots to the head and body - Juliao looks very uncomfortable down there.
Zat connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Zat lands with some strikes.
Zat scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Zat putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Juliao tries to reverse the position but Zat maintains control.
Zat looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Juliao throwing hammer fists to the chest of Zat. What's that going to do exactly?
Zat looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zat lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zat looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Zat controlling from the full mount.
Zat looking to finish Juliao with some ground and pound. This is bad for Juliao!
Zat scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Juliao?
Zat working Juliao over with strikes here.
Juliao is in a horrible position here. Zat smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Juliao in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zat scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Juliao is in a horrible position here. Zat smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Zat controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Zat showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zat drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Zat stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Juliao swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zat showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Zat lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zat is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zat working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Juliao striking off his back but it's not causing Zat any problems.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Juliao wants to stand and escape but Zat is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juliao trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Zat wants to control from the top but Juliao keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Zat postures up and lands a big shot to Juliao's brow.
Zat trying to control the position from guard on top but Juliao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gabriel Zat was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Juliao with a poor takedown

and Zat holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zat scores a nice knee to the body.

Zat breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Juliao has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Zat shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Juliao is trying to defend but Zat finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Zat has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zat scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zat working the head and body with strikes.
Well, if Zat is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Zat is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Zat is taking a breather. Juliao 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.
Zat winds up and cracks Juliao with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Zat is keen to just control but Juliao is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zat keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Zat wants to lay and pray for a moment but Juliao keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gabriel Zat was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Zat moves into range and clinches up with Juliao.
Zat gets underhooks to prevent Juliao's takedown attempt.

Zat breaks from the clinch.
Zat scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Zat misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A jab from Zat finds it's way through Juliao's defenses.
Zat tries to bum rush Juliao with a series of wild strikes but Juliao uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Zat decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gabriel Zat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Juliao wants to control but Zat is keeping busy.

Zat postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Juliao to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juliao misses with a takedown attempt

and Zat counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Will Juliao. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zat trying to control the position from guard on top but Juliao is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Juliao looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zat is one step ahead 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.
Juliao trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Juliao thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Zat slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Zat stands and steps away. Juliao gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Zat comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zat 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 Suge Night scores the fight 25:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Zat!
Gabriel Zat is the new light heavyweight champion!