PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tariq Ziyad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktor Metzger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tariq Ziyad had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Ziyad
vs
Metzger

188 cm
26
191 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

181 cm
26
195 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Rōnin
Rōnin

Sublime Supplements

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 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tariq Ziyad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Viktor Metzger!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Dillan Fox and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Metzger misses with the body kick
and Ziyad counters with a nice uppercut.
Metzger misses the shot to the body.
A big right from Metzger misses.
Ziyad throws a chopping leg kick but Metzger manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Metzger connects with an inside leg kick.
Metzger looks to throw a body kick

and Ziyad counters with a nice double leg into side control. Metzger won't be happy with that.
Metzger being controlled for a moment.
Metzger is looking to regain half guard here but Ziyad keeps moving and retains side control.
Ziyad working the ground and pound but Metzger is defending the strikes.
An elbow from Ziyad crashes against the mat.
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.

Ziyad is trying to get an arm triangle but Metzger is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Metzger's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ziyad postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Ziyad throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Metzger works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

Ziyad seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Metzger has recovered full guard.
Metzger keeping moving, preventing Ziyad from controlling successfully.

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.
Ziyad is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ziyad makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Ziyad drops back looking for a leg! Metzger is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Metzger manages to kick Ziyad off! Ziyad jumps back into Metzger's guard.
Ziyad throwing strikes from guard but Metzger blocks nicely.
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.
Metzger keeping full guard, as Ziyad tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Metzger is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Ziyad postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Metzger can't keep his opponent in guard - Ziyad advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ziyad is looking for a kimura but Metzger is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ziyad to get the leverage.
Ziyad controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Ziyad is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ziyad prevents Metzger from improving his position.
Ziyad thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Metzger's head.
Metzger really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ziyad. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Ziyad looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Ziyad seems to be working for a kimura but Metzger defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tariq Ziyad dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Metzger misses with a double jab
and Ziyad counters with a head kick. That will keep Metzger thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Metzger lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Ziyad throws a leg kick but Metzger sees it coming and moves out of range.
Metzger throws a leg kick
and Ziyad counters with a leg kick.
Metzger avoids the head kick by Ziyad.
A lazy body kick from Metzger
and Ziyad counters with a low kick, right behind Metzger 's knee.
A looping hook to the body misses from Metzger. Ziyad does a little dance to reset his feet.
Metzger lands a nice looking kick to the body. Ziyad takes a step back to recover.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Metzger enables Ziyad to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Metzger manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Ziyad throws and elbow that misses. Metzger uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ziyad's guard. Nice move by Metzger!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ziyad had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Metzger defends it easily.
Ziyad lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Metzger!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad controlling the position easily from mount.
Ziyad lands with some strikes.
Ziyad trying to control but Metzger is having none of it.
Ziyad misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad punching from mount but Metzger doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Ziyad is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Metzger is surviving well by controlling Ziyad's body position as best he can.

Ziyad is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Metzger can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Metzger holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Ziyad tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Ziyad tries to control but Metzger wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Metzger has given up his back.

Ziyad looking for the choke from the back.
Metzger is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Ziyad off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.

Metzger showing good submission defense here.
Ziyad missing with strikes.
Ziyad lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Metzger hold on?!

Ziyad tightening his grip on Metzger, looking for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Ziyad gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Ziyad gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Ziyad apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Metzger feints and then cracks Ziyad's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ziyad down.
Metzger takes a head kick and keeps coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Metzger misses with a body shot.
Metzger cracks Ziyad with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ziyad tries a head kick but it misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Metzger swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A head kick misses from Metzger.
Viktor Metzger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ziyad keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Metzger.
Metzger moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tariq Ziyad dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A head kick by Metzger misses

and Ziyad counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ziyad is taking a breather. Metzger 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.
Ziyad trying to control the action but Metzger is working from the bottom.
Tariq Ziyad overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ziyad thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Metzger to regain full guard.
Ziyad trying to control but Metzger is working from the bottom.
Metzger is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ziyad trying to control the position from guard on top but Metzger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ziyad pushes down on Metzger's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Ziyad is trying to control the action in half guard but Metzger is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Ziyad is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Metzger defends it well.
Ziyad trying to mount his opponent but Metzger defends it.
Metzger tries to get to full guard but Ziyad has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ziyad content to control rather than advance.

Ziyad is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ziyad not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ziyad wants to control but Metzger is keeping him busy.
Ziyad with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ziyad not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ziyad is controlling the pace.
Ziyad thows a huge punch but Metzger dodges it nicely.
Ziyad wants to control but Metzger is keeping him busy.
Ziyad is stalling here. Metzger 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 Metzger has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Viktor Metzger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Ziyad is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Metzger off and has taken his back!
Metzger wants to escape the position.

Ziyad is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Metzger is defending well though. Ziyad let's go of the attempt for now.
Ziyad lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Metzger.
Tariq Ziyad is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Metzger defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Ziyad's arms.
Ziyad is landing with strikes. Metzger can't take much more of this.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tariq Ziyad showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ziyad has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

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