PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darren Sparks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Zues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Darren Sparks has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sparks
vs
Zues

185 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Iron Lion Fight Food $10 Full Range

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Darren Sparks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Zues!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparks connects with a nice looking jab.
Sparks fails with the takedown
and Zues counters with a right hand to the body.
Sparks misses with a combination
and Zues connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Zues closes the distance and clinches.

Sparks ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sparks no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zues in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Sparks had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zues defends it easily.

Sparks had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Zues defends it easily.
Zues wants to control from the top but Sparks keeps moving.

Sparks looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sparks looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zues sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Bruce Zues was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sparks rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Zues counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Darren Sparks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sparks throws a left and a right that both miss

and Zues holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zues is looking to break free of the clinch but Sparks has double underhooks.

Zues breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zues scores with a three punch combo!
Zues lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Sparks swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zues counters with a straight right hand.
Sparks tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zues swivels and escapes.
Sparks is breathing heavily.
Sparks swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zues counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sparks doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Zues counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Sparks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zues lands an overhand right.
Nice uppercut there from Zues.
Zues closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Zues fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sparks throws a right hand that misses
and Zues counters with a nice uppercut.

Zues pushes Sparks up against the cage in a clinch.

Zues breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Zues closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sparks to the mat! Sparks manages to get full guard.
Zues is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Sparks looking for a sweep. Not yet Sparks, not yet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bruce Zues.
Sparks throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Zues counters by clinching up.
Sparks has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zues is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Zues's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sparks falls off balance throwing a combination
and Zues counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Danga de danga de dang - Zues scores with a four punch combination!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zues lands a head shot.
Zues lands with a nice combination. Sparks backs away looking to recover.
Sparks on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Sparks shoots and misses
and Zues counters with a nice uppercut.
Zues scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Zues will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

Zues looking to score a takedown here. Sparks is defending well but Zues drives through and ends up in Sparks's guard.
Zues wants to stand but Sparks has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Zues is stalling in the full guard.
Zues trying to control but Sparks is working from the bottom.

Sparks looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zues controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sparks keeping moving, preventing Zues from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bruce Zues wasn't active enough on the ground.

Zues moves into the clinch successfully.
Zues prevents a takedown attempt there.
Zues is pressed up against the cage. Sparks has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zues down to the mat. Zues avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Sparks swings widly with a right hand

so Zues counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Sparks looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sparks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sparks keeping moving, preventing Zues from controlling successfully.

Zues decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sparks, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Zues dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sparks misses with a hook
enabling Zues to counter with a crisp jab.
Sparks misses with a double jab
and Zues counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Sparks swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Zues counters with a left and a right that stings Sparks.
No luck for Sparks with that takedown attempt.
Sparks throws a combination that misses
and Zues counters with a nice uppercut.
Zues lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Sparks backs up against the cage.

Zues dives in and scores a takedown into Sparks's guard.
Sparks being controlled here, momentarily.
Zues wants to control from the top but Sparks keeps moving.
Sparks wants to sweep here but Zues controlling him for the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sparks keeping full guard, as Zues tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zues sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bruce Zues wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sparks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zues counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Sparks's guard now.
Zues wants to control from the top but Sparks keeps moving.

Sparks working for a triangle but Zues defends it easily.
Zues controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Sparks working for a triangle but Zues defends it easily.
Zues thows a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zues stopping the sweep attempt from Sparks.
Zues throwing strikes from guard but Sparks blocks nicely.
Sparks bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zues's guard.
Zues keeping moving, preventing Sparks from controlling successfully.
Bruce Zues has got the better of the ground game so far.

Zues kicks Sparks off and gets to his feet.
Sparks with a poor takedown
and Zues counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Sparks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sparks gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Zues crashes against the mat.
Zues moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Sparks is looking for a sweep.
The ground and pound from Zues seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Zues looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Sparks is avoiding damage well.
Sparks is trying to improve his position.
Sparks gets back to half guard.
Sparks tries to roll over but Zues keeps him under control.
Sparks is staying active underneath Zues, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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.
Sparks moves into full guard.
Zues trying to control but Sparks is working from the bottom.

Sparks is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Zues is aware though and is defending well.
Sparks is trying to keep Zues in close.

Sparks working for a triangle but Zues defends it easily.
Zues stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sparks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zues controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sparks wants to sweep here but Zues controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Zues 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. This is the final round!

Sparks misses with a combination
and Zues counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sparks shoots and misses
and Zues counters with a left and a right that stings Sparks.
Zues attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Sparks gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sparks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zues counters with a right hand to the body.
Sparks tries for a takedown but Zues circles away easily

and Zues holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Sparks. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zues escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sparks misses with a double jab
and Zues counters with a stiff right hand.
Zues works over Sparks's head and body with a nice combination.
Darren Sparks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sparks doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Zues connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zues changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Bruce Zues seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zues connects with the punch.

Zues forces Sparks back against the cage and clinches.
Sparks wants a takedown but no success here.
Zues looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sparks drops down looking for an ankle pick but Zues pulls his leg out and moves away.
Zues throws a one two combo.
Zues lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Sparks throws a combination that misses

and Zues counters with a takedown into side control.
Zues content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Zues in side control, throwing shots but Sparks defends.
Zues is looking to take a break and control but Sparks is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zues in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sparks is looking for a sweep.

Bruce Zues has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sparks misses with a double jab
and Zues counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sparks tries to score with a low kick but Zues moves his leg out of the way.
Sparks throws a left and a right that both miss

so Zues counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zues trying to control the position from guard on top but Sparks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zues pushes down on Sparks's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Zues prevents Sparks from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Zues 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.
Sparks moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zues really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sparks. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zues slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Sparks keeping moving, preventing Zues from controlling successfully.

Sparks escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zues gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zues would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Zues advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparks gets back to half guard.
Sparks wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sparks manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zues throws and elbow that misses. Sparks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Zues's guard. Nice move by Sparks!
Sparks pushing down on Zues's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sparks moves into full mount! Zues won't be happy about that!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sparks looking to ground and pound but Zues is blocking nicely.
Darren Sparks has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bruce Zues is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sparks throws some wild stikes that Zues manages to avoid easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Zues comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Zues 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Zues!