PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tariq Ziyad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonny Bridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Ziyad
vs
Bridge

188 cm
28
191 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

188 cm
32
192 lbs
23 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Rōnin
Rōnin

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 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tariq Ziyad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jonny Bridge!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ziyad uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bridge.
No luck for Ziyad with that takedown attempt.
Ziyad sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Ziyad looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bridge tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bridge misses with a low kick.
Bridge wants to land a leg kick but Ziyad is out of range.
A head kick misses from Ziyad.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Ziyad. Bridge shrugs it off though.
Bridge keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Ziyad checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ziyad moves out of range of the body kick from Bridge.
Ziyad throws a head kick that misses
and Bridge counters with a low kick, right behind Ziyad 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bridge checks a leg kick.
Bridge digs a good body shot into Ziyad's ribs.
Bridge tries a head kick but it misses.
Ziyad fakes the leg kick and cracks Bridge in the body.
Ziyad blocks a low kick nicely.
Bridge ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ziyad moves away.
Ziyad throws a head kick but Bridge moves out of range.
Good work by Bridge as he checks the leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ziyad.
Bridge throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ziyad.
Bridge checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ziyad drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bridge tries to bench press Ziyad off him but Ziyad keeps the position.
Ziyad looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Bridge is avoiding damage well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bridge is looking for a sweep.
Bridge is trying to control Ziyad's posture but Ziyad avoids it.
Bridge tries to bench press Ziyad off him but Ziyad keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bridge 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 scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ziyad tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Ziyad tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ziyad has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bridge can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad staying calm.
Bridge tries to improve position but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ziyad is looking to take a break and control but Bridge is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tariq Ziyad will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ziyad's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ziyad misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bridge throws a hook but Ziyad blocks it.
Ziyad tries to land a leg kick but Bridge saw it coming and moves away.
A head kick misses from Ziyad.
Bridge goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bone on bone clash there as Ziyad blocks the leg kick.
Ziyad lands with a slapping head kick.
Bridge pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bridge tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad checks a low kick from Bridge.
Ziyad throws a low kick but it's checked well by Bridge.
Ziyad throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ziyad fails with a takedown attempt.
Ziyad takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bridge looks to throw the jab but Ziyad is out of range.
Bridge blocks a head kick by Ziyad.
Ziyad slips a jab from Bridge.
Bridge works the jab nicely.
Jonny Bridge seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bridge checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bridge pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bridge throws the kick towards the body but Ziyad avoids it.
A jab from Bridge misses.

Ziyad shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Ziyad was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ziyad looking to finish with strikes here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bridge wants to hold on but Ziyad pushes him away.
Bridge is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bridge tries to hold on but Ziyad pushes him away.
Ziyad tries to control but Bridge wriggling away.
Bridge tries to reverse the position but Ziyad maintains control.

Ziyad is working for a guillotine from mount but Bridge frees his head quite easily.
Bridge working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad wants to control the pace but Bridge is squirming around nicely.
Bridge tries to hold on but Ziyad pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ziyad moves to his opponent's back but Bridge bucks him off and ends up in guard. A bit of a disaster there for Ziyad.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Bridge stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ziyad swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jonny Bridge will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ziyad tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bridge swivels and escapes.
Bridge takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Ziyad misses with a low kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ziyad.
Ziyad lands with a kick to the ribs.
Bridge checks a low kick from Ziyad.
Bridge just misses with a punch to the body.
Bridge misses with a looping left.
Ziyad tries to land a leg kick but Bridge saw it coming and moves away.
Bridge blocks a leg kick.
Ziyad looks to land a body kick but Bridge moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bridge's sensitive parts.
Ziyad misses with a low kick as Bridge jumps back.
Some bone on bone action there as Ziyad checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Sloppy strikes from Bridge. Those never looked like landing.
Ziyad tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ziyad lands with a kick to the ribs.
Ziyad fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bridge.
Bridge fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Ziyad is out of range.
That kick from Ziyad tenderised Bridge's leg. Bridge is trying to keep his angry face on.
A low kick from Ziyad misses
and Bridge counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ziyad connects with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad pivots, looking for a leg kick but Bridge is out of range and Ziyad settles back down.
Ziyad throws a head kick but Bridge moves out of range.
Ziyad throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bridge's waist but Bridge gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ziyad off to one side.
Bridge fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ziyad uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bridge.
Ziyad throws a wild body kick that Bridge sees coming a mile off.
Ziyad will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tariq Ziyad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Bridge lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Ziyad has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Ziyad and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Bridge misses the shot to the body.
Nice shot by Bridge.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad looks for the body kick but Bridge saw that one coming.
Jonny Bridge is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ziyad scores with a kick to the midsection.
Ziyad looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bridge is fending him off so far but Ziyad persists. Nope, Bridge circles away and we're back to standing.
Ziyad is looking to land body kicks.
A bone on bone clash there as Ziyad blocks the leg kick.
Bridge throws a sloppy head kick and Ziyad moves out of range easily.
Bridge connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ziyad's hands.
Bridge connects with a looping right hand.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ziyad lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Bridge has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Bridge and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Ziyad closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Bridge did well to prevent Ziyad getting side control.
Bridge is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ziyad is working for a kimura but Bridge is defending it quite comfortably.
Bridge is trying to maintain the position but Ziyad is very close to passing his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bridge might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ziyad kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28

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