PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Modest Gadzalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasily Zaitsev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zaitsev is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Potap. 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.

Gadzalo
vs
Zaitsev

186 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Modest Gadzalo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasily Zaitsev!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Valeri Chadov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gadzalo swinging wildly here.
Zaitsev shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gadzalo sprawls well. Gadzalo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Zaitsev gets slowly back to his feet.
Zaitsev fails to land the takedown.
Gadzalo throws a one two combo.
A slapping body kick lands there for Gadzalo.
Gadzalo stalks Zaitsev and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Zaitsev's face. Zaitsev staggers backwards, shaken.

Zaitsev gets a clinch.
Gadzalo is trying to push Zaitsev away but Zaitsev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gadzalo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zaitsev.
Gadzalo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zaitsev wants to take the fight to the mat but Gadzalo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Modest Gadzalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Zaitsev.
Zaitsev is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gadzalo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Zaitsev turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gadzalo is looking for a sweep.
Zaitsev is trying to ground and pound but Gadzalo uses the momentary lack of control by Zaitsev to regain half guard.
Zaitsev throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gadzalo tries to kick Zaitsev off but Zaitsev keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Zaitsev not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gadzalo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zaitsev is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Zaitsev is working for a kimura but Gadzalo is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gadzalo is trying to stand back up but Zaitsev is controlling him
Gadzalo wants to improve his position but Zaitsev is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gadzalo is breathing heavily.
Gadzalo is trying to stand up here but Zaitsev is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gadzalo is trying to control but Zaitsev passes into side control!
Zaitsev tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Zaitsev working the body and head with strikes.
Zaitsev wants to control but Gadzalo is keeping him busy.
Zaitsev scoring with punches and elbows.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zaitsev lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasily Zaitsev dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gadzalo wants to slow Zaitsev down by chopping away at his legs.
Good leg kick by Gadzalo there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gadzalo moves to clinch but Zaitsev breaks away

and Zaitsev moves into the clinch.
Zaitsev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gadzalo's efforts to push away.
Zaitsev lands with a right to the head.
Gadzalo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zaitsev pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Zaitsev has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Gadzalo after a bit of a struggle.
Gadzalo prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gadzalo gets underhooks to prevent Zaitsev's takedown attempt.
Modest Gadzalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vasily Zaitsev.
Gadzalo wants to break the clinch but can't.

Zaitsev lands a takedown into guard.
Gadzalo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zaitsev scoring with some ground and pound.
Zaitsev lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Zaitsev must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaitsev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zaitsev trying to control the position from guard on top but Gadzalo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gadzalo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zaitsev is controlling him.
Zaitsev content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaitsev scoring with punches to the head and body.
Zaitsev scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Zaitsev's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Zaitsev throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Zaitsev throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gadzalo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gadzalo is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Zaitsev dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gadzalo is not content to let Zaitsev control the position.
Zaitsev working the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vasily Zaitsev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zaitsev gets a clinch.

Zaitsev ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Zaitsev no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Zaitsev pushes Gadzalo off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Zaitsev moves out of range of the body kick.
Zaitsev fails to land the takedown.
Gadzalo is looking to slow Zaitsev down with leg kicks.

Zaitsev drives through with a takedown into Gadzalo's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gadzalo is on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zaitsev wriggles free and stands up.
Gadzalo throws a low kick but Zaitsev moves out of range easily.
Zaitsev moves in looking to clinch but Gadzalo pushes him off.
Gadzalo misses with a combination

and Zaitsev counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gadzalo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaitsev not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zaitsev accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Zaitsev drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaitsev working the ground and pound from side control.
Zaitsev trying to control the action but Gadzalo is working from the bottom.
Zaitsev lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Gadzalo down.
Zaitsev throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zaitsev works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Zaitsev trying to control the position but Gadzalo is working away.
Gadzalo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Zaitsev is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Gadzalo will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zaitsev scoring with punches from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasily Zaitsev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Zaitsev winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vasily Zaitsev!
A pretty intense looking Vasily Zaitsev took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.