PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Xin Zhang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fook Yue (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Xin Zhang has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zhang
vs
Yue

185 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
24
148 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xin Zhang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fook Yue!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Ren Mimura and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zhang looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Yue closes the distance and clinches.
Yue lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Zhang jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Yue walks away with a smile on his face. Zhang gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Yue shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Zhang napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Zhang tries to bench press Yue off him but Yue keeps the position.
Yue taking a breather here.
Yue lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Zhang down.
You can see the frustration on Zhang's face as Yue controls the position.
Zhang is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Zhang trying to remain calm as Yue controls from the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
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.
Let's hope that Yue has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Zhang is looking to reverse the position.

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

Yue moves into the clinch successfully.

Yue gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Yue landing some decent shots from guard.
Yue not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Zhang controls Yue momentarily but Yue frees himself.

Zhang is working an open guard so Yue takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Zhang really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yue takes the fight into the clinch.

Yue ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Yue 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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yue looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zhang is one step ahead there.
Zhang wants to control from the top but Yue keeps moving.
Zhang stopping the sweep attempt from Yue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhang wants to control from the top but Yue keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Xin Zhang wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Zhang checks a leg kick.
Yue works over Zhang's head and body with a nice combination.

Zhang is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Yue's half guard.
Zhang throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhang works his foot free and advances to mount.
Yue is looking to improve his position but Zhang isn't that keen on the idea.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zhang trying to control but Yue is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zhang won't let Yue get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fook Yue dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yue closes the distance and pushes Zhang back into the cage.
Zhang fails to pull guard.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Yue creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Zhang obliges.
Zhang tries to circle away but Yue has him pinned against the cage.
A hook to the body from Yue.
Zhang fails to pull guard.
Yue lands a body punch in the clinch.
Zhang stalling in the clinch but Yue improves position.

Yue jumps guard and drags Zhang to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Zhang trying to control but Yue is working from the bottom.
Yue wants to sweep here but Zhang controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhang wants to pass the guard but Yue is keeping the position.
Zhang will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Yue scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Zhang shoots and misses
and Yue counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xin Zhang. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Yue gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A right handed body shot lands from Yue.
Yue gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Zhang.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yue taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Yue as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yue escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Yue moves into the clinch successfully.

Yue gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
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!
Zhang wants to get back to full guard.
Yue trying to control the pace.

Yue seems to be working for a kimura but Zhang defends the submission attempt.

Yue decides to return to a standing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yue shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Zhang napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Zhang struggling a bit here.
Yue is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Zhang will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Yue looks up at the clock and then as Zhang takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Yue smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Fook Yue has got the better of the ground game so far.

Yue stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Yue closes the distance and clinches.
Yue lands a nice elbow.

Yue pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Yue fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zhang, pushing him back against the cage.
Yue controlling the action here for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Yue breaks from the clinch.

Yue drives through and clinches with Zhang against the cage.
Zhang drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Yue has Zhang pressed against the cage, preventing Zhang from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Zhang wants a takedown but no success here.
Stalling in the clinch from Zhang.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

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

Yue has taken the fight to the clinch.

Yue has hold of one of Zhang's legs. Zhang is fighting the takedown attempt but Yue gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fook Yue showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Yue gets caught flat footed, as Zhang shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Zhang tries to free his leg and advance position but Yue is retaining full guard.

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

Yue drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Yue keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zhang's head.
Zhang being controlled here, momentarily.

Zhang throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Yue decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yue lands with a kick to the temple. Zhang shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Yue moves into the clinch.
Yue lands a nice shot to the body.

Yue turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Yue works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Zhang is trying to escape the position but Yue is controlling the position.
Yue has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Zhang taking a bit of punishment here - Yue scoring with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zhang tries to improve position but can't.
Zhang is letting Yue control him for a moment.
Yue is chipping away with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yue decides to stand up, so the ref orders Zhang to his feet.
Yue goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Zhang is rocked!
Yue lands with a right and another and another! Zhang is in big trouble! Yue lands again and this time it's lights out for Zhang! A quality knockout there for Yue.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Fook Yue!