PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mario Zivko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gevorg Petrosyan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Petrosyan has chosen No Turning Back - Stand and Fight as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Zivko
vs
Petrosyan

187 cm
23
221 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
216 lbs
9 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mario Zivko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Gevorg Petrosyan!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A solid leg kick lands there for Petrosyan.
Zivko looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Petrosyan ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Zivko fails to land with a series of punches.
Zivko connects with a body shot.
Zivko just misses with a punch to the body.
Petrosyan's coach down at SWF GYM was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Petrosyan's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Some wild striking there from Zivko.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Petrosyan has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Zivko uses from the top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zivko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Petrosyan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zivko trying to control the position from guard on top but Petrosyan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zivko pushing down on Petrosyan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Petrosyan trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zivko is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Petrosyan with the active half guard here but Zivko passes nicely into side control.

Zivko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Zivko is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Petrosyan is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan sneaks back into half guard.

Zivko is looking for a kimura here.

Zivko is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Petrosyan defends it well.
Petrosyan is looking to control Zivko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Petrosyan avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Petrosyan actively working from the bottom here.
Petrosyan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Zivko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Zivko is working for a submission of some sort.
Zivko prevents Petrosyan from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan trying to hold on to Zivko's head to control him but Zivko postures up.

Petrosyan is defending against the submission attempts here by Zivko.
Petrosyan wants to control but Zivko is keeping busy.

Zivko is working for a submission of some sort.

Petrosyan is defending against the submission attempts here by Zivko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zivko throws a right and a left that Petrosyan avoids nicely.
Petrosyan keeps the fight on the outside.
A big right from Petrosyan misses.
Petrosyan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zivko wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Zivko swings for the body but Petrosyan moves out of range.
Zivko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Petrosyan misses with a looping right.

Petrosyan clinches up against the cage.
Zivko tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Petrosyan avoids it.
A bit of stalling here from Zivko.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Petrosyan scores a nice knee to the body.
Petrosyan lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zivko misses with a knee to the head.
Zivko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Zivko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Zivko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Zivko blocks an uppercut.
Petrosyan jumps guard but Zivko turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Petrosyan working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Zivko obliges.
Zivko misses with a knee strike.
Zivko misses with a hook from the clinch.
Petrosyan tries to land a knee to the head but Zivko blocks with his arms.
Zivko is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Petrosyan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Petrosyan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Petrosyan misses with a knee to the head.
Petrosyan slows down the pace here.
Petrosyan throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zivko controlling the action here for a moment.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zivko blocks a body shot from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan tries to throw a body punch but Zivko avoids it by throwing Petrosyan back against the cage.
Zivko is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Petrosyan is defending well for now.
Zivko misses with a knee strike.
Zivko using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Petrosyan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Petrosyan wants to get back to striking at distance but Zivko won't allow it.
Petrosyan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Zivko landing knees to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Petrosyan.
Zivko misses with the head strike.

Petrosyan successfully pulls guard.
Zivko passes Petrosyan's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Petrosyan is controlling Zivko's trapped leg to prevent Zivko from advancing to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan trying to hold on to Zivko's head to control him but Zivko postures up.

Zivko is looking for submissions but instead, Petrosyan has regained full guard.
Petrosyan keeping moving, preventing Zivko from controlling successfully.
Mario Zivko overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Petrosyan trying to keep a closed guard but Zivko is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan trying to control the position here.
Zivko trying to control the position from guard on top but Petrosyan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mario Zivko wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Zivko tries to score with a low kick but Petrosyan moves his leg out of the way.
Petrosyan moves out of range of the leg kick from Zivko.
Petrosyan ducks under a wild hook from Zivko.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Petrosyan takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Donk. Petrosyan catches Zivko right on the button with a cross.

It looks like Mario Zivko has been cut.

Petrosyan moves into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Petrosyan misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Gevorg Petrosyan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Mario Zivko's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Petrosyan scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Petrosyan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zivko, pushing him back against the cage.
Zivko tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Petrosyan avoids it.
Zivko content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Petrosyan avoiding damage as Zivko throws knees to the body.
Zivko looking to throw knees to the head but Petrosyan is blocking nicely.
Zivko tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Petrosyan throws a punch but it's blocked by Zivko.
Petrosyan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zivko crunches a lovely knee into Petrosyan's ribcage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zivko lands a damaging elbow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zivko.
A right hand to the body from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zivko with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zivko creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Petrosyan's defenses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Petrosyan.
Petrosyan misses with some punches.
Zivko landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrosyan blocks an elbow strike.
Zivko unloads a knee to the mid-section. Petrosyan lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Nice elbow from Zivko.
Zivko lands a knee to the head.
Zivko lands a right hand.
Petrosyan takes a knee right on the jaw!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zivko lands an elbow that stopped Petrosyan in his tracks for a moment.
Zivko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Petrosyan.
Petrosyan looking to stall.
Petrosyan misses with a body punch.
Petrosyan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zivko landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Zivko gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A knee to the head by Zivko.
Petrosyan managing to block the knees to the body from Zivko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zivko lands an elbow just above Petrosyan 's eye.
Zivko tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zivko managing to block the knees to the body from Petrosyan.
Zivko throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Petrosyans head.
Zivko lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Petrosyan backwards.
Zivko blocking some punches.
Zivko tries to stall but Petrosyan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Zivko lands a nice elbow.
Zivko throws an elbow but it misses.
Petrosyan looking to throw knees to the head but Zivko is blocking nicely.

Petrosyan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zivko tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Petrosyan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Petrosyan tries to clinch there but Zivko circles away.
Zivko feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Petrosyans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Zivko tries to clinch up.
Petrosyan misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrosyan ducks under a wild hook from Zivko.
Zivko drops Petrosyan with a big left hand! Petrosyan is injured, injured bad! Zivko jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:11 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mario Zivko!
After the fight, Mario Zivko was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.