PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jay Zol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Izaac Kari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kari is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Creed - what if (live) . Izaac Kari will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Zol
vs
Kari

170 cm
27
153 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

172 cm
32
150 lbs
19 - 12 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Mango Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jay Zol!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Izaac Kari!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Mauricio Rocha and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kari turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Kari gets caught napping as Zol dives in and scores a takedown. Kari manages to retain guard.
Zol throws a big elbow that misses.

Kari throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Zol throws a big elbow that misses.
Kari seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Zol postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Zol has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zol cracks Kari with a solid left hand.
Kari wants to sweep but no luck.
Kari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zol with a flurry of punches that miss.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zol with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kari trying to keep a closed guard but Zol is proving a slippery customer.
Zol wants to control from the top but Kari keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kari is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Zol tries to kick Kari off but Kari keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kari is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Zol wants to get back to his feet.
Kari looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Izaac Kari wasn't active enough on the ground.
Zol keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jay Zol seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zol shoots in but Kari avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kari slaps away a takedown attempt from Zol, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zol bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kari with a hook.
Zol on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Izaac Kari is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zol shoots in for a double leg but Kari sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jay Zol. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zol closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zol lands in his opponent's guard.
Zol lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kari looking for a sweep. Not yet Kari, not yet.
Zol loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Zol throwing strikes but missing.
Zol throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kari utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kari manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zol manages to get himself to full guard.
Kari prevents Zol from getting back to his feet.
Kari wanted to stand there but Zol had control of the position.
Zol is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kari is controlling him.
Kari trying to stand up but can't free himself from Zol's guard.

Zol has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Kari has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Zol is looking to take this one to the mat.
Kari gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Zol.
Kari's coach down at Red Battle was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kari's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Kari lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kari lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Zol is working for takedown but Kari is calmly controlling the position for now.
Kari lands a shoulder strike.
Kari lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kari gets through Zol's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kari gets underhooks to prevent Zol's takedown attempt.
Kari presses Zol against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zol has Kari pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kari manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kari cracks Zol with a nice body shot.
Kari is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Kari lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zol backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kari.

Zol is rocked!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kari is pressed up against the cage. Zol has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kari down to the mat. Kari avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zol on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Zol is breathing heavily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kari. That's going to slow Zol down.
Zol just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaac Kari dominated that round.
That's time! Zol's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kari.
Kari throws a lazy right hand but Zol sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Kari sends Zol crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Kari is motioning to the referee to let Zol up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Oh Zol is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

It looks like Jay Zol has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zol throws a big shot that misses.
Zol walks into a stiff left hand from Kari.
Kari lands a right hook to the body.
Izaac Kari seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kari throws a jab when Zol was well out of range.
A combination from Zol does no damage.

Zol looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Kari working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Zol doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Zol manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kari is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Zol has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kari looking for a sweep. Not yet Kari, not yet.
Zol loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Zol seems to have got his legs back now.
Zol throws a big elbow that misses.
Zol postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kari has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Zol scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Zol postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kari is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Zol postures up in Kari's guard and throws a big left but Kari blocks it.
Zol preventing the sweep.
Zol makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Kari looking to control.
Zol postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kari is controlling Zol's posture.
Zol pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kari is keeping the position for now.
Zol throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kari works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kari looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zol is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kari is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Zol trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kari is adopting a defensive guard.

Izaac Kari has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Zol shoots in but Kari avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kari jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zol shoots in and drives through. Kari sprawls well.
Zol fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jay Zol. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zol swinging wildly here.
Kari avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kari misses with a straight left.
Kari swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zol fails with a takedown attempt.
Zol pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kari back to the cage. Zol follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Zol moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A swing and a miss from Kari.
Zol bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zol thows a body shot but no joy.
Kari misses with a wild body shot.
Zol misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kari throws a jab when Zol was well out of range.

Zol darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kari tries to get to full guard but Zol has control of the leg.
Zol lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kari trying to control but Zol postures up.
Kari won't allow Zol to pass to mount.
Kari keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kari tries to get to full guard but Zol has control of the leg.
Kari keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Zol missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Izaac Kari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jay Zol's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zol fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kari sprawls well initially but Zol persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kari trying to hold on to Zol's head to control him but Zol postures up.
Kari tries to get to full guard but Zol has control of the leg.
Zol trying to mount his opponent but Kari defends it.
Kari blocking the ground and pound attempt from Zol.
Kari trying to hold on to Zol's head to control him but Zol postures up.
Zol takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Kari is looking to control Zol's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kari avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zol wants to free his trapped foot but Kari is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zol missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Zol missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zol thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zol throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kari wants to improve his position but Zol is controlling well.
Kari is trying to control but can't.
Zol missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kari is controlling Zol's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Kari has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zol is working away from the top position though.
Zol sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kari defending well though.
Kari gets full guard.
Kari manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
You get the feeling that Zol really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kari takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kari can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zol is looking to escape.
Zol wants to try and get back to his feet.
Kari can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zol is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kari controlling the pace for now.
Zol is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Kari tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Jay Zol overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kari looking to control but Zol is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Izaac Kari has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Kari thuds his shin into the meat of Zol's side.
Jay Zol is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kari. Zol does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zol shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kari defends it nicely.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kari.
Zol will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd cheers as Kari lands an impressive looking overhand right. Zol doesn't seem phased though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zol looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kari slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jay Zol has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Izaac Kari is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zol landing with the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Izaac Kari.
I've got Kari 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Izaac Kari!
Izaac Kari thanked the fans post fight for their support.