PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Melcone Aisa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrzej Zarucha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Aisa
vs
Zarucha

162 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Perkele!

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Melcone Aisa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andrzej Zarucha!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Seu Braga and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aisa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Zarucha jabs Aisa right on the nose. Aisa blinks but takes it well.
Zarucha takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Aisa takes one on the button.
Zarucha swings for the body but Aisa moves out of range.
Zarucha avoids the body shot from Aisa.
Aisa lands with a nice body punch.
Aisa lands a jab to the head.
Aisa takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Aisa cracks Zarucha with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Aisa throws a right hand that misses

and Zarucha counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Aisa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zarucha lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Aisa tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Zarucha's elbow.

Zarucha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Aisa tests Zarucha's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Zarucha lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aisa moves into the clinch.
Aisa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A body shot lands from Aisa.
Zarucha tries a body shot but Aisa blocks it.
Zarucha lands with a light punch inside.
Zarucha wants to get back to striking at distance but Aisa won't allow it.
Zarucha working aggressively here.
Aisa lands with a short shot to the head.
Aisa misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Aisa.
Aisa is leaning against Zarucha and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Aisa slowing the pace effectively.
Nice body punch from Aisa - that landed with a thud.
Zarucha misses with a hook from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zarucha swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aisa lands with a right to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Aisa.
Aisa looking to slow down the pace here.
Zarucha lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Aisa backwards.
Aisa tries a body shot but Zarucha blocks it.
Aisa stalling in the clinch but Zarucha improves position.
Zarucha lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Aisa stalling in the clinch but Zarucha improves position.
Zarucha lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Aisa stalling against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Zarucha.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aisa taking a breather.
Aisa misses with the head strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zarucha.
A short left from Zarucha.
Aisa lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Zarucha is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Zarucha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Aisa is working Zarucha over against the cage.
Zarucha is trying to break the clinch but Aisa has him pressed against the cage.
Zarucha trying to control the position but instead, Aisa has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zarucha into the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Aisa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aisa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Good body shot from Zarucha.
Zarucha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Zarucha wants to stall.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Aisa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Aisa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Aisa has Zarucha pressed against the cage.
Aisa lands a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melcone Aisa dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Aisa throws out a powerful jab.
Aisa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zarucha manages to avoid it.
Aisa looks to land a combination but Zarucha avoids it well.
Zarucha with a jab.
Aisa thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zarucha misses with an uppercut. Aisa saw that one coming.

Zarucha forces Aisa back against the cage and clinches.
Aisa is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Zarucha swings wildly with an uppercut but Aisa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zarucha pushes Aisa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Aisa pushes Zarucha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zarucha lands with a light punch inside.
Aisa scores with a shot to the side of Zarucha's head.
A left hand lands to the body for Aisa.
Zarucha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Aisa's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aisa blocks an uppercut.
Zarucha blocks a body shot from Aisa.
A head punch on the inside from Zarucha fails to land.
Zarucha blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zarucha takes a shot to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Aisa working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Zarucha stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A nice left hand lands by Zarucha.
A short body shot lands from Aisa as the two fighters clinch.
Aisa throws a head punch that misses.
Zarucha lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Aisa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zarucha is looking to control Aisa's arms but Aisa gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zarucha has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aisa lands an uppercut.
Melcone Aisa has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Aisa pushes Zarucha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aisa.
A head punch on the inside from Aisa fails to land.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aisa leaning his opponent against the cage.

Zarucha breaks the clinch.
Aisa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aisa walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Zarucha lands with an overhand left.
Aisa cracks Zarucha with a good jab.

Zarucha has managed to clinch.
Zarucha looking to slow down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zarucha creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Aisa could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Zarucha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zarucha tries to throw a body punch but Aisa avoids it by throwing Zarucha back against the cage.
Aisa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zarucha misses with a punch on the inside.
Aisa stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Zarucha lands a hook that snaps the head of Aisa backwards.
Aisa lands with a left to the head.
Zarucha tries a body shot but Aisa blocks it.
Zarucha is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Aisa lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Aisa just leaning against Zarucha, taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aisa has a couple of punches blocked by Zarucha.
Zarucha misses with the head strike.
Zarucha struggles to land a body shot inside as Aisa controls his hands.
A short left from Zarucha.
Zarucha can't find room to land a body shot as Aisa controls the action.
Good body shot from Zarucha.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zarucha lands a body punch.
Zarucha looking to stall.
Zarucha lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Zarucha swings wildly with an uppercut but Aisa uses good head movement to avoid it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zarucha lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Aisa has Zarucha pushed against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Zarucha.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Andrzej Zarucha will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Aisa looks to score with a jab to the body but Zarucha is just out of range.
A big left from Zarucha misses.
Zarucha avoids the body shot from Aisa.

Aisa moves into range and clinches up with Zarucha.
Zarucha scores with a nice hook to the head.
Aisa tries to throw a body punch but Zarucha avoids it by throwing Aisa back against the cage.
Zarucha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Zarucha.
Zarucha swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zarucha misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zarucha lands a hook to the side of the head.
Aisa working aggressively here.
Zarucha tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Aisa has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Aisa effectively controlling the action here.
Aisa seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aisa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Aisa blocks a body shot from Zarucha.
Aisa blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Aisa misses with a hook to the ribs.
Zarucha digs a right hand underneath Aisa's ribcage. Aisa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Aisa lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Zarucha.
Aisa is trying to break the clinch but Zarucha has him pressed against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Zarucha.
Aisa blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Zarucha fails to land.

Zarucha's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Melcone Aisa is winning the standup battle so far.
Aisa throws a poor cross that misses

and Zarucha moves into the clinch.
Aisa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Zarucha tries a body shot but Aisa blocks it.
Zarucha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Aisa is pushing Zarucha up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Aisa is trying to force a seperation but Zarucha has the dominant position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Aisa.
Zarucha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zarucha.
Zarucha works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarucha lands a body punch.
Zarucha stalling in the clinch but Aisa improves position.
Aisa throws a head punch that misses.
Aisa misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Aisa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zarucha misses with a hook to the ribs.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Zarucha just leaning against Aisa, taking a breather.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Aisa.
Zarucha struggles to land a body shot inside as Aisa controls his hands.
Aisa misses with a body punch.

Zarucha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zarucha lands a nice looking body shot.
Zarucha throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Aisa sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Aisa gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zarucha tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Aisa throws a punch but it's blocked by Zarucha.
Zarucha misses with the head strike.
Aisa tries a body shot but Zarucha blocks it.
Zarucha misses with the head strike.
Zarucha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zarucha tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Aisa.
A shot in the inside from Aisa.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Zarucha creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Aisa misses with a hook from the clinch.
Zarucha lands a right hand that snaps the head of Aisa backwards.
Zarucha tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrzej Zarucha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zarucha has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Andrzej Zarucha!
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight for Andrzej Zarucha!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Andrzej Zarucha!

Andrzej Zarucha wins by unanimous decision!
Andrzej Zarucha seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.