PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Martin Zinn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Craven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zinn comes to the cage accompanied by All Day. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Justin Craven enters the cage!

Zinn
vs
Craven

185 cm
25
194 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

187 cm
25
200 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Martin Zinn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Justin Craven!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Andrew Berry and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craven takes one to the chin there.
Zinn has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Tycoon Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Zinn throws a right and a left that Craven avoids nicely.
Craven throws a shot from downtown. Zinn moves away and avoids it.
Craven feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Zinns jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Danga de danga de dang - Craven scores with a four punch combination!
A lazy left from Craven finds it's target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zinn can't break the clinch.
Craven prevents Zinn from breaking the clinch.
Zinn tries to break the clinch but Craven is controlling the position.

Craven jumps guard.
Craven wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Craven wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Zinn is now in half guard.
Craven wants to control but Zinn is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zinn slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Craven looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zinn is one step ahead there.
Zinn trying to control the position from guard on top but Craven is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Craven isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Zinn stacks Craven on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Zinn!
Zinn trying to control the action but Craven is working from the bottom.
Craven is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Craven is looking to control Zinn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Craven avoid being mounted?
Craven wants to improve his position but Zinn is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zinn wants to get back to his feet.
Craven has hold of Zinn's hands but Zinn slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Craven is looking for a sweep. Zinn is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Craven slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Craven looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Craven working for a triangle but Zinn defends it easily.
Craven looking for a sweep. Not yet Craven, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zinn swats away the attempt to clinch by Craven.
Craven throws the left hand but Zinn avoids the punch easily.
It looked like Zinn was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Craven.
Craven fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zinn pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Craven looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A nice leg kick lands there from Zinn.

Zinn clinches with his opponent.
Craven is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Zinn to keep the fight standing.
Zinn misses with the head strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Justin Craven will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Craven tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Zinn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Craven fails with an attempt to clinch.
Craven wants to clinch.

Craven fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zinn, pushing him back against the cage.
Zinn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Zinn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Craven throws a right and a left that Zinn avoids nicely.
Zinn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Craven manages to avoid it.
Craven wants to clinch.
Martin Zinn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from Craven misses.
Zinn lands a leg kick that knocks Craven off balance momentarily.
Zinn throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Craven stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Zinn looks to score with a jab to the body but Craven is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Craven 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Zinn misses with a few strikes there.
Justin Craven is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zinn lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Zinn throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Craven misses with a hook.
Zinn swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Craven avoids a punch combination nicely.
Craven is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Zinn throws out a loose jab but Craven uses good head movement to avoid it.
Craven on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Martin Zinn is winning the standup battle so far.
Zinn misses with a kick to the body.
Craven looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Zinn throws out a leg kick but Craven moves out of range and Zinn only half commits.
Craven throws a shot from downtown. Zinn moves away and avoids it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zinn. Craven does a little dance to reset his feet.

Craven forces Zinn back against the cage and clinches.

Craven gets control of Zinn's arms and successfully pulls guard. Craven will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zinn controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Zinn stopping the sweep attempt from Craven.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zinn trying to control but Craven is working from the bottom.
Zinn postures up.

Craven is looking for a triangle here but Zinn uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Craven is looking for a sweep.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Zinn wants to control but Craven is keeping him busy.
Craven is trying to buck Zinn off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craven struggling a bit here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Craven tries to buck Zinn off but Zinn is having none of it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Craven misses with a series of wild punches.
Zinn listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Zinn misses with a lunging right hand
letting Craven counter with a right hand.
Zinn misses the shot to the body.
Zinn swings for the body but Craven moves out of range.

Craven clinches up with Zinn and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zinn tries to break the clinch but Craven is controlling the position.
Craven prevents Zinn from breaking the clinch.
Zinn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zinn can't break the clinch.
Zinn is trying to break free.

Zinn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Craven slips under a jab.
Craven throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Craven takes a swing at Zinn's ribcage but misses.
That kick from Zinn tenderised Craven's leg. Craven is trying to keep his angry face on.
Zinn throws a body punch but Craven moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Craven.
Zinn shoots in for a takedown but Craven shows good takedown defense.
Zinn is trying hard to land a takedown here. Craven sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
As Zinn backs off Craven throws a huge counter combo but Zinn manages to avoid it all.
Zinn throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zinn scores with a hook to the body. Craven takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Zinn on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Zinn dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

A combination from Craven does no damage.
Craven looks to score with a jab to the body but Zinn is just out of range.
Craven bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zinn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zinn lands with a good body shot.

Craven has closed the distance and engaged Zinn in a clinch.
Zinn struggles to land a body shot inside as Craven controls his hands.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zinn as Craven tries to tie him up.
Craven tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Craven jumps guard but Zinn turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Craven fails to pull guard.
Martin Zinn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Justin Craven.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zinn tries to circle away but Craven has him pinned against the cage.

Zinn manages to break the clinch.
Zinn misses with a wild combination.
Zinn is looking to wear down Craven with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Craven tries to clinch but Zinn moves away
and Zinn counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craven throws a jab when Zinn was well out of range.
Zinn was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Zinn throws a lazy right hand but Craven sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Craven takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A leg kick checked by Craven.

Craven has closed the distance and engaged Zinn in a clinch.
Zinn is trying to break the clinch but Craven is controlling him.
Zinn is trying to break the clinch but Craven has him pressed against the cage.
Craven lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zinn backwards.

Zinn's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Craven misses with a jab, cross combination.
Craven looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Craven throws a body shot but no joy.
Zinn connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Craven's hands.
Zinn lets loose with a powerful body kick. Craven will feel that in the morning.
Zinn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Craven.
Craven on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good standup being displayed there by Zinn as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zinn scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Justin Craven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A swing and a miss from Craven.
Zinn throws out a loose jab but Craven uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zinn fails with the takedown.
Zinn dips to his left and cracks Craven with an uppercut!
Zinn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Craven lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Zinn circles away quickly and effectively.
Craven chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Zinn can pounce on him.
Zinn throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Zinn shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Craven is trying to defend but Zinn finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Craven wants to improve his position but Zinn is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zinn is trying to control. Craven wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Craven is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Craven misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zinn.
Craven throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zinn.
Zinn throws a chopping leg kick but Craven manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Craven! But no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zinn. Craven does a little dance to reset his feet.
Craven misses with a wild combination.
Zinn throws the kick towards the body but Craven avoids it.
Craven looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Zinn swinging wildly here.
Zinn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice shot lands for Zinn.
Zinn takes a swing at Craven's ribcage but misses.
Zinn works Craven's body with a nice hook.
Zinn throws out a loose jab but Craven uses good head movement to avoid it.
Craven tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Zinn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zinn is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Zinn connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Zinn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zinn has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Zinn!
During a confident post fight interview, Martin Zinn thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.