PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nick Zal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Gene (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Zal
vs
Gene

170 cm
23
152 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nick Zal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Frank Gene!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Eddie Farnsworth and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gene slaps away a takedown attempt from Zal, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gene showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zal.
Gene wants to counter with a clinch but Zal pushes him away.
Nice uppercut lands for Gene. That snapped Zal's head back.
Gene shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zal counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gene cracks Zal with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Zal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gene but Gene pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gene closes this distance looking for a takedown but Zal circles away.
Zal throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gene counters by clinching up.
Gene drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nick Zal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Gene.
Zal looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gene stops a takedown attempt from Zal.
Zal is trying to force a seperation but Gene has the dominant position.
Zal goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gene prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gene manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gene on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gene lands with a short shot to the head.
Gene looking to throw knees to the head but Zal is blocking nicely.
Zal wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gene has him pressed against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gene.
Gene landing knees to the body.
Gene lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gene blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zal misses with an elbow over the top.
Zal scores with a shoulder strike.
Zal lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gene throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zal blocks it with crossed arms.
Gene prevents Zal from breaking the clinch.
Gene is pushing Zal up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gene landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Gene changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zal fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Zal misses with a double jab.
Zal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gene moves away.
Gene thinks about the counter body kick.
Gene takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Zal scores with a jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zal throws a looping overhand right but Gene ducks down to avoid it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gene gets a clinch.
Gene tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zal looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Frank Gene will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Zal looks to throw the jab but Gene is out of range.
Gene steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Zal.
Zal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gene.
Gene throws a counter combo.
Gene keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gene tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Zal throws an overhand right that lands on Gene's shoulder, as Gene tries to avoid the shot.
Zal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gene.
Zal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gene moves away.
Nick Zal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gene leaves Zal with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zal misses with a shot to the body
and Gene counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A looping hook to the body misses from Zal. Gene does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gene tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Good exchange - Zal coming out on top.
Zal misses with a combination

and Gene counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gene preventing the sweep.
Gene cracks Zal with a solid left hand.
Gene landing with the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zal working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gene.
Gene throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zal works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zal on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zal tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gene keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zal's head.
Gene trying to control the position from guard on top but Zal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zal is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gene is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gene working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gene stands up over Zal, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Zal is looking to stand up but Gene isn't so interested in that idea.
Zal is looking to stand back up but Gene counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Zal.
Gene lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gene lands with a punch from half guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Gene working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Gene has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Zal taking some punishment here, with Gene in his half guard.
Zal has hold of Gene's hands but Gene slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gene working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gene working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Zal has his hands clasped together around Gene's back. He's all about the action.
Zal looks like he's trying to stand up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gene winds up and cracks Zal with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gene lands with a punch from half guard.
Gene missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Zal pushes Gene off looking to stand but Gene dives back in and keeps control.
Zal taking some punishment here, with Gene in his half guard.
Zal wants to get back to his feet.
Gene scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Gene lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Zal is trying to stand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gene is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Gene looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Gene showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Zal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gene jabs Zal to the body, keeping him at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zal throws a lazy right hand but Gene sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gene bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Zal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gene.
Zal sets himself, and Gene steps forward looking for the clinch! Zal avoids it this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zal scores with a jab to the head.
Zal thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gene wants to counter the offense by Zal and move into the clinch position.
Gene moves away from the strike by Zal.
Gene takes a swing at Zal's ribcage but misses.
Zal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zal swats away the attempt to clinch by Gene.
Zal lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zal misses with a body shot.
Zal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gene.
Zal falls off balance throwing a combination

and Gene decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zal's guard.
Gene working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Zal wants to hit a switch here but Gene passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Zal there!
Zal is in a horrible position here. Gene smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zal working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gene is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Zal is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Frank Gene!