PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Douglass Ellison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Schurrel Zagreb (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zagreb has chosen My Immortal as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ellison
vs
Zagreb

153 cm
21
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

223 cm
24
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Douglass Ellison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Schurrel Zagreb!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Albert Achterberg and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zagreb tries to clinch but Ellison moves away
and Ellison counters with a one-two to the body.
Zagreb throws a one two combo.

It looks like Douglass Ellison has been cut.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ellison.
Ellison working the head and body with strikes.
Zagreb takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zagreb is looking to regain half guard here but Ellison keeps moving and retains side control.
Ellison misses with the ground and pound.
Ellison could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Zagreb tries to escape but Ellison is in control.
Zagreb takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Ellison is trying to get an arm triangle but Zagreb is defending well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zagreb can do anything to dispel that myth.

Ellison is trying to get an arm triangle but Zagreb is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ellison is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Zagreb has escaped the position, nice work there.
Zagreb is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Ellison asserts his dominance and retains side control.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Ellison is trying to get an arm triangle but Zagreb is defending well.
Zagreb struggling a bit here.
Ellison connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Zagreb some visible discomfort.
Ellison works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zagreb is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Ellison is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zagreb knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ellison looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ellison fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Zagreb is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Ellison is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zagreb knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Ellison is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zagreb knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Zagreb is looking to regain half guard here but Ellison keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ellison is looking to take a break and control but Zagreb is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Douglass Ellison dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Douglass Ellison's cut.
That's time! Ellison's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zagreb shoots in for a takedown but Ellison shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zagreb tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ellison closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Zagreb's guard.
Ellison working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Zagreb's head.
Ellison is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Ellison thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Zagreb wants to sweep but no luck.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ellison drops back looking for a leg! Zagreb is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zagreb manages to kick Ellison off! Ellison jumps back into Zagreb's guard.
Ellison working some strikes from top position.
Zagreb is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellison throwing strikes from guard but Zagreb blocks nicely.
Zagreb is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ellison in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zagreb tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zagreb really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ellison. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zagreb preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ellison postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Ellison drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Zagreb manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ellison has Zagreb in his guard.

Zagreb throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ellison works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ellison 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ellison has Zagreb pulled in close to control his posture.
Zagreb wants to control from the top but Ellison keeps moving.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Zagreb working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Zagreb trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ellison manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Zagreb preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zagreb working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ellison.
Ellison is in close to Zagreb's body, working some short punches and elbows.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ellison accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ellison is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ellison throwing strikes from guard but Zagreb blocks nicely.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Douglass Ellison overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zagreb keeping moving, preventing Ellison from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zagreb scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zagreb shoots for a takedown but Ellison saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Douglass Ellison is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ellison shoots in looking for a takedown but Zagreb manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ellison's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Zagreb misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zagreb tries to clinch up

and Ellison counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Zagreb trying to control from the bottom.
Ellison takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zagreb has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ellison is working away from the top position though.
Ellison is figuring out what he wants to do next.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Douglass Ellison dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Douglass Ellison's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Zagreb looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zagreb fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ellison seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Zagreb throws a head kick that half lands.

Ellison looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zagreb preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ellison chips away with some ground and pound.
Ellison is in close to Zagreb's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Zagreb wants to sweep here but Ellison controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellison missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ellison not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ellison with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zagreb utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ellison sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Zagreb has momentary wrist control but Ellison slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ellison's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ellison chips away with some ground and pound.
Ellison postures up in Zagreb's guard and throws a big left but Zagreb blocks it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ellison shoots in but no luck this time.
Ellison closes the distance and clinches up with Zagreb, looking for a takedown. Ellison pushes Zagreb against the cage but Zagreb circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Zagreb lands a nice looking kick to the body. Ellison takes a step back to recover.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zagreb tries to clinch up but Ellison circles away and keeps his distance.
Ellison went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Zagreb tries for a takedown but Ellison sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ellison tries to counter with a takedown but Zagreb is quick to defend against it.
Zagreb digs a good hook to Ellison's body.
Zagreb misses with a head kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Zagreb!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellison takes a kick to the side of the head.
Zagreb lands a slapping body shot.
Ellison shoots in for a takedown but Zagreb shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zagreb raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Douglass Ellison. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zagreb goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Zagreb lands with a kick to the ribs.
Ellison swats away the attempt to clinch by Zagreb.
Ellison takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Zagreb tries to clinch up but Ellison circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zagreb has his takedown stuffed

and Ellison counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ellison missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ellison not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Ellison 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.
Ellison missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Schurrel Zagreb.
I think Ellison 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Douglass Ellison!
The defeated Schurrel Zagreb had this to say: 'Aw, man too bad.'.