PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Emet Golem (ranked 1020 p4p, 163 weight class) and Zsiga Venczel (ranked 1481 p4p, 224 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Golem
vs
Venczel

195 cm
40
217 lbs
18 - 18 - 0

192 cm
31
220 lbs
25 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars
Urban Fighter

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 18 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Emet Golem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Zsiga Venczel!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Franklyn Lucas and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Venczel on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Golem swinging wildly here.
Venczel slips under a jab from Golem.
Golem looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Venczel closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We've been hearing good reports from Golem's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Golem is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Golem managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Venczel.
Venczel trying to control the action but Golem is working from the bottom.
Golem tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Venczel easily slips into full mount!
Venczel scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venczel misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Golem is squirming around, avoiding Venczel's attempts to control the action.
Venczel putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Venczel scoring with strikes but Golem is staying in there.
Venczel sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Venczel throws some wild stikes that Golem manages to avoid easily.
Venczel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venczel looking to finish with strikes here!
Venczel scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Golem?
Venczel throwing strikes here but Golem is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Venczel looking to control but Golem is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Venczel controlling from the full mount.
Venczel landing shots from mount.
Venczel in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Golem tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Venczel trying to control but Golem is having none of it.
Venczel throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Golem is working to get back to half guard.
Venczel wants to control the action but instead Golem gets a body lock and reverses into Venczel's guard! Nice work!
Venczel working a defensive guard but Golem passes into half guard.
Venczel works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venczel controls Golem momentarily but Golem frees himself.
Venczel trying to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zsiga Venczel dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Golem swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Golem pulls out of a head kick attempt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Golem enables Venczel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Golem manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Golem is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Venczel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Venczel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Venczel trying to control but Golem is working from the bottom.
Venczel is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Golem utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Venczel landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venczel slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Venczel working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Venczel tries for a kimura but Golem is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Golem tries to improve position but can't.

Venczel is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Golem is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Venczel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Golem keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venczel landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Golem is not content to let Venczel control the position.
Venczel controls the position.
Golem is not content to let Venczel control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Venczel is putting a hurting on Golem here, landing some big shots from side control.
Venczel misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Venczel is looking to take a break and control but Golem is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Venczel controlling the position from side mount.
Venczel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Golem keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Venczel tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Venczel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Golem keeps working.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Emet Golem is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Golem throws a head kick that misses.

Venczel closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Golem did well to prevent Venczel getting side control.
Venczel trying to control the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Venczel wants to control but Golem is keeping him busy.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Venczel working his ground and pound in the gym.
Venczel trying to advance position but Golem counters by regaining guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Venczel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zsiga Venczel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Venczel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Venczel lands a leg kick that knocks Golem off balance momentarily.
Venczel wants to clinch up but Golem keeps it at a distance.
Venczel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Venczel shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Golem's guard.
Golem is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Venczel is controlling him.
Venczel with a flurry of punches that miss.
Venczel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Golem works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Venczel postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Venczel trying to control but Golem is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venczel works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Venczel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zsiga Venczel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ground and pound from Venczel.
Ground and pound from Venczel.
Golem is not content to let Venczel control the position.
Golem blocking the ground and pound attempt from Venczel.
Golem trying to control from the bottom.
Venczel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Golem keeps working.
Zsiga Venczel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venczel wants to pass the guard but Golem is defending well.
Venczel content to control rather than advance.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Golem throws out a loose jab but Venczel uses good head movement to avoid it.

Venczel darts in and clinches Golem up against the cage.
Golem misses with a short punch on the inside.
Golem throws a punch but it's blocked by Venczel.
Golem tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Golem swings wildly with an uppercut but Venczel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Golem misses with some punches.
Emet Golem has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Venczel blocking some punches.
Venczel is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Golem is defending well.
Golem misses with some punches.
Venczel is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Golem to keep the fight standing.
Emet Golem has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zsiga Venczel.
Venczel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Venczel blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Venczel's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Golem throws a punch but it's blocked by Venczel.
Golem misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golem swings wildly with an uppercut but Venczel uses good head movement to avoid it.
Venczel scores with a shot to the side of Golem's head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Golem.
Golem tries to work over Venczel's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Golem swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Venczel has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Golem after a bit of a struggle.
Venczel goes for a takedown in the clinch but Golem prevents it.
Golem stops a takedown attempt from Venczel.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Golem working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Golem fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Golem swings wildly with an uppercut but Venczel uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Emet Golem.
I think Venczel 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zsiga Venczel!
A victorious Zsiga Venczel thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.