PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rudy Zabel (ranked 25832 p4p, 4817 weight class) and John Travolta (ranked 0 p4p, 449 weight class). Rudy Zabel has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Zabel
vs
Travolta

195 cm
18
260
0 - 4 - 0

195 cm
25
250
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rudy Zabel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Travolta!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Radbod Blank and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zabel gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Travolta holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Zabel goes for a takedown attempt but Travolta pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Zabel tries to keep at a distance but Travolta has taken the fight into the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Travolta.

Travolta gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Zabel regains guard.
Zabel is trying to control the position but Travolta postures up.
Travolta looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Travolta decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Zabel, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Travolta closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Zabel's guard.
Travolta sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zabel's guard.
Zabel wants to get back to full guard.
Zabel manages to get to full guard.
Travolta is looking to work some ground and pound but Zabel has wrist control.
Travolta must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Zabel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zabel is really struggling to control Travolta but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Travolta won't allow Zabel to sweep him here.
Travolta looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zabel trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Travolta postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zabel lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Zabel trying to control but Travolta is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travolta thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Zabel throws a big elbow that misses.
Travolta avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zabel being controlled here momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Travolta closes the distance and pushes Zabel back into the cage.

Travolta breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Travolta clinches up with Zabel and pushes him back against the cage.

Travolta pulls guard effortlessly.
Zabel throwing strikes but missing.
Zabel stopping the sweep attempt from Travolta.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zabel advances position into side control!
A control attempt from Travolta but he's now mounted!
Zabel looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Travolta prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Travolta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Zabel landing strikes from the mount and Travolta is in trouble!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Travolta is working to get back to half guard.
Zabel lands a big shot there that rocks Travolta but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Travolta dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Zabel doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Travolta counters with a series of strikes. Zabel will be more careful next time no doubt.

Travolta has taken the fight to the clinch.

Travolta's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zabel is trying hard to land a takedown here. Travolta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zabel.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rudy Zabel. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Travolta feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Travolta's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Travolta showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
John Travolta has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zabel tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Travolta pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zabel is keeping the position for now.
Travolta not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Zabel trying to control the position.
Travolta stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zabel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zabel tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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

Zabel tries to sprawl but Travolta drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Zabel manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Zabel is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Zabel trying to control from half guard but Travolta is working away.
Travolta is looking to escape.
Travolta keeping control of the position.
Travolta's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Travolta keeps working.
Travolta is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Zabel scores with a couple of nice shots.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Travolta can do anything to dispel that myth.
Travolta controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Travolta tries to get to full guard but Zabel has control of the leg.

Travolta has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Zabel is on him like a limpet, forcing Travolta back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zabel goes for a takedown in the clinch but Travolta prevents it.
Travolta prevents the takedown attempt.

Travolta breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Travolta lands a two punch combo.
Zabel with a poor takedown

and Travolta counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Travolta gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Zabel.

Travolta breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zabel fails to land the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Travolta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Zabel misses with a takedown attempt
and Travolta counters with a nice leg kick.
Zabel fails to land the takedown.
Travolta tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Zabel fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rudy Zabel. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Travolta scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Travolta scoring with punches and elbows.
Zabel wants to control but Travolta postures up.
Zabel is looking for a sweep.
Travolta really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Zabel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Travolta working the ground and pound from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Travolta controls the position.
Travolta is continuing to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Travolta goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Zabel rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Travolta's guard! Nice work there by Zabel!
Travolta can't keep his opponent in guard - Zabel advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Travolta is refusing to be controlled, as Zabel sits in half guard.
Travolta is trying is best to control the position here.
Travolta is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zabel is keen to just control but Travolta is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zabel is nestled in close to Travolta, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Zabel is keen to just control but Travolta is a slippery customer.
Travolta is trying is best to control the position here.
Travolta tries to roll over but Zabel keeps him under control.
Travolta is doing well to control the position and prevent Zabel from advancing to side control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Zabel prevents Travolta from improving his position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zabel dives in and grabs Travolta's left leg, looking for a takedown. Travolta pushes down on Zabel's head and hops out.

Travolta forces Zabel back against the cage and clinches.
Zabel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Travolta is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Travolta breaks from the clinch.

Zabel dives in and scores a takedown into Travolta's guard.
Zabel trying to control the position from guard on top but Travolta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Travolta has Zabel pulled in close to control his posture.

Travolta working for a triangle but Zabel defends it easily.
Zabel trying to control but Travolta is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zabel preventing the sweep.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Travolta keeping moving, preventing Zabel from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Travolta goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rudy Zabel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Travolta is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zabel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Travolta moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Travolta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Travolta has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Travolta!