PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Zima Voin (ranked 2166 p4p, 2258 weight class) and Kevin Jones (ranked 303 p4p, 321 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Voin
vs
Jones

178 cm
40
170
16 - 16 - 0

184 cm
25
198
9 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Conviction
FUClothing

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 16 - 16 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zima Voin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kevin Jones!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Voin moves into the clinch.
Jones has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Voin after a bit of a struggle.

Jones has clasped his hands together around Voin's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The referee asks Jones politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Jones prefers to stall for the moment though.
Jones tries to advance to mount but can't.
An elbow from Jones crashes against the mat.

Jones thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Voin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones advances nicely into full mount.
Jones looking to control but Voin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones controlling the position easily from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poor strikes thrown by Jones there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Jones has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Voin is trying to escape the mount.
Jones throwing strikes here but Voin is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Jones content just to control the position here.
Jones postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Voin looks a forlorn figure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones tries to control but Voin wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones landing punches.
Jones is trying to control here but Voin has managed to regain half guard.
Voin is holding on to half guard well.
Jones is trying to control the action in half guard but Voin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jones trying to pass the guard but Voin defending well.
Jones is thwarting Voin's attempts to control the position.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but Voin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Voin wants to improve his position but Jones is controlling well.
Voin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've been hearing good reports from Voin'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.
Jones trying to control the action but Voin is working from the bottom.
Jones controlling the action here.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Jones working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Voin trying to control here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jones wants to take a breather but Voin is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Voin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Voin tries to clinch up
enabling Jones to counter with a crisp jab.

Jones looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Voin!
Voin is not content to let Jones control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Voin being controlled for a moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Jones dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Voin slips under a jab from Jones.
Jones needs to keep his hands up - Voin had a free shot at his head there.

It looks like Kevin Jones has been cut.

Voin scores with a takedown into Jones's guard.
Jones 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.
Jones wants to hit a sweep here but Voin passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Jones there!
Jones stops Voin from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones is looking to get to half guard.
Jones is squirming around, avoiding Voin's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones tries to hold on but Voin pushes him away.
Jones is trying desperately to improve position.
Jones tries to lock up and control but Voin gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Voin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jones is looking to escape.
Jones is in all sorts of trouble here.
Voin looking to control but Jones is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Jones tries to reverse the position but Voin maintains control.
Jones wants to hold on but Voin pushes him away.
Jones tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jones regains half guard.
Voin is pressing down on Jones's thigh, looking to free his foot. Jones is holding on for now.
Voin perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Jones is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones is trying to control but can't.
Jones is pressing down on Voin's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Jones looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jones has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jones being controlled here, momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Jones looks to land a combination but Voin avoids it well.
Jones waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Voin.
Jones misses with a shot to the body
and Voin counters with a straight right hand.
The fighters circling - Jones throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Voin drives through and clinches with Jones against the cage.
Jones is looking for a takedown.
Voin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Jones is looking for a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Voin is trying to trip Jones. He has hold of a leg but Jones is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Voin persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Voin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jones is keeping the position for now.
Jones wants to sweep but no luck.
Voin stays in close to Jones's body and controls the position.
Jones is trying to keep Voin in close.
Jones is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones controlling Voin's posture.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zima Voin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kevin Jones's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Jones enables Voin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Jones manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Jones is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Jones is stalling here. Voin is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Jones seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Voin has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Jones is looking to reverse the position.
Jones keeps trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Voin slows the pace down.
Jones is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voin takes a little break here. Jones wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Jones struggling a bit here.
Jones is being controlled here.

That's two 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.
Jones tries to buck Voin off but Voin is having none of it.
Voin taking a breather here.
Jones is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Voin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Jones trying to hold on to Voin's head to control him but Voin postures up.
Jones preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Jones is looking to control Voin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jones avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jones looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Voin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Voin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Jones throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Voin on the side of the head.
A jab from Jones misses.
Jones throws out a loose jab but Voin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jones blocks a jab.
Jones misses with a hook. Voin ducked under it nicely.
Jones scores with a body shot.

Voin has Jones up against the cage in a clinch.
Voin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Jones changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Voin fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jones shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Jones showed some decent athleticism there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jones trying to control from half guard but Voin is working away.
Voin is doing well to control the position and prevent Jones from advancing to side control.
Jones looks to land a strike but Voin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones wants to control from the top but Voin keeps moving.

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 Zima Voin.
I think Voin 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

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