PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jan Jan Echano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Juan Zardoz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Jan Echano
vs
Zardoz

200 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
236 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jan Jan Echano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Juan Zardoz!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zardoz 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.
Zardoz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Zardoz thows a big elbow that misses.
Zardoz trying to control but Echano is working from the bottom.
Zardoz is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Zardoz stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Echano tries to work over Zardoz's front leg with a kick but Zardoz checks it.
Echano walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Zardoz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Zardoz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Zardoz trying to control but Echano is working from the bottom.
Zardoz is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Zardoz trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Echano has his feet on Zardoz's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Echano stuffs the takedown attempt from Zardoz. Zardoz gets slowly back to his feet.
Zardoz shoots for a takedown but Echano saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Echano throws a sloppy head kick and Zardoz moves out of range easily.
Zardoz throws a half hearted mid kick.
Jan Jan Echano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zardoz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Echano can pounce on him.
Echano throws a solid leg kick but Zardoz takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Echano.

Zardoz scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Echano is not content to let Zardoz control the position.
Zardoz looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Echano is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Zardoz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Echano keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Zardoz stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Zardoz gets the takedown into side control.
Zardoz tries to advance to mount but can't.
A lull in the action here as Zardoz stalls from top position.
Zardoz works to advance to full mount. Echano defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Zardoz dominated that round.
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.

Zardoz takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Echano is looking to chop away at Zardoz's legs.
Echano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Echano misses with a low kick.
Zardoz fails to land the takedown.
Echano throws a low kick, looking for Zardoz's leg but Zardoz calmly moves out of range.
Zardoz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Echano fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Zardoz is out of range.
Echano wants to slow Zardoz down by chopping away at his legs.
Echano fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Zardoz checks it well.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Echano lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Zardoz has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Zardoz and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Echano dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Zardoz. That did some damage!
Echano misses with a head kick.
Echano misses with a low kick.

Zardoz scores a takedown into full mount!
Echano knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zardoz on the ground.
Zardoz is breathing heavily.
Echano is squirming around, avoiding Zardoz's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zardoz stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Zardoz tries to score a power double leg takedown but Echano sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Zardoz somewhat.
Echano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Zardoz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Echano!

Zardoz looking to secure an arm triangle but Echano defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zardoz won't let Echano get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Zardoz throws some wild stikes that Echano manages to avoid easily.

Zardoz gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Echano tries a low kick but Zardoz avoids it.
Echano wants to slow Zardoz down by chopping away at his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zardoz checks a low kick from Echano.
A chopping leg kick lands by Echano.
Echano misses with a low kick.
Echano tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Zardoz is able to avoid easily.
Echano misses with a head kick.
Zardoz chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Echano can pounce on him.
Zardoz doesn't manage to clinch there - Echano circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zardoz stops Echano from standing up.
Zardoz trying to control but Echano is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zardoz thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jan Jan Echano will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zardoz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Echano wants to stand up but Zardoz is controlling him.

Zardoz stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Echano misses with a low kick.
Zardoz uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Echano.
Zardoz moves out of range of the leg kick from Echano.
Echano throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Echano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Echano.
Zardoz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Echano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Echano throws a leg kick which misses Zardoz's front leg but catches the back leg as Zardoz tries to avoid it.
Jan Jan Echano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some bone on bone action there as Zardoz checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Zardoz blocks the body kick.
Echano misses with a head kick.
Echano pivots, looking for a leg kick but Zardoz is out of range and Echano settles back down.
Zardoz's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Zardoz moves out of range as Echano throws a body kick.
Good work by Zardoz as he checks the leg kick.
Echano thows a body shot but no joy.

Echano gets caught flat footed, as Zardoz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zardoz trying to control the position from guard on top but Echano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zardoz stands up from Echano's guard - Zardoz perhaps looking for a knockout.
Echano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Echano thumps Zardoz with a low kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Echano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Echano throws a nice inside leg kick.
Jan Jan Echano is winning the standup battle so far.
Echano cracks the inside of Zardoz's front leg.
Echano misses with a low kick.
Zardoz changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Echano tries to avoid it but Zardoz manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Echano to the ground. Echano escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jan Jan Echano is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zardoz tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Good leg kick by Echano there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Zardoz blocks a low kick nicely.
Echano is looking to chop away at Zardoz's legs.
Zardoz fails to land the takedown.
Echano scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Echano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Echano throws a head kick but Zardoz moves out of range.

Zardoz closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Zardoz trying to control the action but Echano is working from the bottom.
Zardoz is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Echano's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Echano is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Zardoz asserts his dominance and retains side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jan Jan Echano showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Echano 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jan Jan Echano!