PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Calzaghe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Zack Miller was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Calzaghe
vs
Miller

185 cm
28
158 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

178 cm
29
153 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

[BTF] Born to Fight

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Calzaghe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zack Miller!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Miller throws a one two combo.
Zack Miller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Miller avoids a punch combination nicely.
Miller throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Calzaghe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Miller is trying to stand back up but Calzaghe is controlling him

Miller pushes Calzaghe off and gets back to his feet.
Calzaghe shoots and misses
and Miller counters with a left and a right that stings Calzaghe.
Miller looks for a takedown but Calzaghe sprawls well.
Miller fails with the takedown
and Calzaghe counters with a two punch combo.
Calzaghe shoots in for a takedown but Miller shows good takedown defense.
Miller throws a right and a left that Calzaghe avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miller shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Calzaghe holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Miller tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
A nice elbow there by Miller.
Calzaghe really wants to buck Miller off and get back to his feet.
Calzaghe is working to get back to half guard.

Miller is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Calzaghe has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Calzaghe wants to control but Miller is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miller jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Calzaghe manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Miller is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Calzaghe will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Calzaghe is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Calzaghe parries the strikes from Miller easily there. Miller is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Calzaghe to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Calzaghe's face as Miller controls the position.
Miller grinds an elbow into Calzaghe's temple.
Miller throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Miller throws a strike aimed at the side of Calzaghe's head but Calzaghe avoids it well.
Miller in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Miller working the ground and pound from side control.

Miller is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Calzaghe knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Calzaghe is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Miller tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Miller is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Calzaghe knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Miller is putting a hurting on Calzaghe here, landing some big shots from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Miller with a lazy takedown attempt
and Calzaghe counters with a series of strikes. Miller will be more careful next time no doubt.
Miller throws a left and a right that both miss

and Calzaghe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Miller gets full guard.
Calzaghe is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Calzaghe gets to his feet - Miller follows without any prompting.
Miller shoots and misses

and Calzaghe decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Miller's guard.
Calzaghe trying to control but Miller is working from the bottom.
Calzaghe is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Miller is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Calzaghe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Miller wants to get back to his feet but Calzaghe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miller has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Calzaghe off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Miller throws a combination that misses

and Calzaghe counters with a nice double leg into side control. Miller won't be happy with that.

Miller throws Calzaghe to one side and escapes!
Miller throws a left and a right that both miss

and Calzaghe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Calzaghe not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Miller is staying active underneath Calzaghe, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Calzaghe prevents Miller from standing back up.

Miller kicks off Calzaghe and gets to his feet.
Miller is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Miller.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe parries the strikes from Miller easily there. Miller is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Calzaghe to escape.
Miller is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Calzaghe regains half guard.
Miller working over Calzaghe with some ground and pound. Calzaghe looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Miller looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Calzaghe with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Miller sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Calzaghe defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller trying to advance position but Calzaghe counters by regaining guard.
Calzaghe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Miller stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Calzaghe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Miller looking to sit in guard and control but Calzaghe gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Calzaghe stops Miller from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Calzaghe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Miller wants to get back to his feet but Calzaghe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Calzaghe dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

That kick from Calzaghe tenderised Miller's leg. Miller is trying to keep his angry face on.
A head kick by Miller misses

so Calzaghe counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Calzaghe accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Calzaghe 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.

Miller has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Calzaghe off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Miller falls off balance throwing a combination

so Calzaghe counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Calzaghe gets to his feet - Miller follows without any prompting.
Miller swinging wildly here.
Miller falls off balance throwing a combination
and Calzaghe counters with a two punch combo.
Calzaghe misses with a wild combination.
Miller with a poor takedown

and Calzaghe counters with a nice double leg into side control. Miller won't be happy with that.

Calzaghe working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Miller is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller tries to escape but Calzaghe is in control.
Calzaghe is looking to take a break and control but Miller is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Miller explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Miller has his takedown stuffed

and Calzaghe counters with a shoot takedown. Miller fights it but they end up in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Calzaghe looking to sit in guard and control but Miller gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Miller trying to control but Calzaghe is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Miller not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Miller stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Calzaghe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Miller must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Miller postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Calzaghe controls Miller momentarily but Miller frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Miller shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Calzaghe manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Miller missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Miller trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Miller with a flurry of punches that miss.
Calzaghe being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miller pushing down on Calzaghe's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Calzaghe showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Calzaghe 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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Calzaghe!