PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ba Lil I (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Zagorno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lil I
vs
Zagorno

170 cm
21
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

165 cm
21
140 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Insanely flexible

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ba Lil I!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gabriel Zagorno!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lil I throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Lil I goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Lil I swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zagorno throws a hook but Lil I avoids it easily.
Lil I throws a push kick but Zagorno slaps the foot to one side.
Zagorno ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lil I moves away.
Lil I avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Zagorno gets caught flat footed, as Lil I shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Zagorno looking for a sweep. Not yet Zagorno, not yet.
Zagorno keeping moving, preventing Lil I from controlling successfully.

Zagorno has his foot on Lil I's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lil I works his way back into a safe position though.
Lil I pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zagorno is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zagorno is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lil I trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lil I postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lil I trying to control the position from guard on top but Zagorno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lil I works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno wants to control but Lil I is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Zagorno slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Zagorno bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lil I's guard.
Zagorno postures up in Lil I's guard and throws a big left but Lil I blocks it.
Zagorno looking to pass the guard.
Zagorno slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Lil I manages to work his way to half guard, despite Zagorno's best efforts.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lil I tries to get to full guard but Zagorno has control of the leg.
Lil I is in trouble now - Zagorno has advanced to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zagorno trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lil I wants to control but Zagorno is having none of it.
Zagorno lands a big shot there that rocks Lil I but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Zagorno in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Lil I is squirming around, avoiding Zagorno's attempts to control the action.
Lil I is looking to get to half guard.
Zagorno misses with a head shot.
Lil I can't escape the position.
Zagorno looking to ground and pound but Lil I is blocking nicely.
Zagorno thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lil I is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Lil I avoids a series of strikes thrown by Zagorno.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zagorno throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Zagorno working Lil I over with strikes here.
Zagorno unloads with some shots from mount but Lil I bucks and avoids them well.
Zagorno punching from mount but Lil I doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Lil I tries to hold on but Zagorno pushes him away.
Zagorno trying to control but Lil I is having none of it.
Zagorno with shots to the head and body - Lil I looks very uncomfortable down there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zagorno content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Zagorno 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.

Lil I keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zagorno.
Zagorno jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ba Lil I is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zagorno throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lil I swinging wildly here.

Zagorno changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lil I looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Lil I dodges the ground and pound from Zagorno.
Zagorno sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Lil I is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Zagorno working away.
Lil I tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Lil I's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zagorno tries to score with some ground and pound. Lil I controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Zagorno is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Lil I knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Zagorno working away.
Lil I is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Zagorno's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Lil I manages to get to full guard.
Zagorno passes Lil I's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lil I is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zagorno pulls his head out easily.
Zagorno missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zagorno trying to control the action but Lil I is working from the bottom.

Zagorno looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Zagorno missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Zagorno is keen to just control but Lil I is a slippery customer.
Zagorno has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lil I gets full guard.

Zagorno got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lil I has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Zagorno has managed to get both his arms back between Lil I's legs - danger averted.
Zagorno trying to control the position from guard on top but Lil I is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lil I has his foot on Zagorno's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zagorno works his way back into a safe position though.
Zagorno postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zagorno wants to control from the top but Lil I keeps moving.
Lil I manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Zagorno working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zagorno is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zagorno is squirming around, avoiding Lil I's attempts to control the action.
Zagorno gets back to half guard.

Lil I is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Zagorno is just riding it out for now. Lil I eventually gives up the hold.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lil I is trying to control the action in half guard but Zagorno is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Zagorno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lil I looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Lil I is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Zagorno defends it well.
Lil I is keen to just control but Zagorno is a slippery customer.
Lil I misses with a head shot. Zagorno uses the momentum to regain guard.
Zagorno looking to control.
Zagorno keeping moving, preventing Lil I from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zagorno is trying to keep Lil I in close.
Zagorno looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lil I is one step ahead there.
Lil I scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Zagorno working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lil I doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lil I manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Zagorno is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Lil I has his hands clasped together but Zagorno extends an breaks Lil I's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Zagorno.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Gabriel Zagorno!
Gabriel Zagorno looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'It is an honor to fight in this promotion and in front of all these fans!'.