PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zartan Zatarain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alessandro Moretti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zatarain comes to the cage accompanied by Nine Inch Nails - Hurt. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Zatarain
vs
Moretti

178 cm
23
184 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

184 cm
25
183 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

BALCO UNIFORM
Balco Boys - Hilo

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zartan Zatarain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alessandro Moretti!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zatarain lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Moretti drops his hands momentarily and Zatarain takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Zatarain lands with a nice combination. Moretti backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Alessandro Moretti has been cut.
A clash of legs there as Zatarain blocks the low kick.
Zatarain misses with a takedown
and Moretti counters with a low kick, right behind Zatarain 's knee.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Zatarain enables Moretti to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Zatarain manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Moretti wants to control from the top but Zatarain keeps moving.
Zatarain is adopting a defensive guard.
Moretti with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moretti works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Zatarain won't allow Moretti to pass to mount.
Moretti thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Moretti is thwarting Zatarain's attempts to control the position.
Zatarain tries to roll over but Moretti keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Moretti seems to be looking for submissions.

Moretti is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moretti seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zatarain does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Moretti 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.
Moretti thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zatarain's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moretti passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Zatarain!
Moretti tries to control but Zatarain wriggling away.
Zatarain holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Moretti tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zatarain is trying to escape the mount.
Moretti sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Moretti trying to control but Zatarain is having none of it.
Moretti raining down hammerfists from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Moretti misses with a head shot.

Moretti goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Zatarain turns into him and now he's in Moretti's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alessandro Moretti dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alessandro Moretti's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A bone on bone clash there as Zatarain blocks the leg kick.
Moretti shoots in but Zatarain avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Zatarain lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A jab lands there for Zatarain.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Zatarain, as that shot connected.

Zatarain has closed the distance and engaged Moretti in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zatarain misses with a punch to the body.
Zatarain pushes Moretti back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zatarain scores with a shot to the side of Moretti's head.
Moretti misses with a knee strike.
Zatarain creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Moretti's defenses.
Zatarain working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Zatarain has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Moretti regains guard immediately.
Moretti trying to keep a closed guard but Zatarain is proving a slippery customer.
Zatarain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zatarain content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Moretti has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Zatarain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Moretti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moretti trying to control the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moretti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zatarain accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zatarain is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Zatarain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zatarain throwing strikes but missing.
Zatarain postures up in Moretti's guard and throws a big left but Moretti blocks it.
Zatarain throws a strike but Moretti rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Moretti trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Zatarain manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zatarain throws a strike but Moretti rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Moretti in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zatarain preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Zatarain looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zatarain preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Moretti trying to control but Zatarain is working from the bottom.
Moretti throws a big elbow that misses.
Moretti trying to move into half guard but instead Zatarain has managed to sweep!
Moretti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Moretti utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zatarain postures up and lands a big shot to Moretti's brow.

Moretti has his foot on Zatarain's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Zatarain works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zartan Zatarain dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alessandro Moretti's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Moretti takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Zatarain tries to work over Moretti's front leg with a kick but Moretti checks it.
Moretti shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zatarain but Zatarain pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Zatarain dives in and scores a takedown into Moretti's guard.
Moretti bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zatarain's guard.
Zatarain wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Moretti trying to control but Zatarain is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zatarain working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Moretti.
Moretti throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Moretti with a nice head shot there.
Alessandro Moretti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Moretti looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Moretti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Moretti throwing strikes from guard but Zatarain blocks nicely.
Moretti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zatarain swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moretti wants to control from the top but Zatarain keeps moving.
Morettiis looking to pass into half guard but Zatarain pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Zatarain is in guard.
Zatarain throwing strikes but missing.
Zatarain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zatarain is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Zatarain keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Moretti's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zatarain is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Zatarain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zatarain scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Zatarain throws a big elbow that misses.
Moretti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Moretti throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Moretti with the ground and pound but Zatarain uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Zatarain keeping moving, preventing Moretti from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moretti working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Moretti accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Moretti looking to sit in guard and control but Zatarain gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Zatarain with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zatarain lands a couple of decent looking shots.
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!
Zatarain postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Moretti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Zatarain.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zartan Zatarain showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zatarain 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zartan Zatarain!
Zartan Zatarain took some time post fight to say the following; 'I guess I should thank my opponent for wussing out the first time with that no contest. All it did was make me train harder and beat this bum! Shout out to my Dred Knocks!'.