PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Simmons Zak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sheldon Labasan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Zak
vs
Labasan

170 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Simmons Zak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sheldon Labasan!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zak is looking to clinch.
Zak wants to clinch.
Zak slaps away a takedown attempt from Labasan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Simmons Zak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Labasan or perhaps it was just good defense by Zak which made him look bad.
Zak is looking to clinch.
Labasan moves in looking to clinch but Zak pushes him off.
Labasan looks for a takedown but Zak sprawls well.
Simmons Zak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sheldon Labasan.

Labasan gets tackled into the cage by Zak. Zak maintains the clinch.

Zak breaks from the clinch.
Zak tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Labasan counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Zak tries to clinch up.
Labasan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zak is fending him off so far but Labasan persists. Nope, Zak circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zak using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zak dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Zak seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zak pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Zak wants the takedown. Labasan is fighting it off but Zak persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Labasan's guard against the cage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Labasan keeping moving, preventing Zak from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Labasan is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Labasan won't allow Zak to get back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zak tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Labasan drops back looking for a leg! Zak is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Zak manages to kick Labasan off! Labasan jumps back into Zak's guard.
Zak looking for a sweep. Not yet Zak, not yet.
Zak on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zak tries to get out of the position.
Zak wants to stand but Labasan is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labasan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zak swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Labasan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Zak 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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Labasan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Labasan looks gassed!
Zak is wriggling around but Labasan manages to pass to half guard.
Zak is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zak wants to improve his position but Labasan is controlling well.

Zak is defending against the submission attempts here by Labasan.
Zak wants to get back to his feet.
Zak is looking to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zak is trying to control but can't.
Zak looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simmons Zak dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Labasan swats away the attempt to clinch by Zak.
Zak throws a nice inside leg kick.
Zak cracks the inside of Labasan's front leg.
Sheldon Labasan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zak closes the distance but Labasan moves to the side
and Labasan makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Zak wants to land a leg kick but Labasan is out of range.
Labasan keeps the fight on the outside.

Zak gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Zak breaks the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Labasan or perhaps it was just good defense by Zak which made him look bad.
Zak is looking to clinch but Labasan is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Zak doesn't manage to clinch there - Labasan circles away.

Zak gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Zak avoiding damage.
Labasan stops a takedown attempt from Zak.
Zak content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Labasan is trying to drag Zak to the mat but Zak just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Zak is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Labasan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Zak misses with a knee strike.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zak stalling in the clinch.
Zak misses with a knee strike.
Zak with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zak trying to control the position but instead, Labasan has worked for underhooks and has pushed Zak into the cage.
Zak tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zak leaning his opponent against the cage.
Labasan tries to score a body lock takedown but Zak shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Simmons Zak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sheldon Labasan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zak prevents the takedown attempt.
Zak is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Labasan is looking to take this one to the mat.
Zak is pressed up against the cage. Labasan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zak down to the mat. Zak avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zak defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Labasan.
Zak looks to land a body kick but Labasan moved away.

Zak moves into range and clinches up with Labasan.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but Labasan blocks with his arms.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but Labasan blocks with his arms.
Zak misses with a knee to the head.
Zak tries for a takedown but Labasan manages to get underhooks.
Zak tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Labasan is trying to drag Zak to the mat but Zak just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Labasan tries to score a body lock takedown but Zak shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Labasan tries for a takedown but Zak manages to get underhooks.
Zak's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Zak tries a knee to the head but Labasan blocks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zak throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Labasan blocks it with crossed arms.
Zak misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Labasan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simmons Zak dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Zak moves out of range of the body kick.
Labasan swats away the attempt to clinch by Zak.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Zak.
Zak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Labasan shoots in looking for a takedown but Zak manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Labasan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Labasan blocks a head kick by Zak.
Zak tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Labasan is looking to clinch.
Zak stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Zak wants it to stay on the feet.
Zak doesn't manage to clinch there - Labasan circles away.
Zak tries to clinch but Labasan is having none of it.
Labasan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Zak closes the distance and pushes Labasan back into the cage.
Zak misses with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zak trying to land knees to the body.
Labasan drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Simmons Zak has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sheldon Labasan.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but Labasan blocks with his arms.
Zak tries a knee to the head but Labasan blocks it.
Zak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Labasan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Labasan tries to pull guard but Zak won't allow it.

Zak breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Labasan looks for a takedown but Zak sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zak shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zak moves to clinch but Labasan breaks away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Zak tries to clinch but Labasan is having none of it.
Labasan keeps the fight on the outside.
Zak tries to clinch up but Labasan circles away and keeps his distance.
Zak is looking to clinch.
Zak tries to clinch but Labasan moves away
and Labasan counters with a nice leg kick.
Labasan circles away from the clinch attempt
and Labasan counters with a solid body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labasan fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Zak avoids it really well and circles away.
Zak wants to clinch up but Labasan keeps it at a distance.
Labasan throws a leg kick but Zak sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Zak clinches.
Labasan tries for a takedown but Zak manages to get underhooks.
Labasan looking for a takedown.
A knee to the head by Zak.
Zak tries to land knees in the clinch but Labasan avoids the damage to the body.

Zak escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zak is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zak connects with an inside leg kick.
Zak cracks the inside of Labasan's front leg.
Labasan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Zak sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Zak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Labasan keeps the fight on the outside.
Zak moves in looking to clinch but Labasan pushes him off.
Zak is looking to clinch.
Zak looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Labasan is fending him off so far but Zak persists. Nope, Labasan circles away and we're back to standing.

Zak instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee calls for Zak to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

And that's the end of the fight!
Simmons Zak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Zak has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simmons Zak!