PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aadilou Ankutse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zenek Ziemski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ankutse comes into the arena with i ka kane blaring out of the sound system. 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 Zenek Ziemski was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Ankutse
vs
Ziemski

168 cm
26
149 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

187 cm
28
155 lbs
11 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aadilou Ankutse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Zenek Ziemski!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ankutse throws a right hand that Ziemski ducks under and follows up with a left that Ziemski also avoids with ease.

Ankutse closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ankutse lands in his opponent's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Ankutse stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ziemski swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Our spies down at at Xtreme Punishment inform us that Ziemski has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Ziemski working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ankutse.
Ziemski pulls Ankutse in to control the position.
Ankutse wants to control from the top but Ziemski keeps moving.

Ankutse drops back looking for a leg! Ziemski is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ziemski manages to kick Ankutse off! Ankutse jumps back into Ziemski's guard.
Ankutse working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ziemski trying to keep a closed guard but Ankutse is proving a slippery customer.
Ankutse wants to control from the top but Ziemski keeps moving.
Ziemski is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ziemski pulls Ankutse in close to his closed guard and prevents Ankutse from doing any damage or advancing position.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Zenek Ziemski.

Ankutse looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ziemski!
We've been hearing that Ankutse has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziemski manages to get back to half guard.
Ziemski has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ankutse is working away from the top position though.

Ziemski is defending against the submission attempts here by Ankutse.

Ziemski looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ziemski wants to control but Ankutse is keeping busy.
Ziemski tries to get to full guard but Ankutse has control of the leg.
Ankutse thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ziemski trying to control from the bottom.

Ankutse is working for a kimura but Ziemski is defending it quite comfortably.
Ziemski is looking to control Ankutse's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ziemski avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ziemski actively working from the bottom here.
Ziemski is trying to maintain the position but Ankutse is very close to passing his half guard.

Ziemski is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ankutse pulls his head out easily.

Ankutse is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ziemski has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ankutse wants to take a breather but Ziemski is having none of it.
Ziemski wants to control but Ankutse is keeping busy.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ziemski wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziemski gets full guard.
Ankutse throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ziemski works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Ankutse got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ziemski has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ankutse has managed to get both his arms back between Ziemski's legs - danger averted.
Ziemski is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ziemski working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ankutse.
Ankutse is looking to work some ground and pound but Ziemski has wrist control.

Ziemski is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ankutse defends well.
Ziemski keeping moving, preventing Ankutse from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ziemski controls Ankutse momentarily but Ankutse frees himself.
Ankutse preventing the sweep.
Ankutse stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ziemski swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ankutse throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ankutse wants to control from the top but Ziemski keeps moving.
Ankutse might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Ankutse drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ankutse jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Ankutse avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Ziemski working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ankutse doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ankutse manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ankutse tries to free his leg and advance position but Ziemski is retaining full guard.
Ankutse preventing the sweep.
Ankutse trying to control the position from guard on top but Ziemski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ankutse tries to free his leg and advance position but Ziemski is retaining full guard.

Ziemski is looking for a triangle but Ankutse pushes his legs off easily.
Ankutse trying to control the position from guard on top but Ziemski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Aadilou Ankutse will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ankutse bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ziemski struggling a bit here.
The ground and pound from Ankutse seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Ankutse wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ziemski, who protects the arm well.

Ankutse tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ziemski can't do much from the bottom here.
Aadilou Ankutse overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ankutse working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ankutse grinds an elbow into Ziemski's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziemski struggling a bit here.

Ankutse looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ankutse wants to control but Ziemski is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Ziemski's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Ankutse tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ankutse working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziemski is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Ankutse is staying active.
Ziemski is trying to improve his position.
Ziemski is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Ankutse working away.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Ankutse tries for a kimura but Ziemski is defending well.

Ankutse is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ziemski has escaped the position, nice work there.
Ziemski gets back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ankutse is looking to advance position but Ziemski won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Ankutse.
Ankutse scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Ankutse is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ziemski sees it coming and defends easily.
Ankutse takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Ankutse seems to be working for a kimura but Ziemski defends the submission attempt.
Ziemski gets back to full guard.

Ankutse drops back looking for a leg! Ziemski is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ziemski manages to kick Ankutse off! Ankutse jumps back into Ziemski's guard.

Ziemski looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Ziemski looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ankutse trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ankutse trying to control the position from guard on top but Ziemski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ziemski looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ziemski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ziemski wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ankutse tries to free his leg and advance position but Ziemski is retaining full guard.
Ankutse trying to control the position from guard on top but Ziemski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ankutse drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ankutse jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Ankutse got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ziemski has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ankutse has managed to get both his arms back between Ziemski's legs - danger averted.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ankutse preventing the sweep.
Ankutse slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ankutse trying to control the position from guard on top but Ziemski is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aadilou Ankutse dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ankutse looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Ziemski wants to control but Ankutse is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ziemski is looking to improve his position.
Ziemski is trying to control but can't.
Ankutse wants to pass the guard but Ziemski is defending well.
Ankutse not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ziemski avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ankutse.
Ziemski keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Ankutse is looking for a kimura here.
Ziemski wants to get back to full guard.
Ziemski is trying to maintain the position but Ankutse is very close to passing his half guard.

Ankutse is working for a kimura but Ziemski is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziemski trying to control from the bottom.

Ankutse is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ziemski trying to control here.

Ankutse seems to be looking for submissions.

Ankutse is working for a kimura but Ziemski is defending it quite comfortably.
Ziemski moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziemski has his hands on Ankutse's head, controlling the position.
Ziemski is trying to keep Ankutse in close.
Ziemski might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ankutse haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Ankutse wants to control from the top but Ziemski keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Ziemski is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ankutse is aware though and is defending well.
Ankutse pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ziemski is keeping the position for now.

Ziemski throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ankutse postures up and lands a big shot to Ziemski's brow.
This has been an exciting period of action!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ankutse wants to control from the top but Ziemski keeps moving.
Ziemski is trying to control the position but Ankutse postures up.
Ankutse trying to control but Ziemski is working from the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Ankutse drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ankutse jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ziemski working a defensive guard here.

Ziemski had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ankutse defends it easily.
Ziemski is trying to keep Ankutse in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ziemski looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ziemski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ankutse pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ziemski is keeping the position for now.
Ankutse postures up.

Ankutse thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Ziemski had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ankutse defends it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ziemski trying to control the position.
Zenek Ziemski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ankutse passes easily into side control. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zenek Ziemski.
Well Ankutse 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Aadilou Ankutse!
Aadilou Ankutse thanked the fans post fight for their support.