PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Squirtle Blastoise (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tam Zeus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blastoise comes into the arena with The Rolling Stones: Sympathy For The Devil blaring out of the sound system. Zeus has chosen Open Road as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Blastoise
vs
Zeus

192 cm
33
178 lbs
13 - 9 - 2

178 cm
31
199 lbs
16 - 10 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

Meet the Future

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Squirtle Blastoise!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tam Zeus!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Blastoise with that takedown attempt.
Blastoise shoots for a takedown but Zeus saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Blastoise misses with a takedown

and Zeus counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Squirtle Blastoise. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Blastoise won't allow Zeus to pass to mount.
Zeus slows the pace down in half guard.
Zeus is looking to advance position but Blastoise won't allow it.
Zeus trying to control the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus is trying to control. Blastoise wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Zeus working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tam Zeus.

Zeus darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Blastoise moves into full guard.
Zeus is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blastoise keeping full guard, as Zeus tries to pass.

Blastoise is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Zeus defends well.
Zeus looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blastoise keeping moving, preventing Zeus from controlling successfully.
Blastoise has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Zeus has passed into side control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Zeus trying to control the position but Blastoise is working away.
Zeus is staying tight to Blastoise's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeus wants to take a breather but Blastoise manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Zeus.

Blastoise escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zeus gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zeus tries to free his leg and advance position but Blastoise is retaining full guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Blastoise keeping moving, preventing Zeus from controlling successfully.
Zeus is pushing down on Blastoise's leg trying to pass to half guard. Blastoise is fighting to maintain full guard but Zeus has managed to sneak the leg through.
Blastoise is not content to let Zeus control the position.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tam Zeus wasn't active enough on the ground.

Blastoise closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Zeus quickly recovers to half guard.

Blastoise is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Zeus is just riding it out for now. Blastoise eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Zeus has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Blastoise is working away from the top position though.

Blastoise is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Zeus has managed to free his arm - good work.
Zeus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Zeus controlling the position.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Zeus is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Blastoise tries to free his leg and advance position but Zeus is retaining full guard.
Blastoise wants to control from the top but Zeus keeps moving.
Blastoise tries to free his leg and advance position but Zeus is retaining full guard.

Blastoise drops back, looking for a kneebar! Zeus looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Zeus looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Zeus!
Zeus advances to mount.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Zeus is working for a guillotine from mount but Blastoise frees his head quite easily.
Zeus prevents Blastoise from getting the reversal.
Zeus tries to control but Blastoise wriggling away.

Zeus jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Blastoise is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Blastoise and Zeus has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Zeus is looking to take a break and control but Blastoise is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zeus wants to control for a moment but Blastoise uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zeus trying to mount his opponent but Blastoise defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tam Zeus dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Blastoise shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Zeus is trying to defend but Blastoise finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Zeus is trying to get back to full guard.

Blastoise is looking for a kimura here.
Blastoise trying to control from half guard but Zeus is working away.
Blastoise not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus is trying to maintain the position but Blastoise is very close to passing his half guard.

Blastoise is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Zeus to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.

Zeus working for a triangle but Blastoise defends it easily.
Zeus is trying to control the position but Blastoise postures up.
Zeus keeping moving, preventing Blastoise from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blastoise is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Zeus not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Zeus is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Blastoise doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Zeus counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tam Zeus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Zeus drops back, looking for a kneebar! Blastoise looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Blastoise looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Blastoise!
Zeus struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeus is looking for a sweep.
Zeus is not content to let Blastoise control the position.

Blastoise working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Zeus can't do much from the bottom here.
Blastoise wants to control but Zeus is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeus can't do much from the bottom here.
Blastoise wants to control but Zeus is keeping him busy.
Zeus struggling a bit here.

Blastoise tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Blastoise has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Zeus gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Blastoise wants to pass to mount but Zeus is defending the position.
Zeus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Blastoise trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Zeus is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Blastoise defends well.
Blastoise wants to control from the top but Zeus keeps moving.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Zeus keeping full guard, as Blastoise tries to pass.
Blastoise trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zeus controls Blastoise momentarily but Blastoise frees himself.
Blastoise trying to control the position from guard on top but Zeus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blastoise is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Zeus is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

We're going to have a standup here because Squirtle Blastoise wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Blastoise doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Zeus counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blastoise's guard now.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Zeus's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Zeus passes Blastoise's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Zeus seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Blastoise does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Zeus might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Blastoise haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Zeus is taking a breather. Blastoise says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Tam Zeus has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Zeus closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Blastoise did well to prevent Zeus getting side control.
Zeus tries to pass to full mount but Blastoise defends it.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Zeus working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Blastoise's thigh. Blastoise counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Zeus wants to pass the guard but Blastoise is keeping the position.
Blastoise keeping moving, preventing Zeus from controlling successfully.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Zeus not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tam Zeus was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Zeus throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Blastoise tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Zeus is in Blastoise's guard.
Zeus wants to control from the top but Blastoise keeps moving.
Zeus content to stall in guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zeus tries to free his leg and advance position but Blastoise is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tam Zeus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Blastoise's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Zeus closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Zeus is looking to take a break and control but Blastoise is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Blastoise regains half guard.
Zeus wants to take a breather but Blastoise is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Zeus trying to control the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tam Zeus was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Blastoise fails to land the takedown.

Zeus shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Blastoise napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Zeus wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blastoise keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zeus just content to control the position.
Zeus trying to control the action but Blastoise is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tam Zeus was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Zeus shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Blastoise napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Zeus has an Americana. Blastoise didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Zeus is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Zeus hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Tam Zeus!
Tam Zeus decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.