PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dameon Zanola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donivan Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zanola
vs
Hall

190 cm
22
261 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
23
275 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dameon Zanola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Donivan Hall!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Zanola.
Horrible takedown by Zanola or perhaps it was just good defense by Hall which made him look bad.
Zanola lands a high kick!
Hall tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zanola swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Zanola drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hall trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hall wants to stand up but Zanola is controlling him.
Hall seems keen to control Zanola's posture.
Hall is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zanola is controlling him.

Hall is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Hall prevents a takedown attempt there.

Hall jumps guard and drags Zanola to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Zanola could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zanola is controlling him.
Zanola postures up in Hall's guard and throws a big left but Hall blocks it.
Hall is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zanola won't allow Hall to sweep him here.
Hall bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zanola's guard.
Zanola being controlled here, momentarily.
Hall stands and throws Zanola's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Hall has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Zanola throws a head kick that misses.
Zanola fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dameon Zanola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zanola is breathing heavily.
Horrible takedown by Zanola or perhaps it was just good defense by Hall which made him look bad.

Hall closes the distance and clinches.
Hall prevents the takedown attempt.

Hall connects with a massive knee from the clinch and Zanola goes down! Hall jumps into full mount looking to finish!

Zanola is rocked!

It looks like Dameon Zanola has been cut.
Hall takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Oh Zanola is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hall's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zanola seems to have got his legs back now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Donivan Hall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hall shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zanola counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Hall pushes Zanola off and scrambles back to his feet.

Hall closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zanola takes an elbow to the temple.
Zanola drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hall pulls his leg out and moves away.

Hall gets the takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donivan Hall dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dameon Zanola's cut.
That's time! Zanola's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zanola.
Hall fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zanola misses with a takedown attempt - Hall sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Hall clinches up with Zanola and pushes him back against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hall takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Hall pulls guard.
Hall wants to stand and escape but Zanola is having none of it.
Zanola throws a strike but Hall rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hall passes Zanola's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall works his foot free and advances to mount.
Hall sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Let's hope that Hall has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Donivan Hall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hall tries to clinch up but Zanola circles away and keeps his distance.

Zanola tries to keep at a distance but Hall has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hall lands an elbow just above Zanola 's eye.
Hall avoiding damage.
Zanola takes an elbow to the temple.

Hall has clasped his hands together around Zanola's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Hall decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Hall digs a good hook to Zanola's body.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Zanola gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Hall turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Hall decides to stand up, so the ref orders Zanola to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice defenses there by Zanola.
Zanola moves out of range of the body kick.
Hall smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Zanola misses with a takedown attempt

and Hall holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dameon Zanola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hall lands a nice knee to the body.
Zanola gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hall.
Hall lands a damaging elbow.
Zanola tries a knee to the head but Hall blocks it.

Hall lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Hall decides to return to a standing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donivan Hall showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dameon Zanola's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Zanola closes the distance and clinches up with Hall, looking for a takedown. Zanola pushes Hall against the cage but Hall circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Zanola shoots and misses

and Hall counters with a single leg into guard. Zanola didn't expect that.

Zanola throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Zanola is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Zanola looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hall is one step ahead there.
Donivan Hall has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hall is stalling in the full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Hall stands up and waves to Zanola to follow him.
Hall looks for a takedown but Zanola sprawls well.

Hall fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Zanola, pushing him back against the cage.
Hall'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.
Zanola gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zanola wants to stall.

Hall breaks from the clinch.
Hall fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zanola tries for a takedown but Hall sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dameon Zanola. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hall closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zanola to the mat! Zanola manages to get full guard.

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

Hall stands up and waves to Zanola to follow him.
Zanola fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Hall.
Hall throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zanola's waist but Zanola gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hall off to one side.
Hall lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Zanola shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Zanola landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hall gets back to half guard.

Hall has one foot on Zanola's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Zanola tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hall swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Zanola shoots in and bounces Hall off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hall wants to stand and escape but Zanola is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zanola stopping the sweep attempt from Hall.
Zanola looking to pass the guard.
Dameon Zanola has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Hall pushes Zanola off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hall is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Donivan Hall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hall has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 26:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donivan Hall!