PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Squid Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zhen Ji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Squid Ward had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 207.1lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ward
vs
Ji

189 cm
23
223 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

190 cm
20
220 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Squid Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zhen Ji!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward tries for a takedown but Ji sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Ji gets a clinch.
Ji dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ji lands a body punch in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ji - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ward goes for a takedown attempt but Ji pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ji throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ji digs a good body shot into Ward's ribs.

Ji steps into range and cracks Ward with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Ward flops backwards and Ji dives into his guard looking to finish!

It looks like Squid Ward has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ji gets to his feet - Ward follows without any prompting.
Ward looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Ji cracks a nice hook into Ward's ribs.
Ward is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ji lands with a nice body punch.
Ji digs a good hook to Ward's body.
Ward gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Ward is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ji lands hard precision jab right on the jaw that stiffens Ward up and sends him tumbling to the mat! The ref grabs Ji from behind before he can pounce. Some folks in the crowd didn't like that stoppage, but I saw Ward's eyes roll way back in his head, he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Zhen Ji!