PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Cat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ales Zhandunka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Cat
vs
Zhandunka

200 cm
32
265 lbs
28 - 22 - 0

220 cm
40
291 lbs
30 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 28 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Cat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ales Zhandunka!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Zhandunka misses the target.
Cat throws a series of punches but Zhandunka avoids them all with ease.
Zhandunka digs a good body shot into Cat's ribs.
Zhandunka avoids the body shot from Cat.
Cat misses with a body shot.
Zhandunka scores with a body shot.
Zhandunka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cat.
Zhandunka changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Zhandunka takes a swing at Cat's ribcage but misses.
Zhandunka scores with a nice head shot.
Nice defenses there by Cat.
Zhandunka fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cat on the side of the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nice uppercut there from Zhandunka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhandunka takes a swing at Cat's ribcage but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cat. Zhandunka does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zhandunka lands a nice shot to the body.
Cat misses with a looping right.
Cat fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Zhandunka misses with a wild body shot.
Zhandunka moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nice defenses there by Zhandunka.
Cat takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Zhandunka with a jab.
Cat swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Zhandunka scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cat swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice uppercut lands for Zhandunka. That snapped Cat's head back.
Cat misses with a body shot.
Zhandunka tests Cat's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A right-left combo lands from Cat.
Zhandunka digs a good body shot into Cat's ribs.
A lazy left from Zhandunka finds it's target.
Zhandunka just misses with a punch to the body.
Cat tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zhandunka was well out of range. Poor timing from Cat.
Zhandunka lands the left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zhandunka drives through and clinches with Cat against the cage.
Zhandunka struggles to land a body shot inside as Cat controls his hands.
Cat's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Zhandunka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zhandunka can't find room to land a body shot as Cat controls the action.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cat.
Zhandunka struggles to land a body shot inside as Cat controls his hands.
Zhandunka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Zhandunka lands a right hand.
A shot in the inside from Zhandunka.
Cat blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Zhandunka lands a nice shot to the body.
Zhandunka throws a head punch that misses.
Cat blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Cat manages to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Zhandunka engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cat is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cat looking for a sweep. Not yet Cat, not yet.
Cat is trying to keep Zhandunka in close.
Cat keeping full guard, as Zhandunka tries to pass.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cat thows a body shot but no joy.
Cat keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ales Zhandunka dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Zhandunka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cat misses with a wild body shot.
Cat turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cat takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cat is looking to wear down Zhandunka with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Zhandunka tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cat paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cat misses with a right hand
and Zhandunka counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zhandunka misses with a looping right.
Cat looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zhandunka throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cat takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cat swats away the attempt to clinch by Zhandunka.
Tom Cat is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice defenses there by Zhandunka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cat looks to land a right hand but Zhandunka moved out of range.
Cat gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zhandunka.
Cat will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cat fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A combination from Cat does no damage.
Zhandunka is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Cat defending well as Zhandunka loads up on a big left hand.
Zhandunka has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Zhandunka lands a body shot.
Zhandunka throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cat on the side of the head.
Zhandunka scores with a nice strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cat takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Zhandunka takes a swing at Cat's ribcage but misses.
Zhandunka just misses with a punch to the body.
Zhandunka connects with a looping right hand.
Zhandunka throws a body punch but Cat moves out of range.
Zhandunka throws a lazy right hand but Cat sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zhandunka throws a jab but it's blocked by Cat.
Zhandunka fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Zhandunka lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Zhandunka throws a series of punches but Cat avoids them all with ease.
Zhandunka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhandunka has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zhandunka there as he acknowledges the shot.
Zhandunka swings for the body but Cat moves out of range.
Cat is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Zhandunka's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.

Zhandunka instigates a clinch.
A body shot lands from Zhandunka.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cat blocking some punches.
Cat tries to score a body lock takedown but Zhandunka shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Zhandunka.
Cat is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Zhandunka is defending well.
Zhandunka misses with the head strike.
Zhandunka has a couple of punches blocked by Cat.
Zhandunka lands a right hand.
Zhandunka lands a shoulder strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhandunka has a couple of punches blocked by Cat.
Zhandunka throws a punch but it's blocked by Cat.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Zhandunka.
Zhandunka gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Cat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhandunka struggles to land a body shot inside as Cat controls his hands.
Zhandunka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short left from Zhandunka.
Zhandunka fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zhandunka scores with a shoulder strike.
Zhandunka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cat takes a shot to the head.
Zhandunka misses with a punch on the inside.
Cat blocks a punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ales Zhandunka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

A big left from Cat misses.
Zhandunka takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sloppy strikes from Cat. Those never looked like landing.
Zhandunka thows a body shot but no joy.
Zhandunka throws the left hand but Cat avoids the punch easily.
Cat throws a combination that misses
and Zhandunka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cat throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Zhandunka misses with a body shot.
Cat throws a jab but it's blocked by Zhandunka.
Zhandunka displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cat throws out the jab.
Zhandunka throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cat just misses with a punch to the body.
Cat misses with a series of wild punches.
Cat uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zhandunka.
Zhandunka avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Cat misses the jab.
Cat lands a body shot.
Cat keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zhandunka. Cat does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zhandunka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cat swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ales Zhandunka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cat drops his hands momentarily and Zhandunka takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cat throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cat lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Zhandunka backs up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cat turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cat lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Zhandunka backs up against the cage.
Cat throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zhandunka misses the shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Zhandunka.
Cat throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zhandunka.
Cat throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zhandunka lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cat has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Zhandunka finds it's way round the side to connect with Cat's head.
Zhandunka scores with a hook.
Zhandunka fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Zhandunka misses with a hook. Cat ducked under it nicely.
Zhandunka scores with a hook to the body. Cat takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Zhandunka throws a looping overhand right but Cat ducks down to avoid it.
Zhandunka punishes Cat's body with a nice straight punch.
Cat throws out a powerful jab.
Cat pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zhandunka just misses with a punch to the body.
Zhandunka misses the shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zhandunka moves out of range as Cat strikes.
Zhandunka swings for the body but Cat moves out of range.
Zhandunka throws a body punch but Cat moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Zhandunka.
Cat throws a lazy right hand but Zhandunka sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zhandunka looks to land a combination. Cat sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Zhandunka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cat manages to avoid it.
Cat takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cat misses with the combination.
Tom Cat has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ales Zhandunka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zhandunka displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tom Cat.
I think Zhandunka has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ales Zhandunka!