PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josiah Mudzuri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samuel Berzins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mudzuri
vs
Berzins

180 cm
25
194 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
170 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Atlantis

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Josiah Mudzuri!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Samuel Berzins!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berzins lands a nice shot to the body.
Mudzuri takes one to the side of the head.
Berzins lands a jab to the head.
Berzins moves out of range as Mudzuri strikes.
Berzins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mudzuri.
Berzins throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mudzuri.
Mudzuri swings for the body but Berzins moves out of range.
Berzins looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Berzins pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Berzins cracks Mudzuri with an open hand slap.
Mudzuri uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Berzins.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Berzins scores with a jab to the jaw.

Berzins closes the distance and pushes Mudzuri back into the cage.
Berzins has Mudzuri pressed against the cage.
Mudzuri swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berzins digs a right hand into Mudzuri's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mudzuri's gas tank.
Berzins is leaning against Mudzuri and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Berzins lands a hook to the side of the head.
Berzins working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A left hand lands to the body for Berzins.
A short uppercut from Berzins.
Berzins blocking some punches.
Berzins prevents the takedown attempt.
Berzins lands a body punch in the clinch.

Mudzuri escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Berzins ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Berzins tests Mudzuri's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Samuel Berzins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Oooooh!!! Berzins has knocked Mudzuri down with a huge combo! Berzins steps away and waves a wobbly Mudzuri back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Josiah Mudzuri has been cut.
Mudzuri is breathing heavily.
Berzins comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mudzuri looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Berzins punishes Mudzuri's body with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berzins connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Berzins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mudzuri.
Mudzuri gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Berzins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mudzuri on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Mudzuri misses with a hook

and Berzins counters by moving into the clinch.
Mudzuri is trying to pull guard but Berzins turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Mudzuri pulls guard effortlessly.
Berzins trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mudzuri keeping moving, preventing Berzins from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mudzuri looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Berzins trying to control the position from guard on top but Mudzuri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Samuel Berzins hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Berzins misses with a series of wild punches.
A big right from Mudzuri misses.
Mudzuri slips a jab from Berzins.
Mudzuri moves out of range as Berzins strikes.
Berzins lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berzins throws out a loose jab but Mudzuri uses good head movement to avoid it.

Berzins has taken the fight to the clinch.
Berzins lands a hook to the side of the head.
Berzins is working Mudzuri over against the cage.
Berzins lands a nice shot to the body.
Mudzuri is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Berzins stalling the fight.
A head punch on the inside from Mudzuri fails to land.
Berzins pushes Mudzuri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Berzins is leaning against Mudzuri and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
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!
Berzins lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short body shot lands from Berzins as the two fighters clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mudzuri misses with the head strike.
Mudzuri is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Berzins lands a body punch in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Berzins dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Josiah Mudzuri's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mudzuri takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Berzins stuns Mudzuri with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mudzuri misses with a wild body shot.
Berzins has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Berzins lands with a nice body punch.
Mudzuri shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Berzins gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Berzins lands with a right to the head.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Berzins. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Berzins blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Mudzuri's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Berzins lands a nice shot to the body.
Berzins gets through Mudzuri's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Berzins lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
Berzins stalls.
Mudzuri misses with a short punch on the inside.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berzins lands with a right to the head.
Berzins scores with a hook to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Berzins.
The referee calls for Berzins to work.
Mudzuri has a couple of punches blocked by Berzins.
Mudzuri takes a shot to the head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Berzins scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short right from Berzins on the inside.
Nice body punch from Berzins - that landed with a thud.
A right hand to the body from Berzins.
Berzins digs a right hand underneath Mudzuri's ribcage. Mudzuri let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Samuel Berzins seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Berzins is working Mudzuri over against the cage.
Berzins lands with a light punch inside.
Mudzuri's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Berzins pushes Mudzuri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berzins digs a right hand into Mudzuri's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mudzuri's gas tank.
Good body shot from Berzins.
Berzins lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Berzins lands with a short shot to the head.
Berzins lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
Berzins pushes Mudzuri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Berzins creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Berzins pushes Mudzuri back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Berzins lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A shot in the inside from Berzins.
A shot in the inside from Berzins.
A nice left hand lands by Berzins.
Berzins lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Berzins creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Berzins lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Berzins lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berzins lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
Berzins lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Mudzuri fails to land.
Berzins lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Berzins lands a shoulder strike.
Mudzuri misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Berzins throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mudzuris head.
Berzins leaning his opponent against the cage.
Berzins throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mudzuris head.
Berzins lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Berzins blocks an uppercut.
Berzins lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mudzuri backwards.
Berzins lands with a short shot to the head.
Berzins lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berzins throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mudzuris head.

Berzins drops Mudzuri onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Mudzuri is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!

Mudzuri is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Berzins lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Oh Mudzuri is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Berzins throws a big uppercut that drops Mudzuri! More strikes from Berzins and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Mudzuri lies dazed against the cage as Berzins celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Samuel Berzins!
Samuel Berzins is the new middleweight champion!
Samuel Berzins thanked the fans post fight for their support.