PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Doug Bubba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rei Zulu (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.

Bubba
vs
Zulu

185 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Doug Bubba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rei Zulu!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Luis Engracia and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zulu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Zulu has a takedown stuffed.
Zulu is looking to clinch but Bubba is avoiding it.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Zulu lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Bubba has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Bubba and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Zulu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Bubba looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zulu is controlling Bubba's posture.
Bubba showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Zulu has a closed guard, preventing Bubba from standing up.
Bubba trying to control but Zulu is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulu working a defensive guard here.

Doug Bubba has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Bubba fails to land with a series of punches.
Zulu misses with a few strikes there.
Zulu misses with a takedown attempt - Bubba sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Zulu avoids the head kick by Bubba.
Zulu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Bubba closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Zulu prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bubba is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Zulu can't fight it off and eventually Bubba manages to take the fight to the floor. Zulu looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Zulu working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Bubba doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Bubba manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Bubba content to stall in guard here.
Zulu keeping moving, preventing Bubba from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Bubba is pushing down on Zulu's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zulu is fighting to maintain full guard but Bubba has managed to sneak the leg through.
Zulu punching from the bottom.
Zulu is trying to get back to full guard.

Bubba is looking for a kimura but Zulu is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bubba to get the leverage.
Bubba is pressing down on Zulu's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zulu is holding on for now.
Zulu on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bubba is keen to just control but Zulu is a slippery customer.
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.
Zulu wants to control but Bubba is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Bubba not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Zulu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bubba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Zulu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zulu is trying to control but can't.

Bubba is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Zulu trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doug Bubba 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.

Bubba clinches up against the ropes.
Bubba lands a nice knee to the body.
Zulu wants to get back to striking at distance but Bubba won't allow it.
Zulu is trying to break the clinch but Bubba is controlling him.

Bubba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bubba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zulu tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Bubba manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bubba has a takedown stuffed.
Zulu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bubba was well out of range. Poor timing from Zulu.
Bubba is looking to clinch but Zulu is avoiding it.
Zulu pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Bubba moves into the clinch.

Bubba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bubba.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Doug Bubba. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown attempt by Zulu or perhaps it was just good defense by Bubba, which made it look bad.
Bubba circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zulu tries to bum rush Bubba with a series of wild strikes but Bubba uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Doug Bubba is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zulu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Zulu closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Zulu lands in his opponent's guard.
Bubba wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bubba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zulu trying to control the position from guard on top but Bubba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bubba wants to sweep here but Zulu controlling him for the moment.
Zulu wants to stand but Bubba is controlling his posture from full guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Zulu throwing strikes from guard but Bubba blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zulu looking to pass the guard.
Zulu seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rei Zulu was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bubba or perhaps it was just good defense by Zulu, which made it look bad.

Zulu has closed the distance and engaged Bubba in a clinch.
Bubba jumps guard but Zulu stands there with Bubba around his waist. Bubba gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zulu wants to break free but Bubba has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bubba has hold of one of Zulu's legs. Zulu is fighting the takedown attempt but Bubba gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Bubba being controlled here momentarily.
Zulu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Bubba avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bubba with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bubba trying to control but Zulu is working from the bottom.
Bubba trying to stand up but can't free himself from Zulu's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rei Zulu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Bubba fails with a takedown attempt.

Bubba closes the distance and clinches.
Bubba lands a body punch.
Zulu can't get the takedown.
Zulu is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Zulu goes for a takedown attempt but Bubba pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bubba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zulu tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zulu takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Zulu shoots in and drives through. Bubba sprawls well.
Doug Bubba has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rei Zulu.
Bubba looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zulu misses with a double jab.
Zulu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bubba.
Zulu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bubba avoids it really well and circles away.
Bubba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zulu swivels and escapes.

Bubba rushes Zulu and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Bubba is trying to maintain a safe position but Zulu gets an underhook and turns Bubba into the ropes.
Bubba jumps guard but Zulu stands there with Bubba around his waist. Bubba gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bubba stalling against the ropes.

Bubba successfully pulls guard.
Bubba looking to control.
Zulu is pushing down on Bubba's leg trying to pass to half guard. Bubba is fighting to maintain full guard but Zulu has managed to sneak the leg through.
Doug Bubba overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Zulu is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bubba doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Zulu.
Zulu scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bubba trying to control here.

Bubba is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zulu pulls his head out easily.
Bubba is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bubba is working hard here to advance position.
Zulu drops an elbow to the side of Bubba's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zulu is looking to take a break and control but Bubba is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bubba slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Zulu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Zulu won't allow Bubba to sweep him here.

Bubba is looking for a triangle here but Zulu uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bubba can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Doug Bubba showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bubba has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Doug Bubba!