PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alistair Overeem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carl Zizaro (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.

Overeem
vs
Zizaro

195 cm
27
205 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

200 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Sparta Fightware

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alistair Overeem!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Carl Zizaro!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Wagner Zegers and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zizaro cracks Overeem with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.

Zizaro tries to keep at a distance but Overeem has taken the fight into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Overeem.
Zizaro misses with some punches.
Overeem misses with a knee strike.
Overeem using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Overeem is trying to pull guard but Zizaro turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zizaro avoids it.
Overeem managing to block the knees to the body from Zizaro.
Overeem definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.
Zizaro misses with the head strike.
Overeem has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Zizaro blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Overeem is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Zizaro to keep the fight standing.
Zizaro tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zizaro landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Overeem with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zizaro on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Zizaro lands with a light punch inside.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zizaro misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Overeem.
Zizaro lands a knee to the body.
Overeem wants to get back to striking at distance but Zizaro won't allow it.
A nice left hand lands by Zizaro.
Zizaro swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zizaro scores with a shot to the side of Overeem's head.
Zizaro misses with a hook from the clinch.
Zizaro keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Overeem's efforts to push away.
Overeem tries to break the clinch but Zizaro is controlling the position.
Overeem scores with a knee to the head.

Overeem pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Overeem rushes Zizaro and presses him up against the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zizaro.
Zizaro misses with an elbow over the top.
Zizaro lands with a short shot to the head.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Overeem misses with a knee to the head.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zizaro avoids it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zizaro.
Zizaro lands an elbow just above Overeem 's eye.
Zizaro misses with a short punch on the inside.

Overeem decides to pull guard.
Overeem is looking to stand up but Zizaro isn't so interested in that idea.
Zizaro sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Overeem is looking to stand up but Zizaro isn't so interested in that idea.
Overeem trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Zizaro 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.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Zizaro rushes Overeem and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

That's four 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.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zizaro.

Overeem manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Zizaro trying to control but Overeem is working from the bottom.
Zizaro controls from within his opponent's guard.
Overeem is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zizaro is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Carl Zizaro will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Overeem drives through and clinches with Zizaro against the ropes.
Overeem misses with a knee strike.
Overeem tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zizaro just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Zizaro misses with a hook from the clinch.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zizaro avoids it.
Zizaro lands a hook that snaps the head of Overeem backwards.
Overeem lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Zizaro lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Overeem.
Overeem blocking some punches.
Zizaro lands a nice uppercut.
Overeem blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Zizaro misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Zizaro just misses with a elbow thrown towards Overeem's brow.
Zizaro lands a hook to the side of the head.
Zizaro has a couple of punches blocked by Overeem.
Overeem misses with a knee to the head.
Overeem misses with a knee to the head.
Zizaro landing knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zizaro misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zizaro lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zizaro misses with a punch on the inside.
Overeem crunches a lovely knee into Zizaro's ribcage.
Zizaro scores with a shot to the side of Overeem's head.
Zizaro is looking to control Overeem's arms but Overeem gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zizaro has his back to the ropes.
Carl Zizaro seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Zizaro misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Overeem.
Overeem takes an elbow to the temple.
Zizaro lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Overeem lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Carl Zizaro has been cut.
Zizaro is breathing heavily.
Overeem lands a knee to the head.

Zizaro is rocked!
Overeem throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zizaro is still on wobbly legs! Can Overeem finish him?
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks it.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Overeem gets through Zizaro's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.
Overeem blocks a body shot from Zizaro.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Overeem breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zizaro tries a low kick but Overeem avoids it.
Zizaro looks for the body kick but Overeem saw that one coming.

Zizaro tries to keep at a distance but Overeem has taken the fight into the clinch.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zizaro working aggressively here.
Overeem looking to throw knees to the head but Zizaro is blocking nicely.
Overeem with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Zizaro takes an elbow to the forehead.
Zizaro fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Overeem misses with a knee to the head.
Zizaro with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Overeem successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Overeem wants to stand up but Zizaro is controlling him.
Overeem keeping moving, preventing Zizaro from controlling successfully.
Overeem is looking to stand up but Zizaro isn't so interested in that idea.
Zizaro wants to control from the top but Overeem keeps moving.

Overeem uses the ropes to get back to his feet.
Zizaro blocks a head kick by Overeem.
Overeem connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Overeem moves into range and clinches up with Zizaro.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zizaro.
Overeem lands a shoulder strike.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A head punch on the inside from Zizaro fails to land.
Overeem throws a knee to the head but misses.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks with his arms.
Overeem misses with a knee strike.
Overeem looking to throw knees to the head but Zizaro is blocking nicely.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks it.
Nice body punch from Zizaro - that landed with a thud.
Zizaro working aggressively here.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks it.
Overeem with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Overeem using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zizaro has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zizaro tries to work over Overeem's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Overeem with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Zizaro throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Overeem with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Overeem using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zizaro has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Overeem looking to throw knees to the head but Zizaro is blocking nicely.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.
Overeem throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Zizaro blocks it with crossed arms.
Overeem dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Zizaro stalling in the clinch but Overeem improves position.
Overeem misses with a knee strike.
Overeem lands an elbow inside that Zizaro shrugs off.
Overeem tries to land a knee to the head but Zizaro blocks with his arms.
Zizaro tries to land knees in the clinch but Overeem avoids the damage to the body.
Overeem tries for a takedown. No joy.
Zizaro goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Overeem blocks the elbow strike.
Overeem tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Overeem breaks the clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Overeem there.
Zizaro throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zizaro takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Zizaro gets caught by a big overhand right and goes down! Overeem gets on top of him and starts throwing some serious punches until the ref intervenes and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alistair Overeem!
Alistair Overeem is the new light heavyweight champion!
Alistair Overeem managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Sparta Fightware, into his post fight interview.