PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bob Russell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Zaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russell comes to the cage accompanied by Rio by Duran Duran. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Leo Zaki enters the cage!

Russell
vs
Zaki

178 cm
24
170 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

175 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Bob Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Leo Zaki!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Chris Edwards and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russell swats away the attempt to clinch by Zaki.
Russell slips a jab and a cross from Zaki.
Zaki is looking to clinch.
Russell keeps the fight on the outside.
Zaki stuffs the takedown attempt from Russell. Russell gets slowly back to his feet.
Russell keeps the fight on the outside.
Russell tries to clinch

and Zaki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Zaki is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zaki won't allow Russell to sweep him here.
Russell tries to strike from the bottom.
Zaki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Zaki works over Russell with some ground and pound from guard.
Zaki preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Russell keeping moving, preventing Zaki from controlling successfully.
Zaki slips nicely into half guard.
Zaki works his foot free and advances to mount.
Zaki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Zaki avoids the attempt from Russell to control.
Russell really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Russell is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Zaki lands a big elbow.
Zaki mounts Russell! Really nice guard pass there!
Zaki connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Zaki lands a nice shot to the head.
Russell flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zaki controlling the pace for now.
Zaki breaks from Russell's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Zaki is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Russell has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Russell!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russell trying to control but Zaki is working from the bottom.
Zaki trying to control the position.
Russell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Russell thows a big elbow that misses.
Russell stopping the sweep attempt from Zaki.
Russell looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Russell is breathing heavily.
Zaki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Russell tries to roll over but Zaki keeps him under control.
Zaki is nestled in close to Russell, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Zaki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Russell is refusing to be controlled, as Zaki sits in half guard.

Zaki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Zaki uses his free foot to push down on Russell's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Russell.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Zaki dominated that round.
That's time! Russell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Zaki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Zaki gets a clinch.
Russell trying to control the position but instead, Zaki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Russell into the cage.
Zaki wants to break the clinch but can't.

Zaki tightens his grip and picks Russell up, before dumping him to the ground. Russell manages to land in guard.
Russell trying to control the position here.
Zaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Russell is retaining full guard.
Zaki trying to control but Russell is working from the bottom.
Russell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zaki is one step ahead there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaki's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Russell looking for a sweep. Not yet Russell, not yet.
Russell manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zaki manages to get himself to full guard.
Russell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zaki trying to control the position.
Zaki bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Russell's guard.
Zaki is looking to stand up but Russell won't let him.

Zaki gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zaki slips a jab and a cross from Russell.
Zaki tries to close the distance and clinch but Russell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zaki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Russell shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Zaki counters by clinching up.

Zaki breaks the clinch.

Zaki scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Leo Zaki has got the better of the ground game so far.

Zaki tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Russell is not content to let Zaki control the position.
Zaki misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaki works to advance to full mount. Russell defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Russell working to try and regain half guard.
Zaki landing shots from mount.
Russell wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Zaki lands strikes to the head.

Zaki has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Russell is in real trouble here. Zaki gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Russell is tapping out! Zaki wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Leo Zaki!