PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Zarco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cameron Poe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Poe has chosen How it is done as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Zarco
vs
Poe

172 cm
29
180 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

185 cm
32
182 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Sun-Tzu

Jamu Goyang Dumang

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Zarco!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Cameron Poe!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Poe there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Zarco avoids the body shot from Poe.
Zarco throws a big shot that misses.

Zarco closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Poe is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Zarco misses with a hook to the ribs.
Poe prevents a body shot from Zarco.
Poe tries to stall but Zarco uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Zarco throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Poe blocks it with crossed arms.
Zarco lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Poe backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zarco crunches a lovely knee into Poe's ribcage.
Poe lands a hook that snaps the head of Zarco backwards.
Zarco scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Cameron Poe has been cut.
Poe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Zarco dodges an elbow strike from Poe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarco blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Zarco lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Poe backwards.
Zarco dodges an elbow strike from Poe.
Zarco tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A knee to the head by Zarco.
Zarco tries to work over Poe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zarco is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Poe is defending well for now.
Zarco scores with a knee to the head.
Poe working aggressively here.

Poe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zarco slips a jab from Poe.
Poe uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zarco.
Poe slips under a jab from Zarco.
Poe misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zarco throws out the jab.
A head kick misses from Zarco.
Poe thows a left - swing and a miss!
Zarco seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Poe. Zarco does a little dance to reset his feet.
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!
A nice inside leg kick there by Zarco. That's going to slow Poe down.
Poe avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Zarco moves in looking to clinch but Poe pushes him off.
Poe follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Poe uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zarco.
Poe throws a counter combo.
Poe works the jab nicely.
Zarco throws a chopping leg kick but Poe manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Zarco throws a leg kick which misses Poe's front leg but catches the back leg as Poe tries to avoid it.
Zarco looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarco tries a head kick but it misses.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Zarco - that will leave a mark!
Zarco swinging wildly here.
Zarco bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
A low kick from Poe is predictable there
and Zarco counters with a nice low kick that buckles Poe's knee momentarily.
Zarco steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Poe.
Poe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice defenses there by Zarco.
Zarco darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Zarco connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good work by Poe as he checks the leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Zarco.
Poe misses with a body kick.
Zarco slips a jab from Poe.
Poe lands with a shot 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!
Poe takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A shot to the liver by Poe. Beautiful body shot.
Zarco just misses with a punch to the body.
Poe moves out of range of the strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Poe! But no joy.
Zarco cracks Poe with a right hand to the side of the head.
A low kick from Poe misses
and Zarco cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Poe throws a front kick that sends Zarco stumbling back into the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Zarco dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cameron Poe's cut.
That's time! Zarco's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Poe missing with a left hand there. Zarco was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Zarco does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Poe lands a lovely overhand right.
Zarco swings widly with a right hand
and Poe counters with a stiff right hand.
Zarco connects with the punch.
Poe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zarco.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Poe! But no joy.
Poe with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Poe throws a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Poe throws a lazy body kick
and Zarco counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Zarco looks for the body kick but Poe saw that one coming.
Nice straight punches there by Poe. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Poe.
Antonio Zarco is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Zarco stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Antonio Zarco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Poe scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Zarco doesn't seem bothered though.
Poe fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Zarco on the side of the head.
Poe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Zarco has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Zarco swings for the body but Poe moves out of range.
Zarco feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Poe's calf.
Zarco tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Zarco throws a head kick that misses
enabling Poe to counter with a crisp jab.
Poe throws a leg kick which misses Zarco's front leg but catches the back leg as Zarco tries to avoid it.
Poe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zarco manages to avoid it.
Poe fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zarco manages to avoid it.
Zarco tries to clinch but Poe moves away
and Poe counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
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!
Zarco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Poe slips a straight right by Zarco.
A slapping leg kick lands for Poe.
Zarco looks to throw the jab but Poe is out of range.
Poe misses with a series of wild punches.
Zarco pivots, looking for a leg kick but Poe is out of range and Zarco settles back down.
Zarco misses with a body kick.
Poe misses the body punch
and Poe takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Zarco uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poe.
Zarco feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zarco has Poe up against the ropes in a clinch.
Zarco lands with a light punch inside.
Zarco avoids the elbow strike from Poe, against the ropes.
Zarco takes an elbow to the temple.
Zarco stalls.
Zarco tries to land a knee to the head but Poe blocks with his arms.
Antonio Zarco has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Poe misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Poe fails to land.
Poe taking a breather.
Poe trying to stall but Zarco improves his position.
Poe seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Poe trying to stall but Zarco improves his position.
Poe throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Poe.
Zarco throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zarco blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zarco is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Poe is defending well for now.
Poe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Zarco throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Poe takes a shot to the head.
Poe lands with a left to the head.
Zarco tries to land knees in the clinch but Poe avoids the damage to the body.
Poe lands a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Poe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Zarco backwards.
Zarco is working Poe over against the ropes.
Zarco tries a body shot but Poe blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cameron Poe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Cameron Poe's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Poe misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zarco.
Poe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Zarco moves out of range as Poe strikes.
Poe has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Zarco.
Zarco throws a poor cross that misses
and Poe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zarco misses with a left hand
and Poe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zarco fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Poe manages to avoid it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Zarco.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zarco tries to land a body kick
and Poe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Poe keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zarco.
Zarco swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Poe ducks right into an uppercut from Zarco.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zarco looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Poe connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Zarco lands a big head kick that sends Poe tumbling to the mat! Zarco takes a step backwards and waves Poe back to his feet - he wants the finish!
A swing and a miss from Poe.
Poe looks to score with a jab to the body but Zarco is just out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Zarco on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Zarco throws a solid leg kick but Poe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Zarco.
Poe tries to land a leg kick but Zarco saw it coming and moves away.
Poe's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Poe pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Poe ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Poe cracks the inside of Zarco's front leg.
Zarco goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Zarco moves away.
Poe just misses with a punch to the body.
Zarco scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Poe throws a leg kick but Zarco sees it coming and moves out of range.
Zarco scores with a body shot.
Poe takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Poe is rocked!
Poe looks to land a left hand but Zarco moved out of range nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Zarco on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Poe is still on wobbly legs! Can Zarco finish him?

Zarco sends Poe crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Zarco is motioning to the referee to let Poe up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Poe blocks a head kick by Zarco.
Zarco rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Poe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Poe lands a head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zarco throws a sloppy head kick and Poe moves out of range easily.
Poe lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Poe.
Poe seems to have recovered his senses.
Poe is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Poe misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zarco wants to clinch.
Zarco misses with a shot to the body
and Poe counters with a left to the body.
Zarco lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
The crowd cheers as Zarco lands an impressive looking overhand right. Poe doesn't seem phased though.
A clash of legs there as Poe blocks the low kick.
Poe throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poe gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Zarco throws a hook but Poe avoids it easily.
Poe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zarco was well out of range. Poor timing from Poe.
Zarco uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Poe.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zarco shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Zarco fails with an attempt to clinch.
A head kick misses from Zarco.
Poe is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Poe scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Zarco is rocked!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zarco tries a head kick but it misses.
Poe throws out a counter right but Zarco avoids it with no problem.
Oh Zarco is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Poe steps in with a hook that catches Zarco right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Poe follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Zarco looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Cameron Poe! Cameron Poe retains his welterweight title!
A victorious Cameron Poe thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.