PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rhett Little (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lennox Zelaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zelaya comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Turn Down For What kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Lennox Zelaya is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Little
vs
Zelaya

184 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rhett Little!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lennox Zelaya!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Little closes the distance and clinches.

Zelaya manages to break the clinch.

Zelaya feints and as Little raises his hands in defense, Zelaya changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Zelaya postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Little is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Zelaya, into his guard.

Zelaya seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Zelaya wants to get back to his feet but Little is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Little preventing the sweep.
Little trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Zelaya looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Little has picked Zelaya up and slammed him! Zelaya can't keep hold of the triangle and Little manages to pass to side control!
Zelaya tries to bench press Little off him but Little keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zelaya struggling a bit here.
Little trying to control the position but Zelaya is working away.
Little throws a strike aimed at the side of Zelaya's head but Zelaya avoids it well.

Zelaya sneaks out the side door and pushes Little away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Little, right into the meat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Little shoots in and drives through. Zelaya sprawls well.
Little goes for a double leg but Zelaya avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Zelaya continues to drive forward.
Zelaya throws a sloppy head kick and Little moves out of range easily.

Little clinches with his opponent.
Zelaya is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rhett Little. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Little throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Zelaya manages to break the clinch.

Zelaya closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Little did well to prevent Zelaya getting side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Little actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Little moves into full guard.

Zelaya gets to his feet - Little follows without any prompting.

Zelaya scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Little has one foot on Zelaya's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Little is breathing heavily.
Zelaya looks to throw a body kick

and Little counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Little.
Zelaya is looking to stand back up but Little counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Zelaya.

Little has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Zelaya tries to roll over but Little keeps him under control.

Zelaya looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Little is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Zelaya doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Little.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zelaya trying to get back to full guard but Little takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Little is in the full mount, landing strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Zelaya wants to hold on but Little pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rhett Little dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Zelaya drives through with a takedown into Little's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Little pushes Zelaya off and gets back to his feet.
Lennox Zelaya seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Little shoots in for a takedown but Zelaya shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Zelaya changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Zelaya defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Little.
Zelaya keeps the fight on the outside.

Zelaya closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Little gets back to full guard.
Little trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Little working for a triangle but Zelaya defends it easily.
Zelaya content to stall in guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zelaya working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Little keeping full guard, as Zelaya tries to pass.
Little is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Zelaya pushes Little off looking to stand but Little dives back in and keeps control.
Little passes into side control, despite Zelaya's attempt to control the position.
Little wants to control but Zelaya is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Zelaya's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Little has control of an arm but Zelaya manages to advance to Little's back!
Little is trying to break free.
Little rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Little tries to get to full guard but Zelaya has control of the leg.
Zelaya wants to pass the guard but Little is defending well.
Zelaya not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Little moves into full guard.
Zelaya cracks Little with a solid left hand.
Little tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Zelaya stands up and waves to Little to follow him.
A head kick by Little misses

and Zelaya counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Little!
Zelaya is looking to take a break and control but Little is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Little is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Little is working hard here to advance position.

Zelaya decides to stand back up.

Zelaya shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Little tries to kick Zelaya off in order to stand up. Zelaya Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Zelaya is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Little has escaped the position, nice work there.
Little sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lennox Zelaya will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Zelaya connects with a right hand. Little shakes it off.
Rhett Little is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Zelaya gets a double leg takedown into Little's guard.

Little wriggles free and stands up.
Zelaya throws a right and a left that Little avoids nicely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Zelaya.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Little is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Zelaya working the head and body with strikes.
Little sneaks back into half guard.

Zelaya looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Little gets back to full guard.

Little escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zelaya gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zelaya wants to pass the guard but Little is keeping the position.

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.
Zelaya with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zelaya keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Little's head.

Little is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Little looking for a sweep. Not yet Little, not yet.
Little manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zelaya manages to get himself to full guard.

Zelaya manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Zelaya has taken the fight to the clinch.

Zelaya gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Little manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Zelaya keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zelaya gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Little makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Little misses with a takedown attempt

and Zelaya counters with a shoot takedown. Little fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Zelaya gets to his feet - Little follows without any prompting.

Zelaya has closed the distance and engaged Little in a clinch.

Zelaya turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Little explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Zelaya closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Little to the mat! Little manages to get full guard.

Little is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Zelaya gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Little kicks Zelaya off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zelaya decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Little manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Zelaya shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Little napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Little bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

Little has Zelaya up against the cage in a clinch.
Little wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Zelaya wants the takedown. Little is fighting it off but Zelaya persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Little's guard against the cage.

Little has his feet on Zelaya's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Zelaya shoots in and bounces Little off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Little pushes Zelaya off and gets back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rhett Little showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Little 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rhett Little!