PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shamil Botashev (ranked 3990 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chunzhi Zheng (ranked 2554 p4p, 0 weight class). Botashev has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. On his way into the cage it seems that Shamil Botashev has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Shamil Botashev seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Botashev
vs
Zheng

180 cm
25
157 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

177 cm
25
159 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shamil Botashev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chunzhi Zheng!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Reed Andrews and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zheng.
Sloppy strikes from Zheng. Those never looked like landing.
Zheng will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Botashev goes for a double leg but Zheng avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Zheng continues to drive forward.

Zheng has taken the fight to the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Zheng throws an elbow but misses.

Botashev has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Zheng clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Zheng manages to stand up with Botashev still on his back. Eventually Botashev drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zheng shoots in for a double leg but Botashev sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Shamil Botashev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chunzhi Zheng.
Zheng tries to clinch but Botashev moves out of range.
Botashev shoots in for a double leg but Zheng sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Botashev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Zheng quickly recovers to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Botashev is breathing heavily.
Zheng gets full guard.
Zheng trying to control the position.
Zheng doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zheng has his hands on Botashev's head, controlling the position.
Zheng wants to stand but Botashev is controlling the position.
Zheng bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Botashev's guard.

Zheng thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Zheng preventing the sweep.
Zheng trying to control the position from guard on top but Botashev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Botashev has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Zheng can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Botashev is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Zheng is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zheng drops back looking for a leg! Botashev is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Botashev manages to kick Zheng off! Zheng jumps back into Botashev's guard.

Botashev throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Zheng is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Zheng throwing strikes but missing.
Zheng pushes down on Botashev's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Botashev tries to get to full guard but Zheng has control of the leg.
Botashev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zheng on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zheng wants to pass to mount but Botashev is defending the position.

Botashev actively working from the bottom here.

Botashev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Zheng pulls his head out easily.

Botashev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Zheng decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Zheng or perhaps it was just good defense by Botashev, which made it look bad.
Zheng shoots for a double leg takedown but Botashev sprawls well. He's pushed Zheng's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Botashev tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Zheng defends well and Botashev ends up having to push Zheng into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Botashev sets himself, and Zheng steps forward looking for the clinch! Botashev avoids it this time.
Botashev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Zheng lands with a hook. Botashev tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Botashev fails with the takedown.
Botashev shoots and misses
and Zheng counters with a low kick, right behind Botashev 's knee.
Zheng fails with a takedown attempt.
Zheng keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Zheng shoots in for a takedown but Botashev shows good takedown defense.
Botashev shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Zheng sprawls well. Zheng wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Botashev gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chunzhi Zheng dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Botashev shoots in but no luck this time.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Botashev.
Zheng misses with a wild combination.
Zheng doesn't manage to clinch there - Botashev circles away.
Zheng tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Botashev half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Zheng is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zheng tries to close the distance and clinch up but Botashev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Botashev changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Zheng closes the distance and clinches up with Botashev, looking for a takedown. Zheng pushes Botashev against the cage but Botashev circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zheng tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Botashev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zheng shoots for a takedown but Botashev saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zheng will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Shamil Botashev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chunzhi Zheng.
Botashev goes for a double leg but Zheng avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Zheng continues to drive forward.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zheng. Botashev does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zheng stuffs the takedown attempt from Botashev. Botashev gets slowly back to his feet.
Zheng lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zheng.
Zheng closes this distance looking for a takedown but Botashev circles away.
No luck for Botashev with that takedown attempt.
Zheng darts in looking for a takedown but Botashev gets double underhooks and turns Zheng into the cage.

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

Zheng has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Botashev is on him like a limpet, forcing Zheng back against the cage.

Zheng manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Zheng throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Zheng tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zheng looking to hit a scissor sweep but Botashev is one step ahead there.
Botashev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Botashev throwing strikes from guard but Zheng blocks nicely.
Botashev has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Zheng utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zheng has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Zheng not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Botashev with a flurry of punches that miss.

Zheng is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Botashev with a nice head shot there.
Botashev cracks Zheng with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zheng is on top in guard.

Botashev working for a triangle but Zheng defends it easily.
Botashev tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Botashev preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Botashev throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Zheng escapes and throws Botashev's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Botashev is looking to reverse the position.
Zheng has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Zheng looking to control but Botashev is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zheng looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Zheng prevents Botashev from getting the reversal.
Zheng can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Botashev is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Botashev is looking to get to half guard.
Zheng throwing strikes here but Botashev is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chunzhi Zheng showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Botashev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Botashev stuffs the takedown.
Botashev shoots for a takedown but Zheng saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Botashev defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zheng.
Chunzhi Zheng seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Botashev shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Zheng shoots in looking for a takedown but Botashev manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zheng's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Shamil Botashev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chunzhi Zheng.
Zheng is trying hard to land a takedown here. Botashev sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Botashev shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Zheng pinned against the cage. Zheng gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Botashev shoots in for a double leg but Zheng sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice takedown defense from Botashev. No joy for Zheng on that attempt.
Zheng fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Botashev stuffs the takedown.
Botashev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botashev shoots in for a double leg but Zheng sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Botashev looking to score a takedown here. Zheng is defending well but Botashev drives through and ends up in Zheng's guard.
Botashev with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Zheng wants to stand up but Botashev is controlling him.
Chunzhi Zheng has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zheng working a defensive guard here.

Zheng looking for a guillotine here but Botashev defends easily.
Botashev postures up and lands a big shot to Zheng's brow.
Zheng utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Botashev accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Botashev lands a couple of digs.
Zheng avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Zheng working a defensive guard here.

Botashev got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zheng has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Botashev has managed to get both his arms back between Zheng's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Botashev content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Botashev keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Zheng's head.
Botashev makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Botashev distracts Zheng with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Botashev stopping the sweep attempt from Zheng.
Zheng has momentary wrist control but Botashev slips an elbow through the middle.
Botashev stands up over Zheng, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Botashev lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botashev postures up and lands a big shot to Zheng's brow.
Botashev with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zheng working a defensive guard here.
Botashev postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Zheng wants to stand but Botashev is controlling the position.
Botashev landing some decent shots from guard.
Zheng utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zheng is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Botashev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zheng looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Botashev stands up over Zheng, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Zheng wants to sweep here but Botashev controlling him for the moment.
Botashev is working Zheng over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Zheng is trying to keep Botashev in close.
Botashev lands a couple of elbows.
Botashev throws a big elbow that misses.

Zheng looking for a guillotine here but Botashev defends easily.
Botashev trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Shamil Botashev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chunzhi Zheng is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Botashev in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shamil Botashev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Zheng has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chunzhi Zheng!