PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zhoujiangcuo Wong (ranked 3276 p4p, 353 weight class) and Lauris Darzins (ranked 1843 p4p, 210 weight class). The key to victory for Zhoujiangcuo Wong has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Wong
vs
Darzins

183 cm
25
157 lbs
7 - 3 - 1

199 cm
26
160 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 7 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Zhoujiangcuo Wong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lauris Darzins!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Andrew Berry and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darzins pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Wong throws a big counter combination but Darzins scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
We've been informed that Darzins has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Darzins blocks a head kick by Wong.
Wong throws a head kick that Darzins semi-blocks.
Wong falls off balance throwing a combination
and Darzins makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Wong really felt that one!
Darzins fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Wong throws a head kick but Darzins moves out of range.

Darzins closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Wong's guard.
Darzins sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darzins slips nicely into half guard.
Still in half guard, Darzins seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darzins working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Darzins is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Wong has managed to free his arm - good work.
Darzins lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Darzins has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Darzins seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Darzins stops Wong from getting back to his feet.
Darzins is controlling the pace.
Darzins passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Wong!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Darzins jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Wong manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Darzins decides to stand up, so the ref orders Wong to his feet.
Darzins blocks a head kick by Wong.
Wong throws a sloppy head kick

and Darzins holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Darzins gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Wong is wriggling around but Darzins manages to pass to half guard.

Darzins is trying to work for a kimura but Wong is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darzins content to control rather than advance.

Darzins stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Wong throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wong tries a head kick but it misses.
Darzins lands a right hook to the body.
Wong throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wong throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Darzins! But no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lauris Darzins dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Wong stalks Darzins and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Darzins's face. Darzins staggers backwards, shaken.

Wong throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Darzins stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Wong follows into mount!

Darzins is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Darzins is looking to improve his position but Wong isn't that keen on the idea.
Darzins is still in real trouble! Can Wong finish him?
Wong avoids the attempt from Darzins to control.
Darzins is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Darzins sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Darzins is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Darzins seems to have recovered his senses.
Darzins trying to hold on to Wong's head to control him but Wong postures up.
Darzins might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Wong haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
It looks like Wong is going to stand back up.
Darzins keeping control of the position.
Lauris Darzins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Darzins manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wong wants to stand but Darzins has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Darzins trying to control the position here.

Darzins is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Darzins is on top in guard.

Wong looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Darzins sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darzins advances position into side control!
Darzins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wong keeps working.
Darzins lands a decent elbow from side control.
Wong knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Darzins on the ground.
Darzins moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wong is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Darzins has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Wong is trying to escape the position but Darzins is controlling the position.
Darzins with the ground and pound but Wong regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Darzins perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Darzins uses his free foot to push down on Wong's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Wong.

Darzins is working for a guillotine from mount but Wong frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darzins raining down shots from the mount!
Darzins controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhoujiangcuo Wong dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Darzins closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wong is trying to escape back to his feet but Darzins uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Wong is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Darzins is controlling him well.
Wong taking punishment in the form of punches.

Darzins decides to stand back up.
Wong throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darzins blocks a head kick by Wong.
Darzins steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Wong.
Wong tries a head kick but it misses.
Zhoujiangcuo Wong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wong throws a sloppy head kick and Darzins moves out of range easily.

Darzins moves into the clinch.

Darzins manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darzins trying to control the position.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Darzins manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Wong wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Darzins gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Wong keeping moving, preventing Darzins from controlling successfully.

Darzins stands up and waves to Wong to follow him.
Wong pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zhoujiangcuo Wong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wong misses with a combination

and Darzins counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Darzins.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wong wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Darzins wants the takedown. Wong is fighting it off but Darzins persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Wong's guard against the cage.
Wong keeping moving, preventing Darzins from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darzins is in close to Wong's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Darzins not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Let's hope that Darzins has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Darzins missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Darzins stays in close to Wong's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darzins is looking to work some ground and pound but Wong has wrist control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zhoujiangcuo Wong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Darzins gets a double leg takedown into Wong's guard.
Wong is looking to stand back up but Darzins counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Wong.

Darzins trying to control the pace.

Darzins decides to return to a standing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darzins throws a nice looking combination but Wong bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Darzins takes the fight into the clinch.
Wong working hard to break the clinch.

Darzins pulls Wong into guard.
Darzins is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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

Darzins successfully pulls guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darzins is trying to control the position but Wong postures up.
Darzins has a closed guard, preventing Wong from standing up.
Darzins pulls Wong in close to prevent any damage.
Darzins wants to sweep here but Wong controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lauris Darzins comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Darzins has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lauris Darzins!